Golden Age, November 4, 1936

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The Golden Age

A JOURNAL OF FACT HOPE AND COURAGE

in this issue

JUSTICE EVICTED FROM PENNSYLVANIA

CATHOLIC ACTION NOW AND PREVIOUSLY

KINGDOM PUBLISHERS IN MANY LANDS

FLAG SALUTING

PIONEERING IN SPAIN

PURGATORY AND THE BIBLE

every other WEDNESDAY

five cents a copy

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Canada & Foreign 1.25

Vol. XVIII - No. 447

November 4, 1936 CONTENTS

JUSTICE EVICTED FROM PENNSYLVANIA 67

Mayor of New Orleans Uses His Head 68

WHEATON NOT A "DISTINCTLY CHRISTIAN CITY" 69

Web of the Black Spider 69

National Independence Day 69

"When Saw We Thee in Prison?" 70

MEN WHO COURT ANNIHILATION 71

Betrayals of Witnesses in Germany 71

Le Roy Run by Priests 71

CATHOLIC ACTION NOW AND PREVIOUSLY 72

Just Mere Accidents, of Course 72

How Cross Superstition Originated 72

Other Absurd Superstitions 72

Just a Little Bit Too Anxious 73

Safety First—Do It Now! 74

Confusing to Heavenly Dressmakers 74

A Surmise That Is Correct 74

Black Legion Not So Clever 75

Who's Behind the Black Legion? 75

Religious Polecats 76

More About Denver Orphanage 76

"Purgatory" Teachings Bring Results 77

Lectures of Alessandro Gavazzi 77

Allege All German Witnesses Imprisoned 78

KINGDOM PUBLISHERS IN MANY LANDS 79

The "Lightbearer" in Singapore 79

A Pioneer in the Philippines 79

The Miracle of February 24 79

In Greece and Cyprus 79

"In a Land of Religious Freedom" 80

FLAG SALUTING (Part 1) 81

PIONEERING IN SPAIN 82

SUPPLEMENTARY CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS IN SPAIN IN 1936 84

HEART-RENDING LETTERS FROM GERMANY 86

Why Ridicule the Hypocrites? 83

KINGDOM PUBLISHERS IN NEW JERSEY 87

A Glance at Some Unselfish Ones 87

KINGDOM PUBLISHERS IN PA. 88

Why Ten Were Jailed 88

The American Legion 88

'Preservation,' 'Life,' 'Jehovah' 88

"When Weak, Then Strong" 89

Jw's at a Men's Bible Class 89

An Interview in the Granite State 89

When a Doubtful Policy Succeeded 89

KINGDOM PUBLISHERS IN THE WEST 90

Exchanges for the Bread of Life 90

Pioneers in California 90

What Merced Did to God's Children 90

From a Cherokee Jonadab 90

Coincidences on a Steamship 90

PURGATORY AND THE BIBLE 91

Saved as by Fire 91

'Have Pity on Me!' 92

Ignoring the Scriptures 92

"Justified Freely by His Grace" 93

"Beaten with Many Stripes" 94

CIRCULATING IN MISSOURI 95

The Food-Poisoning at Manchester 95

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The Golden Age

Volume XVIII Brooklyn, N.Y., Wednesday, November 4, 1936 Number 447

Justice Evicted from Pennsylvania

MADAME JUSTICE has been told there is no place for her in Pennsylvania. She might just as well pack up her baggage and go somewhere else, say to Patagonia, or to the south pole. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy is taking over the Quaker State and there isn't room for both. This eviction is with full consent and approval of the governor, George H. Earle. Governors are politicians who are interested in getting and retaining office. They would rather hold their job than to stand up courageously for truth, justice and righteousness.

The Roman Catholic Inquisition, with its "pontifical inquisitors" and its barbarous cruelties, is functioning well in Pennsylvania. During the past year 444 of Jehovah's witnesses in the state were arrested and jailed under one pretext or another. They have been assaulted and beaten by mobs at the instigation of Catholic priests. Mayors, police and magistrates have violated their oaths of office to join in the unprincipled campaign. A few samples of what the inquisition has done are here set forth.

MONESSEN. Arrested 146 Christian people at one sitting. Crowded them into indescribably filthy prison cells. Sentenced them all without trial. Padlocked a private school. Held the teacher in jail two days without charge. Encouraged mob action. Threw a brick through the private school window with a warning to get out of town. Arrested and gave heavy sentences to thirty-five others of Jehovah's witnesses. The mayor, James C. Gold, and the police chief, Joseph Lescanec, have acted as chief "pontifical inquisitors" for the Hierarchy and have done well at the job.

MILLSBORO. Beat up, choked, kicked, and struck five of Jehovah's witnesses; insulted their wives; ransacked their autos, and stole contents and destroyed same. Leader and chief "pontifical inquisitor" was one Jim Adah. Jim says he "doesn't give a damn who knows that he is the leader". Warrant is out for his arrest, but officers are unable to find him in this town of several hundred people.

The refugee

Note the difference in the manner of making arrests in this Fascist-ridden state. When the Roman Catholic Hierarchy desires action against Jehovah's witnesses, the police, mayors, and magistrates act with alacrity. Without any proof of violation of law the police are sent forth and arrests are made in wholesale lots. But when Jehovah's witnesses complain and present proofs of actual assaults and mob action against them, the officials become paralyzed. They are as full of excuses as their jails are full of bedbugs. They haven't the time, and they haven't the men, is the wail they give.

NEW PHILADELPHIA. This town is burdened with a parasitic growth in the shape of two Catholic churches whose priests rule in medieval style. Chief Burgess says the police take their orders from the priests. The priests said they didn't want Jehovah's witnesses in town; the police and the people should run them out. Accordingly a mob attacked, assaulted, and beat up Jehovah's witnesses, destroyed literature, damaged cars, and caused 44 to be thrown into prison. None of the mob were arrested, but seven of Jehovah's witnesses were charged with disorderly conduct and fined five dollars each. The magistrate guilty of this astounding piece of judicial malfeasance is a businessman by the name of Clarence Walters, who apparently takes his orders from the town's ecclesiastical rulers.

