Consolation, March 19, 1941

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Contents

"Confessions of a French Catholic Priest" 3

Snatches from the Confession 3

View of the Clergy 4

The Confessor "Is as God" 5

The Maid-Servant Racket 6

Earth's Most Corrupt Organization 7

"Reverend" Bricker—Governor of Ohio 9

The Nazis in Holland and Norway 10

Something About Flowers 11

The New Government

Jehovah's Protection 12

JW Convention in Dublin 13

Witnessing in Finland 15

Obtaining Phonographs in Nyasaland 15

Massacre of St. Bartholomew Medal 15

Counsel by J. F. Rutherford :

Proper Union 17

Feathered Friends 19

Missionaries in China 20

"Our Dying Democracy" 21

Greece. Notes on the Campaign; etc. 22

France and Switzerland 23

Italy. "The Fascist" and His Inspiration 24

Britain 25

Dunkirk 25

Not Yet at Armageddon 26

England Strips for Battle 27

British Comment 28

Invention 31

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Notanda

The Religious Glowworm

◆ Our Sunday Visitor is one of the most important of the religious periodicals of the Roman Catholic Church in America. The pope says of this religious press that it is his very own voice; so whatever appears in it is of more than ordinary importance. The following was published in its issue of July 14, 1940, under the head "The Chatterbox, By Clarence Edward Heller, 1102 Glenwood Road, Flatbush, New York". Can you beat it for religious food?

According to Xavier Gasmos, a medieval writer, on account of the gloom pervading the manger our Lady could not see to fasten the swaddling garments of her divine Child. A little worm, observing her dilemma, "wormed" its way across the floor to a slit in the door through which the moonlight was shining. Stealing a ray of light he bore it to our Mother's knee so that she could see by its light. Little Jesus was so pleased that he addressed the worm. "Dear little creature," He said, "your act of kindness to My Mother shall be rewarded. I make you a gift of the light. Henceforth you shall never lose it." Ever after it has been called the glow-worm. This legend has a moral. . . . the phosphorescence of the glow-worm has the "stigmata" of the Infinite about it, symbolizing the truth that the gift of light truly follows a service of love.

Kill? Why, Sure!

◆ The Jesuit magazine Civilta Cattolica, published in Rome, calls on all Catholics that are engaged in the war business to go right ahead with the job. The idea is that no matter how low in the human scale a murderer may be, just let him grab control of a country, any country, and thereafter it is perfectly all right for all Catholics to work under him, do his will, kill and be killed. But if the country happens to be a republic, as was Spain, then nix. In such a case the true Catholic is supposed not to be true to his country, not to die for it.

CONSOLATION

"And in His name shall the nations hope."—Matthew 12:21, A. R. V.

Volume XXII Brooklyn, N. Y., Wednesday, March 19, 1941 Number 561

"Confessions of a French Catholic Priest"

ONE of the largest, best-known publishing houses in America is that of D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 250 4th Avenue, New York, N.Y. In 1837 it published a 255-page book bearing the above title.

The Editor’s Preface, eight pages in length, was by Samuel F. B. Morse, LL.D., organizer and first president of the National Academy of Design, inventor of the electric telegraph, layer of the first submarine telegraph line, and the first to suggest an Atlantic cable. Of the writer of the book itself Mr. Morse stakes his reputation (than which there is none more secure in history) that—

The public may rest assured that the author is what he professes to be. He is no fictitious character. He is personally known, not alone to me, but to several gentlemen, whose names and standing are well known to the community. His testimonials which he showed me are of the highest character; and he was, when in France, under the patronage of a French nobleman distinguished for his liberality and philanthropy, whose name is associated in Paris with plans of the most enlarged benevolence, whose time and immense wealth are freely employed in the encouragement of industry, religion, and literature among the French people; but whose name, for reasons obvious to all, cannot now be given to the public. . . .

The declaration of Lafayette ["American liberty can be destroyed only by the Popish clergy"] which the author has placed as a motto in the title-page of his book is a beautiful evidence of the sagacity and vigilance of Liberty’s great friend.

Snatches from the Confession

It would be well if every American could read the whole of this book, that the truth might be burned into his soul from what a pesthole of superstition and avarice this good and pure man escaped after twelve years in a seminary and twelve more years as a priest. Ridiculed by his fellow priests for his unwillingness to take advantage of women, as did most of his fellows, he says to America:

Americans, when you shall have become tired with your liberty, when you shall envy the fate of Ireland, Spain and Italy; when you wish that your children and your descendants may become superstitious slaves, introduce Catholic schools; send your children to draw the milk of those mercenary nurses, and a complete revolution will be eventually accomplished.