Belle Vernon, North Belle Vernon, Mauch Chunk, Locust Gap, Alden, Bloomsburg, Brookville, Brownsville, Norwood, Greencastle, West Hazelton, Lehighton, Coatesville, Scranton, McAdoo, Washington, and a number of other Pennsylvania municipalities have joined the Inquisition, turning their police and judicial offices to use as "pontifical inquisitors" for the Hierarchy.

Complaint of these matters has been repeatedly made to the governor, George H. Earle. Demand has been made that he take action in the interests of justice and of preservation of the liberties of the people. Recommendation has been made to him of certain specific action that he could take, to wit: That he conduct a searching investigation with open hearings thereon, in order that those responsible for the unlawful actions of officials and mobs may be brought to light; that he instruct prosecuting officials of the counties affected to prosecute those having part in violations of the law; that he cause to be removed from office those who prostitute their positions to the dictates of religious leaders; and that he recommend to the legislative body of the state such legislation as may be necessary and proper to prevent further unlawful acts of such nature.

Governor Earle would like to keep out of the picture. He has politely declined to take any steps, and says that any action by him "would be unwarranted, and a reflection upon the integrity of our judiciary".

This means that the governor has opened the door wide for the Roman Catholic Hierarchy to proceed with its Inquisition and do as it sees fit. The governor, in effect, says: 'Go right ahead. There will not be any interference from this office. You may assault and browbeat Christians all you desire. You may destroy their property. You may throw them into vermin-infested jails from one end of the state to the other without regard to law or justice. You may deny any or all of their fundamental rights. You may obey the mandates of the priests in such manner as you see fit. I cannot reflect upon the integrity of our courts by saying anything or doing anything about it. Go as far as you like. And, of course, don't forget my co-operation when election comes again.'

It's a good thing for William Penn that he does not live in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in this year 1936.

Mayor of New Orleans Uses His Head

WHEN the mayor of a large city uses his head for something besides a resting place for a hat, that is noticeable. When such mayor uses ordinary intelligence on the right of Jehovah's witnesses to preach the gospel without interference, that is real news, remarkable news.

Therefore The Golden Age calls to your attention an act of the mayor of New Orleans.

New Orleans has a canvassing ordinance, like Hoboken, Nutley, Orange, Irvington and other Hierarchy-controlled cities of New Jersey.

The police of New Orleans started arresting Jehovah's witnesses under said canvassing ordinance. The matter was presented to the mayor. The work of Jehovah's witnesses and their right to preach the gospel was fully explained. The mayor, Robert S. Maestri, sent word to the superintendent of police that the ordinance did not apply to the work of Jehovah's witnesses.

We congratulate Mayor Maestri on having common sense, and on having the courage to use it. We recommend his act as an example to the mayors of 28 New Jersey cities, although we doubt if they have either common sense enough or courage enough to follow his lead.

Anyway, we're glad to report that there is at least one mayor in America who does not wear the pope's collar.

Wheaton (Ill.) Not a “Distinctly Christian City”

“WHEATON has always been a distinctly Christian city.” So states a pamphlet setting forth some of the virtues and advantages of Wheaton, Illinois. A “distinctly Christian city” would necessarily be one in which the principles and practices of Christianity would be followed so closely by its inhabitants and officials that they could be clearly seen by all. They would be visible without the need of explanation or any other form of artificial aid.

Christians are directed to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. (1 Peter 2:21) They are required to preach the gospel from place to place and door to door just as Jesus did and as He commanded. A “distinctly Christian city” should also engage in the preaching of the gospel. At the very least, it could not interfere with such Christian act and still properly retain the name of Christian.

If Wheaton ever was a distinctly Christian city, it has now fallen a long way from such high and lofty position. Herewith is presented the evidence showing that it should now be dubbed a ‘distinctly devilish city’ because of the diabolic acts committed against Christian people whose only “offense” is that they worship God in the mode prescribed by Him.

In Wheaton, Illinois, Christians in recent months have been hounded and oppressed, scoffed and sneered at, conspired against, thrown into jail, sentenced to hard labor on the streets, and viciously persecuted, all because they obey the divine mandate to preach the gospel.

Web of the Black Spider

On June 7 Frank Wasick, one of Jehovah’s witnesses, while engaged in presenting the Kingdom message to the people, was arrested at the instigation of one Harry G. Weaver. In due time he was tried, ‘found guilty’ of violating a commercial ordinance, and fined $25. One week later Mildred Slosser, age 17, was arrested, tried, and fined $125 for engaging in the Christian activity of informing Wheaton residents about the Bible and its precious truths.

The same man Harry G. Weaver, an attorney, and prominent member of the American Legion, brought about the arrest. He solicited her to leave with him a book, contributed thirty-five cents to help pay for its printing, and then maliciously caused her to be thrust behind prison bars. This is what the prelates of Wheaton would call a “distinctly Christian act” of a “distinctly Christian city”.

Note some of the “distinctly Christian statements” of some of the residents of this outstanding city. A lawyer attending the trials of Jehovah’s witnesses states, “We’ll clean up that rotten bunch and make them like it before we get through.” A policeman, probably considered a “distinctly Christian policeman”, states, “If any of Jehovah’s witnesses come to my door I will kick them so hard they will not be able to walk for a month.” And no doubt it is considered super-“distinctly Christian” for a desk sergeant at the police station to advise residents to ‘sick a dog on Jehovah’s witnesses and chase them out’.

National Independence Day in Wheaton

Wheaton has no ordinance regulating the operation of sound cars. The politicians and business concerns use them freely to advertise their wares. But when Jehovah’s witnesses use a sound car to present a Christian message to the people, that is something different.

On July 4 Everett Rice and Edward Walker used sound equipment to present Bible lectures to the people. They were arrested and charged with making unnecessary noise. Some weeks later Howard Logsdon and John Germanich were also arrested and charged with the same offense. Of course, Wheaton has lots of unnecessary noises. Firecrackers were going on all sides at the time of arrest of Rice and Walker.

Church bells are heard all over this “distinctly Christian city”, nevertheless a jury of theoretically “distinctly Christian people” found these defendants “guilty”. Two of them were thereafter committed to prison and worked at hard labor on the streets of Wheaton for twenty-four days.

“The Reverend” Francis J. Epstein, P.R., A.M., is priest of St. Michael’s Roman Catholic church of Wheaton. Undoubtedly considers himself a “distinctly Christian priest”, in spite of the fact that he has taken unto himself the unchristian title of “Father”. Mr. Epstein was asked by a Golden Age reporter for his opinion of the jailing of Christians in Wheaton, and expressed his great pleasure at the suffering thus brought about, in the words, “I think the city has handled the matter very nicely.” Just think of the pleasure that “Father” Epstein’s father, the Devil (John 8:44), received through this malevolent statement of his beskirted son.

Other Christians have been arrested and charged with violation of the 'peddling' ordinance of Wheaton. The ordinance shows on its face it was adopted to cover commercial practices, yet the officials claim they must enforce it even against the preaching of the gospel. "If it weren't for the ordinance," they say, "we wouldn't bother you. You could work without interference." Jehovah's witnesses then decided to assist these officials out of their predicament. They prepared and circulated among the citizens of Wheaton a petition which reads as follows:

Protest and Petition

TO THE CITY COUNCIL

OF THE CITY OF WHEATON, ILLINOIS:

WE, the undersigned citizens of Illinois who believe in and support the rights of the people as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States and of Illinois,

PRESENT this petition and vigorously protest against the wrongful acts committed in this vicinity, for the reasons, as follows, to wit:

WHEREAS from time to time Jehovah's witnesses in the exercise of their God-given right have called at the homes of citizens in Wheaton for the sole purpose of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God in obedience to the Almighty's command, and which gospel of the Kingdom they do preach by exhibiting to the people printed explanations of the Holy Bible, and which is in the public interest and welfare of the people; and

WHEREAS many of Jehovah's witnesses while so engaged in preaching the gospel have been arrested and thrown into prison upon the charge of violating a commercial ordinance with reference to peddling and which said arrest and imprisonment has brought great suffering upon men and women and much expense to the taxpayers of Wheaton, and has violated the rights of said Jehovah's witnesses, as well as citizens of Wheaton, in an effort to prevent the latter from hearing more about God's kingdom; and

WHEREAS we believe and maintain that the law of God is supreme and above all human law, and since God commands the preaching of the gospel by those who worship Him, we hold that no ordinance or law should be so construed and applied as to inflict punishment upon men and women who do thus preach the gospel; that the arrest and imprisonment of Jehovah's witnesses for preaching the gospel from door to door is a gross violation of the fundamental law of the land concerning the right to worship Almighty God in accordance with the dictates of each one's conscience;

THEREFORE we do hereby vigorously protest against the arrest and imprisonment of Jehovah's witnesses, their wrongful imprisonment, and the saddling of additional tax burdens upon the citizens, and now, for the purpose of preventing a further misapplication of said so-called "peddling ordinance", we do hereby petition the lawmaking bodies of this city to amend said ordinance by adding the following section or paragraph to said ordinance, to wit:

"The provisions of this ordinance shall not apply to any person who, in obedience to the command of Almighty God, is engaged in calling upon the people for the purpose of informing and enlightening them on the Word of God, whether such information be conveyed to them orally or in printed or written form."

The people of a "distinctly Christian city" would naturally be pleased and delighted to register their approval of a law giving free action to any person who comes to their city in obedience to the command of Jehovah God to bring them information on the Bible. In Wheaton, only 125 people had 'distinctive Christianity' enough to sign this petition. Only 125 had common sense enough to realize that city ordinances should be subject to the commands of Almighty God. The petition was in due time presented to the city council, but at this writing no action has been taken. It is evident that the city council claims to be supreme and that even though one is commanded by the Creator of the universe to preach the gospel in Wheaton, he must also secure permission from that "distinctly Christian city" so to do.

"When Saw We Thee in Prison?"

Wheaton has a number of churches. The Golden Age is interested in learning what the preachers think about this business of throwing men and women in jail for preaching the gospel, and sent some reporters to interview them. One of the earmarks of a distinctive clergyman these days is the ability to avoid expressing an opinion on a subject that is "controversial". They are the type who gather up their skirts and "flee when no man pursueth".

Ten of the Wheaton "reverends", to wit, J. W. Welsh, K. K. Tibbetts, K. C. Thiesen, Kenneth S. West, F. F. Millette, C. B. Newson, George T. Stepson, J. A. Sutherland, Clarence Benson, and John Allsworth, are in that category. No; they just didn't know anything about it. They just didn't have anything to say, etc., etc., etc., ad nauseam. Fowl of that kind are too busy sipping tea with the female auxiliaries of their organizations to be concerned about the persecution of Christian men and women in their midst.

The "Rev." Francis J. Epstein isn't the only rooster who approves of the Wheaton inquisition. "Rev." Kenneth A. Amster was "very happy with the situation as it is". Yes, Kenneth enjoys seeing Christians behind prison bars. So does "Rev." E. L. Gates, moderator of the First Baptist church, and "Rev." Claude C. Travis, pastor of the Gary Memorial M. E. church. "Rev." George L. Curran, Lutheran, believed they shouldn't be permitted to go from door to door, and "Rev." Joseph E. Ludgate was positive that Jehovah's witnesses were not good citizens.

Not one so-called "distinctly Christian preacher" of Wheaton had enough moral courage and enough perception of truth and righteousness to make a protest against the operation of an inquisition in their midst. The "Rev." J. J. Kolmos was quite sure he would not treat them so harshly, and the "Rev." L. A. Heerboth believed they should not have been arrested. These two gentle expressions of disapproval are the nearest to a protest that could be secured from the gentlemen of the cloth.

From the days of Enos to the present, men have desired to call themselves by the name of the Lord, and pursue their own self-righteous way. Wheaton is a brilliant example of such. Its prominent citizens delight to advertise it as a "distinctly Christian city" and inform the world how good and how Christlike they are. They make the city look nice on the outside, but when a lady of seventeen years of age is faced with six months in jail for calling upon the people in the community with the message of the Bible, then said city is full of corruption within.

'Woe unto you, Wheaton "Christians", hypocrites, for ye are like unto a whited sepulchre, which indeed appears beautiful outward, but within is full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. . . . How can ye escape the punishment of Gehenna?'—Matthew 23: 27-33.