When you wish that men who renounce the sacred ties of matrimony in order to seduce wives and daughters, as said so justly J. J. Rousseau, let those men bring into your families their inconceivable immorality; for, from the tenderest age, they teach your daughters for the future, force their chaste imagination, their angelic mind, to spoil itself in the mire of their cases of conscience. (If I did not fear to shock the reader, I would expose the examination of conscience, which everybody, even boys themselves from seven years of age, must read over when going to confession. Let it suffice to say, that all the most horrible, disgusting and unnatural crimes are explained and developed.) If you desire this education, send them to the confessional.

When you wish that those priests repeat to your boys such horrible maxims as these, viz.: “All is permitted to the priests,” “A man clothed in a cassock cannot sin,” “All his actions are holy”—send them to the confessional. If you have a desire to give such an education to your daughters, send them also to the confessional. [Page 241]

When you wish that your boys, instead of being like yourselves, honest citizens, bringing up their own children in the fear of God, and as ornaments to their country, may become Popish priests, swear an absolute obedience to the bishop and Pope, become ardent preachers of Jesuitism, superstitions and fanaticism. When you wish that they renounce marriage for ever by vow, either that they may expose themselves to those tortures which were my lot during the finest years of my unhappy life, or give themselves up to the scandalous improprieties of the Roman clergy, call in Catholic priests, and trust them with the education of your children.

When you wish that your daughters may be plunged alive into the grave of the cloisters; that your wives, whose modesty I have so much admired, may become the easy prey of those holy libertines, who seek to seduce them through all the means and influence of their dark ministry; when you wish that the peace of your families may be disturbed by the Pontifical decision that “Protestant marriages are invalid,” and must have the benediction of a Catholic priest; when you wish that the secrets of your families may be revealed in the confessional; send your wives and children to confession.

When you wish that they learn to purloin secretly your money, to employ it in masses for the sake, in appearance, of your souls and your own conversion; but, in reality, to enrich their spiritual fathers; send them to the confessional. [Page 242]

When you wish to exchange your money for dispensations of Rome, your bank bills for benedictions and relics; when you wish to employ your gold in building gorgeous churches, or to embellish them that they may be worthy of their proud occupants; listen to the doctrines of Roman priests.

When you wish that your death-bed may be besieged by them, to extort at your last hour wills in their favor, and donations for prayers and masses richly to be paid for, listen to the doctrine of Roman priests. [Page 243]

When you wish that your President and authorities may hold their power from the Pope, that he may direct your elections and your government, that an ecclesiastical seal may be stamped upon your press, Bibles, and assemblies, call in Catholic priests and listen to their doctrine. [Page 244]

This ex-priest was alarmed that in 1835 there were in the United States 300 resident priests. What would he say were he to know that in a single century the number was multiplied a hundred times and there are now upward of 30,000?

View of the Clergy

In the sixth chapter of his book, page 42, he tells of what he saw going on about him, among the clergy:

The strongest coffee, the most heating wines, liquors, spirits, and, above all, brandy, in an astonishing quantity, were their common drinks. I involuntarily asked myself how they could keep their vow of chastity with this habit, since nothing is so exciting as the use of spirits. This was a deep mystery to me. On those occasions, when they had but just reason enough to join ideas together, but not enough to distinguish what they might avow, and what they ought to keep secret, they made revelations wonderful, indeed, in themselves, but which astonished only me and some other ignorant dupes like myself. They spake about their mistresses, etc., as freely as of theology; and one of them boasted of having one in each parish round his own. He was much applauded, and some expressed their regrets at not being so fortunate.

In reading the ecclesiastical history of the time previous to the Revolution of 1793, I learned the inconceivable corruption of the clergy, although the half of the truth is not told. In studying the code of their laws, I saw a chapter about the “Sons of the Priests.” This discovery, more than any other, put me quite to a non plus; but afterwards I saw, with my own eyes, that even in the nineteenth century, if there was not such an article in the New French code, it was not for want of matter to compose it; for I knew, beyond all doubt, some children whose fathers were the sacred members of the Catholic Church. (This, however, seldom happens; for priests take great care to destroy, or rather to prevent appearing, all those proofs of their misconduct.) In the confession I had obtained very valuable knowledge upon their morals in listening to the confession of those people who had had relation with them. The discovery of their licentiousness, with the knowledge of their doctrine respecting falsehood, duplicity, mental restrictions, distinctions, and their thousand forms of lies more or less disguised, which are the exclusive appendage of the Roman clergy, made me ashamed of myself and of such associates; whom, if I cannot boast of having left as soon, perhaps, as I ought, I can truly say I have never imitated.

The Confessor "Is as God"

To the person who comes to him to confess, the priest, no matter how ignorant, coarse and slovenly, holds the place of God; nothing may be hidden from him, and he must obey absolutely. And so—

When a confessor ordered the fanatic and deluded Clement to kill his king, Henry III, the order was from God. When Damiens stabbed Louis XV, the order was from God. When the confessor of Louis XIV ordered him to revoke the edict of Nantes, the order was from God. [Page 104]

But it is not to the men that the confessor reveals all that is in him; so—

If she is an ugly, common country girl or woman, she is soon despatched; but, on the contrary, if she is pretty and fair, the holy father puts himself at ease, he examines her in the most secret recesses of her soul, he unfolds her mind in every sense, in every manner, upon every matter. This is the way which Theology recommends us to follow in our interrogations: "Daughter, have you had bad thoughts?" "On what subject? how often?" etc. "Have you had bad desires; what desires?" "Have you committed bad actions; with whom; what actions," etc. I am obliged to stop. Many times the poor ashamed girl does not dare answer the questions, they are so indecent. In that case the holy man, ceasing his interrogations, says to her, "Listen, daughter, to the true doctrine of the church; you must confess the truth, all the truth, to your spiritual father. Do you not know that I am in the place of God, that you cannot deceive him? Speak then; reveal your heart to me as God knows it; you will be very glad when you will have discharged this burden from your mind. Will you not?"—"Yes."—"Begin, I will help you"; and then begins such a diabolical explanation as is not to be found but in houses of infamy, I suppose, or in our theological books. This is so well known that I have often heard of wicked young men saying to each other, "Come, let us go to confession, and the curate will teach us a great many corrupt things which we never knew"; and many young girls have told me in confession, that in order to become acquainted with details on those matters pleasing to their corrupt nature, they went purposely to the confessional to speak about it with their spiritual father. Sometimes I have heard the confessions of young girls not above sixteen years of age, who explained such disgusting things to me with a precision, a propriety (or rather impropriety) of terms, that when I asked them where they had gathered all this strange learning, they seemed as much astonished at my question as I was at their confession; and said to me: "Why, father, our former confessor taught us all this and commanded us never to omit these details, otherwise we should be damned." I replied to them: "I pray you never to use such terms again, they are unworthy of a Christian mouth, you have misunderstood your confessor." I learned afterwards that these misguided persons left my confessional, because, they said, I was an ignorant confessor, who did not confess like others, and who did not cause them to say all. [Pages 109-111]

After so many instructions, the young girl is well indoctrinated, well fitted to answer either the questions or the purposes of the priest. This poison diffused in her heart soon infects her whole mind and destroys her purity. It is precisely at such a point of time that her cruel foe waits for her. When he sees that she is made vicious and corrupt by the teachings of the confessional, he is sure of his success. [Page 111]

At this point Professor Morse (then teaching in the University of New York) inserted the following in brackets: “[The modes by which the priest persuades his victim that she is without sin in doing whatever he commands, since he is responsible, and since he can absolve her from it, and other means of deceiving at the confessional, are then too graphically related to be publicly told; and I have thought it best, with the consent of the author, to suppress all but the closing facts.—Editor].” [Page 111]

The Power of the Confessor

The reader can have some just idea of this power from this single fact, of which I know the personage, because it became public. A priest in a parish not far from mine laid his snares for a young married woman, who had the reputation of piety because she attended mass every morning. He, through his diabolical arguments, won her and triumphed over all her scruples. She went to him almost every morning in the vestry before the bell rung to call the people to mass. He then confessed and absolved her, and she received the Lord’s Supper at his mass. The good people said, admiring her daily communion: “How pious is this young wife—she partakes of the Sacrament every day; she is doubtless a saint.”

There are no means which their cunning does not invent to meet their victims. If the husband is jealous and suspicious, his wife, upon the advice of the curate, will feign to be sick; and it is the duty of a priest to visit often (every day if possible) his sick parishioners, he will remain alone with her to speak about spiritual matters, in appearance, or to confess her.