Men Who Court Annihilation

Betrayals of Witnesses in Germany

THE National-Socialist party now pays two marks for each new address furnished to them by informers and traitors. After this such betrayed witnesses are first molested by Nazis and soon afterward fall into the hands of the Secret Police. Among those informers and traitors are former supposed brethren who not only furnish the enemy names of witnesses but also their meeting places and time of meetings, also the title of the current Watchtower issue for Germany. The result is that in the post offices a list is posted, containing the titles of the latest leading Watchtower articles, with the instruction to intercept all mail containing these magazines.

Recently at a funeral of a witness in Detmold (Lippe) which was attended by about 200 persons, amongst them twenty witnesses, a witness delivered a talk of a half an hour. Then the weeping widow was arrested right at the grave, but released the following morning. A traitor provided the police with the names of the other nineteen witnesses; they were arrested and convicted, the speaker to ten months, others to eight and six and four months; all together, seven years.

Le Roy Run by Priests

THE GOLDEN AGE would be interested to know whether the 4,500 inhabitants of Le Roy, N.Y., realize that they are living in subserviency to two Catholic priests of the town. If they do realize it, how do they like it?

Recently while Jehovah's witnesses were using sound equipment in the city to proclaim the Kingdom message they were stopped by the police, and told by the town clerk that if they secured the consent of "Father" Mullett and "Father" McGuire they could proceed with their work.

In other words, two effeminately dressed men are empowered by city officials to decide what can be told to the people of Le Roy. The whole city is down on its marrow bones before the Roman Catholic Hierarchy.

"Every one to his own taste," said Rover, as he licked up his vomit. If the people of Le Roy want to prostrate themselves abjectly before two representatives of a foreign power, that is their privilege.

Catholic Action Now and Previously

ARCHBISHOP McNICHOLAS, of Cincinnati, says that “the most dauntless champion of liberty of opinion in all the ages is the Catholic church”. Passing on from this to his friend “Father” Harney, who says that if the Roman Catholic Hierarchy had the power it would put all “heretics” to death, it should be noted with what skill Mr. McNicholas said “liberty of opinion” instead of “freedom of speech”. Thus, it is all O.K. for Judge Rutherford to think as he likes, so long as he keeps still about it; but if he dares to tell anybody what he thinks about the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, then the idea is that he should be put to death. It is all very simple; it is just a matter of choosing the right words to cover up the thought. The Cincinnati Enquirer, not seeing through this nonsense, made McNicholas’ supposed panegyric on “human freedom” the basis for its leading editorial.

The Cincinnati Post, although knowing that in America there is no union of church and state, is made to utter the foolishness that:

Archbishop John T. McNicholas and Monsignor R. Marcellus Wagner paid their customary annual visit to Mayor Russell Wilson in city hall Friday in keeping with an old custom whereby the ecclesiastical authority of a community once a year calls upon the representatives of the civil authority.

Just Mere Accidents, of Course

Of course it is just a mere accident that President Roosevelt spoke in Vincennes, Indiana, and went out of his way to boost the Roman Catholic institutions of that city, at the very time that suits were brought against city treasurers for turning over the money of the taxpayers to the parochial schools of Vincennes. One would almost think that his trip to Texas was routed via Vincennes, and his train was planned to stop at Vincennes, so that he could speak as he did to smooth it all over. His tributes to the Catholic institutions of the city were very touching.

At a “church” carnival in Cleveland a man lost $27 gambling with Anthony Santo, professional carnival operator. He squealed, and five police were sent to the “church”, but they could see nothing wrong. The name of the “church” was not mentioned, and, for that matter, one does not even know the “church” connections of the professional gambler, Tony Santo.

The wise man, in Ecclesiastes 5:2, said: “God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” Jesus also says: “When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (Matthew 6:7) But neither Christ nor Solomon means anything to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Euclid avenue and East 40th street, Cleveland, Ohio. These sisters get up at 4:30 a.m., and their day ends between 9 and 10 in the evening, and eight hours of every twenty-four must be spent in prayer, violating both the commandments above given.

How the Cross Superstition Originated

The Scriptures state that Jesus was nailed to a xylon (tree) or stauros (mistranslated “cross”), not to a T-shaped cross. The Brooklyn Union explains that “the cross did not become the symbol of Christianity until four centuries after the death of Christ”. The original symbol was a composition of the Greek letters X, P and I (chi, rho and iota), representing the “Chri” of the word “Christ”. Thus the device seen displayed so widely is all a humbug, historically.

The Companion Bible, published by the Oxford University Press, contains an article proving that the form of cross adopted by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy is really a form of worship of the Babylonian sun-god. Homer uses the word stauros to signify an ordinary stake or single piece of timber, and this is always the use of the word in the Greek classics. There is nothing in the Greek New Testament to even imply two pieces of timber. Constantine was a sun-god worshiper and did not become a “Christian” until a quarter of a century after he saw his alleged vision of the cross in the heavens. The fact that what he saw, and what was afterwards adopted by the Roman Catholic cult, was a pagan symbol is verified by coins of Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar as well as by coins of the days of Constantine, and numerous scholars have borne united testimony to the fact that the Lord was put to death upon an upright stake, and not on two pieces of timber placed at any angle. Nothing taught by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy can be accepted as the truth.

Other Absurd Superstitions

The Companion of Saint Francis and Saint Anthony (May, 1936, number), published by the Friars Minor Conventual, 210 East Maple Street, Jeffersonville, Indiana, contains the alleged sermon of St. Anthony to the Fishes, embracing 201 words of as clever a line as was ever handed out to suckers in this world. The fishes are reported as having repeatedly put their heads out so they could hear. This "happened" in 1227 at Rimini, where the Marecchia flows into the Adriatic sea. It may be added that suckers have been biting well from that day to this.

Under the imprimatur of Michael J. Curley, archbishop of Baltimore, here is a little booklet that tells you how to get anything you want. All you have to do is to use the name of Elizabeth Ann Seton, Protestant, who turned Catholic and opened a seminary in Baltimore. Here are two incidents:

I made a novena asking her help and I applied a tiny bit of wood from Mother Seton's Paca street house to my foot which had been badly hurt. I was cured very soon.

We were going over a dangerous bit of road high in the Blue Ridge. The auto skidded. The danger was very great! We thought we were lost. Four-year-old Gerald, who was wearing a Mother Seton button, snatched it off, kissed it and prayed aloud that she would save us. To our great surprise, the auto righted itself; we had no more trouble on our trip.

All over Italy are shrines to the madonna of this or the madonna of that, each of which is supposed to be the virgin Mary in another guise. The madonna of Loreto is now designated as the patroness of aviation, because, so goes the story, the angels carried the virgin's house from Nazareth to Italy, where it would be more appreciated by those who have an unlimited appetite for the clear, pure, unadulterated bunk. The Daily Mirror says of this arrangement:

Today the Casa Santa, built of small dressed stones set in mortar, appears to float within the enclosing building. The virgin of this shrine, adorned with jewels and gleaming in the light of dim silver lamps perpetually burning, stands in her niche surrounded by silver angels. She is tutelary saint of airmen. Her fetes last ten days, while solemn blessing is bestowed on Italian aeroplane squadrons.

Wonder how much it took to fix up that "stone and mortar" so that it would "appear to float". Nice job, that. Also, wonder what the much-bejeweled virgin tuted during the nearly 2,000 years before she became the tutelary saint of the airmen. Does she tute all the time, or does she lay off tuting when the airmen go into a nose dive or tail spin? The account in the Daily Mirror leaves one in the dark, but it does show two begowned—er—worshipers with things on their heads that look like square funnels. Makes 'em look "holy", you know.

Just a Little Bit Too Anxious

When one person is trying to make another cough it is best not to get too enthusiastic all at once, or the results may not be all that could be desired. That seems to be the moral for the Reverend Louis Miltenberger, Church of Our Lady of Victory, Conduit and Reservoir Roads, N.W., Washington, D.C. In a letter to his flock dated April 15, 1936, he gently broke the news that he was about to begin construction of a new rectory and, to make it short, he hoped they would each come across with $16.50 and he would send somebody to see that they did. In other words, it was a strenuous invitation to the family to cough up $16.50, and to be sure to do it. So one of the flock, Ernest Stephens, wrote him the following letter, which is so plain that the wayfaring man though a believer in hell-fire need not err therein:

I am the husband of Mrs. Catherine Stephens, who just today received a letter from you asking for money. She has given me authority to answer that letter. Neither she nor I see fit to donate money for political purposes or for the worshipers of Baalism.

My wife wishes her name erased from the books of the Catholic church. Since she has been married she has had access to the Bible, which is God's Word of truth, and she can see that God is not the terrible torturing god that is taught by the priests, but, instead, He is a just and loving God.

Just a little while ago one of the Catholic Action papers published the fact that the Catholic people were no part of the Catholic church, but were known as the "Catholic population", better known as "sustainers or bearers-up" of that wicked organization.

I have studied the Bible and have found out what God's will is, and have consecrated myself to do that will, and to contribute to such a cause [as yours] would be a direct violation of that covenant, which would mean everlasting death to me. The Bible says that covenant-breakers are worthy of death.

I have fallen in line with Jehovah's witnesses and am bringing the message of God's kingdom under Christ to the people, which is the only hope of the world. Instead of doing as Jehovah has commanded, you are turning people away from Him, instead of teaching them the gracious provision He has made for those that love Him and keep His commandments.

According to evidence presented to the Canadian courts, just before her death Mrs. Ambrose J. Small, widow of Canada's millionaire theater-owner, confessed that she caused the murder of her Protestant husband. As she was his beneficiary, his $2,000,000 will go to the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, and they will probably get what they are after, even though relatives are fighting for some of it.

Safety First—Do It Now!

The latest literature from "The Salvatorian Fathers, Annuity Department, St. Nazianz, Wisconsin", indicates a certain amount of haste and nervousness. The outside cover says, "Safety First—Do It Now," and the headings on the inside are "Invest Now" and "Tomorrow May Be Too Late". The idea is that you turn over your cash and "the Salvatorian Annuity Bond pays the premium of God's grace and mercy in Heaven". Assuming that Peter was the first pope, here is what he had to say on a similar subject:

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.—Acts 8: 20, 21.

The advertising matter goes on to explain that:

A Mass Annuity Contract will give you the benefit of masses for the amount of the contract immediately after your death, a time when your soul is waiting for the spiritual benefits. There will be no delay as in cases where the will is being probated, which requires at least four months and sometimes a few years. Moreover, if the will is overthrown, NO masses are read.

This touching bit of advertising matter is to make it perfectly clear that unless you come across with the long green you can go right straight plumb to Hoboken. Who do you think you are, anyway, that we should pray for you? High money, high mass; low money, low mass; no money, no mass. Come across.

Very Confusing to Heavenly Dressmakers

At hand some of the advertising literature of the "Church of St. James, 1225 East Eager Street, Baltimore, Md.", selling "Purgatory" at from 50c for an annual contribution to $10 for a perpetual membership. The cut on the front page indicates that "Purgatory" is right beneath the church, where the priest and others are bowing before an image of Christ on the "cross". The flames are about five feet high. The features of four of those in the flames can be seen quite clearly. Two of them are pretty good lookers at that. But that is not the point. The point is that the female angels that come down to bear away those that have cooked long enough wear old-style dresses, such as they used to have back in the gay nineties. They have big wings, too, and there is just no possible way that a man could help get one of those shemales into harness unless it buttoned down the back. The pope's dressmaking department should see about this. Who wants to be escorted out of "Purgatory" by some angel, no matter how good her looks, that wears clothes that look as if they had been swiped from the garments left to posterity by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, Empress of India?