If a priest, in spite of his proverbial cunning, is discovered, and if he is denounced to the bishop by public opinion, he will be removed, to silence the scandal, and sent to another distant village where he will be unknown; and where, by and by, he will feign again the same mode of life. [Pages 130-131]

The Maid-Servant Racket

Many priests have wives of their own that live with them under the popular impression that they are cousins or nieces. The way it is worked is simple:

A priest is always stationed as far as possible from the place of his birth. He is quite unknown, as well as his family, in his parish; and many times he takes with him a young girl, who is his relative only by Adam, and whom he presents under the name of his cousin or niece. Nobody inquires the relation of the curate and his pretended cousin. If, however, there happen some evident proof of their too intimate understanding, he sends her, under some Jesuitical pretext, to some distant city for some time; or he tries the use of medical remedies. A physician said to a priest, an acquaintance of mine—“Sir! I have already twice prescribed for your servant-maid; but beware, I will not do it a third time.” [Pages 133-134]

Other priests commit much greater and much more horrible crimes, and renew the monstrosities of the cities of the plain as they are spoken of in the Bible. On one occasion I confessed some young lads of my catechism, from eleven to fifteen years old. Each of them confessed secret and abominable crimes (with a man). I inquired, trembling, who this monster was, being almost sure that there could be none but a priest capable of such abominations. They answered each after the other, with the simplicity of their age—“Father, it is our vicar.” [Page 135]

The writings of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux in the 12th century; Konrad of Marburg and Cardinals Gualo, Hugo and De Curzon in the 13th century; Bishop Alvarez Paez Pelagius, Saint Catherine of Siena and John Gower in the 14th century; Johann Karl Ludwig Gieseler, Dionysius the Carthusian and Burchard the Diarist in the 15th century; and Guillaume Pepin and Erasmus in the 16th century confirm the foregoing, fully.

Hiding the Truth

Hidden away in a corner of the Easton (Pa.) Express is a six-line item of The Associated Press which, with its headline, reads as follows: “France Cancels Law on Religious Liberty. Vichy, France, Sept. 4 (AP)—The French Government today annulled a 39-year-old law for bidding members of religious orders to organize for teaching or other purposes without specific approval by the state."

In other words, France returned on September 4 to her wallowing in the mire, from which she had partly escaped, when, as recorded in The Watchtower of May 15, 1905, there was a "determination of the French to put their schools on a higher level, to accomplish which necessitated the prohibiting of further teaching by Jesuits, nuns and others of monastic orders, in their official garbs".

While on the subject it could be added that on December 11, 1905, there was a separation of Church and State in France, and that after that date no person could be legally appointed a priest unless he was approved by the government. Why do you suppose that was? Also, the church was denied any right of property in church buildings, the houses of archbishops, bishops or other ecclesiastics, or the outbuildings pertaining to them, or the furniture and objects contained therein. A year later all the archbishops and bishops were put out of such places, with all the pupils in the theological schools; all the personal property of all the religious houses was confiscated and for a time it was illegal for a priest or even a bishop to make use of a church. See The Encyclopedia Americana, volume 11, pages 634-642. Manifestly, the so-called "good" marshal Petain is ready for France to be back where it was in the days of Prof. S. F. B. Morse.

Earth's Most Corrupt Organization

It is only five years ago that the German government instituted suits against 200 Franciscan friars from the Rhineland and Westphalia for immoral offenses against male minors entrusted to their care; 61 more fled to the Netherlands to escape trial. The cabled account stated that these unprintable offenses between the gowned and "Reverend" hypocrites and their pupils were maintained in every settlement maintained by the two orders in the Rhineland and Westphalia.

A dispatch from Vatican City, published in the New York Herald Tribune, stated that Mussolini had intervened with the Vatican and that the vice trials would be dropped. This was not unlikely. Mussolini, once referring to the pope as "the bloody old wolf of the Vatican", is now, for policy's sake, an apparently ardent Roman Catholic, wearing beads, crosses and other junk. He is also obligated to the Vatican for assistance financially in the Ethiopian and other campaigns.

While Hitler's announced plans against the sex perverts was under way the Hierarchy was on a hot spot. They tried to claim that to get their evidence against the Franciscans the Nazis had planted prostitutes in the monasteries; but that did not explain the flight of 61 of the accused friars to other lands, nor account for the plea of guilty, with a penalty of eight years in prison, for the very first friar placed on trial.

Some of the headlines, as published in the New York Times, give an idea of the conditions actually existing in these hellholes:

Priest Sentenced to 8 Years in Reich; Also Deprived of Civil Rights for Five Years on Charges of 45 Moral Offenses. Friar Gets a Long Term. Two Former Leaders of Young Catholic Organization Are Found Guilty by Court. Reich Sentences More Catholics. Ratibor Priest Gets 15 Months on Charge Involving Girl, 15, Whose Confessor He Was. Coblenz Trial Continues. Ex-Franciscan Friar Jailed for 3 Years After Conviction in 16 Cases of Immorality.