A Surmise That Is Correct

Having had their eyeteeth cut, Jehovah's witnesses are more alert mentally as to what is now going on in Michigan and elsewhere in the United States than are most. Paul E. Saddlemire, New York, merely by a process of reasoning, correctly labels the Black Legion, of Michigan, in the following:

I suppose you have read by now about the so-called "Black Legion", and that it is composed exclusively of Protestants who are anti-Catholic, anti-Jewish and anti-Negro. I may be mistaken, but I believe that this so-called "Black Legion" is composed of Roman Catholics who are acting as what are sometimes called "agents provocateurs", the purpose, of course, being to arouse the ire and fury of all Catholics, Jews and Negroes throughout the land, against the Protestants, so that the Hierarchy would have a plausible excuse for:

Openly arming masses of Catholics, Jews and Negroes for united, simultaneous action, ostensibly for self-defense, the Jews and Negroes thus being used as catspaws to assist the Hierarchy to seize the control of the United States Government when the signal is given to strike. Wouldn't be one bit surprised if the Old Hag attempted to seize the national and state governments before election time.

The burning of Buckpasser's shrine at Detroit by camouflaged members of the Knights of Columbus passing themselves off as Protestants would serve to arouse the indignation of all misinformed and duped persons, be they Protestant, Catholic or Jew, and would apparently give the Hierarchy the right to accuse Protestants of "religious persecution", which is the very thing that the Hierarchy has been guilty of for more than fifteen centuries. Thus the siren of Rome would be hypocritically passing the buck on those whom it regards as "heretics" and unworthy of life.

As the Communists in Germany were Catholics in disguise, and remained that way until the government was in the hands of Hitler, so here in the United States the Black Legionnaires are Catholics in disguise, and will remain that way until the government is in the hands of a Catholic dictator. As "Communists" and "open" Catholics worked together in the dark for a common end, overthrow of free government, so here in the United States Black Legionnaires and “open” Catholics are working together in the dark for a common issue, overthrow of free government. In both instances the people as a whole were, then in Germany, and are now in the United States, deceived. Beware! The enemy is at the door.

Black Legion Not as Clever as Once

The Black Legion, once known as the “Molly Maguires”, and sometimes called the Ancient Order of Hibernians, seems not to be as clever as it once was. This Irish Catholic murder society once terrorized the coal regions and specialized in “good clane jobs” of putting out of their way mine bosses and others that provoked their wrath.

The murders in Michigan were crudely done. To be sure, the burning of Coughlin’s church had the old flavor of turning suspicion away from the real culprits, but in other respects the work was that of amateurs. In the old days in Pennsylvania a fine technique was developed for dodging all the blame and getting the innocent to suffer. This was done by the most perfect alibi system ever negotiated. Anybody who interfered with the alibi was the next victim, and for years the people who knew the guilty did not dare say a word. If they did, they were the next to go.

The Molly Maguires of Pennsylvania were largely broken up by the activities of the Shenandoah Herald, then owned and edited by Thomas J. Foster, later the founder and president of the International Correspondence Schools. For months armed guards watched him day and night, to prevent his being killed. Michigan was a good place for the Mollies to start again, as the worst anybody can get is a life sentence in prison. The first murders were so planned as to throw the blame on Protestants, and the newspapers, as usual, swallowed the bait, hook, line and sinker; but the truth finally came out, and as a result the ‘Old Whore’ gets another black eye. Jezebel needs another batch of calcimine.—2 Kings 9:30; Revelation 17:1.

Who’s Behind the Black Legion?

The Nation hints as to who’s behind the Black Legion of Michigan, when it says:

Then note that already the dispatches coming out of Detroit are minimizing the earlier reports as to the size and importance of the Black Legion and are picturing the organization as smashed by the disclosures; they suggest that with the legionnaires in flight further investigation will be unnecessary and that all that remains to be done is to prosecute some sixteen men for the murder of a WPA worker. Note also that the loudest singer of that tune is McCrea, the Wayne County prosecutor, who confessedly was a member of the Black Legion along with his chief investigator and at least one other member of his staff. Next I call your attention to the fact that the man who is most active in investigating the Black Legion per se is the State’s attorney general, Crowley, a corporation lawyer serving under Governor Fitzgerald, who holds his post by the sufferance of the employers’ association and who has appointed as chairman of the state’s Social Security Board one Dr. Philip A. Callahan, who was the Klan’s grand cyclops in Michigan.

(McCrea, Crowley, Fitzgerald, Callahan—Hm!)

Government Refusal to Investigate Black Legion

The United States Government’s refusal to investigate the Black Legion is rather thin, in view of Section 51 U. S. C. A. (Criminal Code, Section 19), which reads as follows:

Conspiracy to injure persons in exercise of civil rights. If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any citizen in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same, or if two or more persons go in disguise on the highways, or on the premises of another, with intent to prevent or hinder his free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege so secured, they shall be fined not more than $5,000 and imprisoned not more than ten years, and shall, moreover, be thereafter ineligible to any office, or place of honor, profit, or trust created by the Constitution or laws of the United States.

Is the Black Legion Investigating Itself?

A dispatch from Detroit indicates that the Black Legion may be investigating itself. The prosecutor, Duncan McCrea, in charge of the investigation in Detroit has admitted that a signature on a Black Legion membership application looks like his. It is also declared that names of detectives and patrolmen have been found on membership lists, and that in Jackson county the Legion is so powerful that the officials go to it for advice.

At Detroit, in August, eleven men who pleaded guilty to flogging three jobless men in Pontiac were in the hands of the law enforcement officials a total of ten minutes. The floggers were not asked to give their names, ages or occupations. The judge that rendered this decision, without reprimand, was Milton Cooney. Guess his “church”. The Detroit Free Press said:

The flogging was committed before the hooded order was known to be active in Pontiac, and among those who were interested in preventing state authorities from investigating the affair were officials of the Catholic faith.

It came out in the questioning that Dayton Dean, the confessed trigger-man in the Black Legion in the slaying of Charles A. Poole, in Michigan, was a member of Coughlin’s particular brand of “S.J.” Well, what else would he be?

Religious Polecats

The Carmelite nuns and Franciscan friars of Germany continue to attract attention—somewhat as does a polecat.

“Religious instruction” is not always safe. Criminal proceedings were begun in Germany against Joseph Hafner, Catholic priest at Gutenbell, Baden, on charges of immorality involving two girls under 14 to whom he was giving “religious instruction”.

Sister Wendeline, of the Carmelite Order, got fifteen months’ imprisonment for leading astray a thirteen-year-old boy, and four more of the Franciscan monks of Coblenz have been given sentences up to three and one-half years for similar moral turpitude. Now, if the Franciscans would marry the Carmelites in a decent way, who would object?

The Holy Franciscan monks, Coblenz, Germany, 268 of them, were on trial on charges of immoral relations with pupils and mentally deficient persons left in their care, which leaves one glad that there are some males in the world that are not monks.

Penfield Writes of the Convents

S. A. Penfield, of New York, writing of Roman Catholic convents, said:

The famous historian Lecky thus refers to the Roman Catholic convents of the Middle Ages:

“The writers of the Middle Ages are full of accounts of nunneries that were like brothels, of the vast multitude of infanticides within their walls, and of that inveterate prevalence of incest among the clergy, which rendered it necessary again and again to issue the most stringent enactments that priests should not be permitted to live with their mothers or sisters.

A clipping from a Boston daily reads:

Febra Donato, of Ipswich, has been held in $1,200 for the grand jury, after pleading not guilty in the East Boston court, to a charge of breaking into the Convent of the Sacred Heart in East Boston. He was arrested in the tunnel leading from the church to the convent. Seven poor boxes had been ripped open. Note that the man was arrested in the tunnel leading from the church to the convent. When Maria Monk wrote her book and told about the tunnels connecting the nunneries and the priests’ houses, she was vilified, traduced and called a liar by the priests of Rome. It remained, however, for nature to prove the truth of what she wrote, when the overflowing of the St. Lawrence river caused the inundation of the Convent of Notre Dame and the bones of (as estimated) between 850 and 1,000 infants were found in the lime-pits.—In The Monitor.

More About the Denver Orphanage

A Colorado housewife writes further about the Denver orphanage:

I read your article “In the Good Shepherd’s Orphanage”, in The Golden Age No. 438, and know every word of it is true. In 1922 I was left penniless with four children to care for. We lived within a half mile of the orphanage. One of the sisters knew of my plight and offered to take the three girls in. I agreed, as there seemed to be nothing else for me to do. I boarded my boy with a good family and did practical nursing, going to see the girls once a week.

Since I took them out my children have told me of the treatment they received while there. I left them there one year; I could not stand it longer. When one goes to see the children, they never let you go any farther than the office. A nun always brings the children to the office, and stays during the visit. One is never alone with the children.

My baby one year old was punished for wetting her clothes, by bumping her head against the wall. When I called the older girl started to tell me about it, but was shut up instantly by the nun. Since, she told me she received a sound whipping for trying to tell me. The middle girl, age five, was punished for bed-wetting, by being taken to the chapel after dark, and left alone; presently, she said, a figure came toward her draped in white; naturally it frightened her, and she ran screaming to the dormitory. Another time she was stood in a corner with the sheet draped over her head until it dried.

The food consisted of stews thickened with flour, no butter or fruit, just skimmed milk, although they have their own dairy. I used to take the children fruit every time I went to see them, but just what they ate in the office was all they got of it.

The girls have told me of their sewing on buttons for hours at a time, and of polishing floors with rags tied to their feet and knees, and of taking turns in the kitchen. The children were plump and rosy-cheeked when I put them in there; they became thin and pale; one could see that they were undernourished.

The oldest girl was ten. She is married now, and says she will look back on that one year with horror as long as she lives.

"Purgatory" Teachings Bring Results

"Purgatory" teachings bring results even in this life, when the implications of the doctrine are adapted to everyday life. In New York city Ermelindo Questell, a Puerto Rican, is accused of having frequently tortured a ten-year-old girl ward who had lived in his family for six years. Among the tortures were the burning of her hands with lighted papers, besides the usual beating with straps. It is claimed that the child was tortured as part of a conspiracy to obtain money from the landlord, on the ground that her injuries were caused by the falling of plaster. In the "purgatory" racket they get the money first, and the "tortures" are graded according to the greater or less amount of cash obtained. At least, that is the theory. In this instance the tortures came first, and it does not look now as if the money would come at all.

The Knights of Columbus are always hollering about alleged persecution of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy in Mexico, but in Dunellen, N.J., a Roman Catholic came with an officer to a neighbor's home, which neighbor had received an invitation to listen to a radio broadcast of one of Judge Rutherford's addresses. The neighbor was friendly to the witness of Jehovah that had given her the invitation, and tried to shield her. Exercising an alleged authority which he did not actually possess, the officer forced his way into the home, laid hold of the radio invitation, and three days later came with a warrant for the housewife's arrest, asserting he would lock her up if she did not appear as complainant against the witness that had left the invitation. Not knowing her rights, she yielded to his demands, but subsequently moved from the neighborhood to get away from such neighbors.

Lectures of Alessandro Gavazzi

At hand for examination a 400-page book of lectures delivered in New York city in 1853 by the "Reverend Father" Alessandro Gavazzi, of Leghorn, Italy, published in 1854 by M. W. Dodd, predecessor of Dodd, Mead & Co., publishers, of New York city. For many years Gavazzi was a priest of the Roman Catholic church, a Barnabite monk. Becoming convinced that the church is the enemy of Christ he devoted his life thereafter to exposing her. Two extracts indicate the contents of the book:

In Piedmont, in the town of Vercelli, is a church dedicated to Saint Christopher, in which I officiated for two years. Saint Christopher is believed to have been a giant and the monks called Umiliati, suppressed since the time of Saint Charles Borromeo, purchased a large molar tooth, a gigantic tooth, and deposited it in a shrine of silver and gold. For many centuries the tooth of Saint Christopher was worshiped, and knelt to, and prayed to, be a mediator. About sixty years ago the Barnabites, becoming suspicious, had this tooth examined by men highly skilled in natural history, who declared it to be a hippopotamus' tooth. We still keep it as a curiosity in our monastery at Vercelli. This is not jest, but a fact; so that for three or four centuries the poor people knelt before the holy tooth of the holy hippopotamus and prayed God to make the merits of the holy hippopotamus the justification of their souls—to bring them to heaven through the merits of the holy sea-horse!

I clearly protest that in speaking of the Inquisition, I never use Protestant, but only Roman Catholic books, and those of "pure blood" as the phrase is used in Italy, Paramo, Macedo, Bruno, Calderini, Pegna, Grilando, Marsilio, and especially a book of Fra Bernardo da Como entitled "Lucerna Inquisitorium", or, "The Lamp to direct the Inquisitors." There are, I said, fourteen different species of torture, all of which I, of course, cannot describe, as it would take many hours. One of the worst was the deprivation of rest, not allowing sleep for fourteen, twenty, or thirty days and nights continuously. Sometimes I have said, let a description of these tortures be read, and all their cruelty cannot be conceived; but, if I here reproduce them, I can more clearly convey what was the pain suffered. The first was called the "Queen of Tortures", namely, the "Torture of the Cord". In the middle of the prison stands a massive beam reaching from the floor to the ceiling; at the top is a pulley, and a rope passed through it, one end in the hand of the executioners (these always are two masked Dominican friars), the other end fastened to the arms of the victim, which are tied behind his back, while to his feet is attached a weight of a hundred pounds. At the signal, the rope is drawn, the victim hoisted, and, by the weight of the body and the hundred pounds attached to the feet, the arms are wrenched backwards and upwards, until they are drawn over his head. While in this position, the victim is often cruelly flogged, and tormented with hot pincers or iron nails, and then comes the question, "Are you guilty? Confess!" He denies—then the rope is suddenly relaxed by the executioner; the victim descends, and is stopped within a few inches of the floor with a violent jerk, which completely dislocates the arms. If he do not then confess, he is sent back to his dungeon, to lie there three or four weeks, until sufficiently recovered to be able to bear a repetition of the torture, which is often applied three or four different times.

Another mode of torture is that "by fire". In the middle of the prison stands a brazier filled with live coals, within a few inches of which the naked feet of the victims are made to approach. Soon they become inflamed—then they break into wounds, from which blood and matter fall into the brazier. The torture is continued betimes for twenty-five minutes; then the feet are often scorched off, and the charred bones drop into the brazier; upon this the executioners remove the victims in their arms.

The Torture of the Wheel is especially used against delicate women. The undressed female is tied on one of these wheels, which is armed with sharp cogs; two strong men turn it round rapidly—stop it suddenly—and the cogs enter the flesh of the suffering woman, who remains always senseless, and often lifeless.

The last, which is especially used against courageous men, is the "Torture by Water". The victim is tied on a rough bench, his face is covered with white linen, and a funnel filled with water points toward his mouth. There is the Inquisitor, there is the victim, and there the executioner. On the one hand is the Inquisitor, on the other the executioner, between them the victim. The sign is given, and slowly, drop by drop, the water in the funnel begins to fall upon the cloth which covers the wretch's face. The cloth is moistened, and, as it is, the breathing becomes more difficult. Gloom—sternness—secrecy—silence—except that one small, fearful sound, drop, drop, drop; and now the breathing grows thick, and thicker, and becomes a second sound, breaking the dreadful silence of that scene. Drop, drop, drop—still they come; and now the sensation of strangling, drowning, seizes the victim, and a third sound is heard, low moans join the chorus of torture. The question is put, "Are you guilty?" A weak voice answers with difficulty, "No! I have not committed—" Drop, drop, drop; still thicker breathings—still feebler moans; and the question is put again, "Are you guilty?" A weaker voice, almost inaudible, piteously gasps forth in broken syllables, "No—I have—not—" Drop, drop, drop; again the question; but now there is no voice—no breathing—once more the sound of that merciless drop is heard alone, as if in triumph at its victory; for it has arrested the blood and stilled the tongue—there is no more any answer, for there is no more any life.

"Father" Gavazzi went on to explain that the founder of the Dominican order, Dominic Guzman, was the inventor of the Inquisition, which has had the express approval of 24 different popes, and there have been 24 papal bulls issued in its behalf. The judges of the Inquisition are always prelates, priests, and especially Dominican and Franciscan friars, and the pope himself is by virtue of his office the supreme head and prefect of the "Holy Inquisition", now reasserting itself. Nothing could be more devilish than this awful system of crime practiced in the name of Christ. Gavazzi tells of the death of his fellow priest, another Barnabite, Ugo Bassi, who was not so fortunate as to escape the Inquisition:

The Inquisition took him in hand; and to deprive him of the dignity of the priesthood in accordance with one of their rules, they skinned the palms, forefingers and thumbs of both hands; and pretending thus to have divested him of his sacred character, they delivered him over as a layman to the ferocious Austrians. These ruffians made short work with him: and in three hours he was condemned and shot.

Allege All German Witnesses Imprisoned

LATEST communications from Germany are that the German Secret Police, who have the names and addresses of all witnesses in Germany, have now arrested all (?) of them except the 300 who went to Lucerne and the sick and very old ones, and that they have also seized most of the mimeographs, and that those 300 are very probably now also in the clutches of the inquisition. A number of witnesses were arrested on their way to Lucerne, others when applying for a passport, even for a passport in order to make a trip to Poland.

Six German witnesses who made the detour through Austria were taken out of the bus by the German Secret Police when the bus on the way to the Swiss border had to cross an edge of Germany. That arrest cut deep into the hearts of the Austrian witnesses in the bus, and seeing the yearning look in the eyes of those six faithful left behind in the clutches of the enemy, their own eyes were filled with tears.

One witness went to Lucerne from the northern part of Germany, riding a bicycle, and that only during nights in order to avoid arrest. Though he continuously testifies from house to house, he remained so far invisible to the eyes of the enemies. Before he left for Lucerne he placed in one week 59 books (bound books) in the hands of leading businessmen in his home town. It is reported that the people in Germany are admiring Jehovah's witnesses and that they are treated by such order-loving people with greatest respect. This fact is an additional encouragement for the faithful to go forward in spite of all opposition and persecution by Satan's agencies.

The Austrian witnesses returning from Lucerne report that they were questioned at the Austrian border-station concerning their religion or if they are Bible students, their baggage was thoroughly searched, and all literature, even newspapers, was confiscated.

Kingdom Publishers in Many Lands

Jehovah's witnesses in Syria

M. H. Aboud, of Brooklyn, sends a brief report of work done by Jehovah's witnesses while he was in Syria recently.

When I arrived there I found a good number of old books and booklets, which we distributed all over that country gratis, first, because the books and booklets were very old and shopworn, and, second, because the people are very poor.

…