The evidence in these cases showed that even when the conditions in the monastery were twice reported to the bishop of Trier he did nothing to correct them.

At the time the excitement was on the Nazi papers demanded the end of this imaginary celibacy between priests, monks and nuns, and some of the statisticians figured out how many more soldiers could be produced if all were married (and the quicklime pits for infants abolished).

At length Hitler, as a "Practical Catholic", ordered all prosecution of the monks and nuns for their disgraceful and immoral practices to cease. The German bishops then came out with a statement that the Franciscans who had been on trial for immoral conduct at Coblenz were laymen, and not priests. Had they desired to do so, they could have gone on to explain that the monks are merely so-called "brothers" of the "church", and, as a matter of fact, none are members of the Catholic "Church" except the priests and bishops, archbishops, cardinals and popes. It is a thin excuse.

And now for a fine sample of consistency, here is a special to the New York Times from Washington, dated February 1, 1941, which says: "Lay brothers of the Catholic Church were exempted from the Selective Service Act in a ruling announced today by the national headquarters of the Selective Service System, which defined them as 'regular ministers of religion'. The opinion was based on a certification by Archbishop Edward Mooney of Detroit, who said that the church laws stipulate that lay brothers were 'not only bound to the same obligations of the clerical state but they also enjoy the very same privileges as clerics'." Either the German bishops were lying about the status of the Franciscan sodomites or else Mooney is lying about their status in America.

Could Not Do One Thing

◆ The pope sent word to Mr. Roosevelt that he was doing everything he possibly could to bring about world peace. That was early in September and there are no more signs of peace now than there were then, which shows that the claim of the pope to be the "Vicar of the Prince of Peace" is complete humbug. Does anybody imagine Christ himself could not bring peace? Did He not declare, and do His followers not hold, that to Him is committed "all power in heaven and in earth"?—Matthew 28:18.

"Church Allows Pagan Rites"

◆ Under the headline "Church Allows Pagan Rites" the Montreal Star explains that Chinese Catholics are allowed to participate in Confucian ceremonies and Chinese ancestor worship. This has been done for some years, in effect, both in Japan and Manchuria, where Japanese Catholics participate in pagan rites. Hereafter, in Chinese Catholic schools, the little Chinese will salute portraits of Confucius, and will grow up with the idea that he was one of the apostles.

"Enter into Thy Closet"

◆ Christ instructed His followers to pray to the Father in the secret of their closets; and so the priest of Havana, Cuba, had 30,000 Catholics come to the Orienta race track to pray publicly for peace. This was in the fore part of June, 1940, and immediately after their prayers the outlook for peace was much worse than before, as was to be expected. Disobedience works that way.

No Lingering over Drinks

◆ In the Vatican City barroom posters have been put up warning customers to remain inside the premises for only the time strictly necessary for their purchases. Other rules are that nobody may enter Vatican City without giving his reasons for so doing. Also when he is there he may not discuss politics or the war.

Would Make Such a Big Difference

◆ Because it would make such a big difference to God, the Vatican decided that British Catholics in times of air raids might take a cup of tea or coffee during the night before they go to morning mass. How do you suppose they found out all this at the Vatican?

Madre Conchita Married and Freed

◆ The nun Madre Conchita, who caused the death of President Obregon of Mexico, in 1928, and who was married while in prison, has been given her liberty.

"Reverend" Bricker—Governor of Ohio

"Where Was Mr. Bricker?"

◆ A leaflet entitled "Where was Mr. Bricker when the guns began to roar?" sets forth the evidence that John W. Bricker during the World War got himself a chaplain job, safest and best-paid military position of the time. This in August, 1918. December 18, 1918, five weeks after the armistice was signed, he gave up his soft chaplain job and went back to the study of law. The danger was past. Bricker was an athlete, 6 feet 1 inch tall, 190 pounds, unmarried. Evidently Mr. Bricker had no relish for fighting the Germans. He prefers fighting minorities, such as Jehovah's witnesses. That, too, is a safe policy, from the world's viewpoint. Pontius Pilate was a gentleman by any fair comparison with Bricker.

Another apparently safe policy is to praise the bunch that is running the show. Mr. Bricker managed this by attending a dinner of Jesuit outfit at Cincinnati, and said that the Jesuits (the most infamous double-crossers of history) had been foremost in teaching "morality" and that they were to be commended for their tremendous power in building finer citizenship. Bricker did not mention that the Jesuits are back of the Nazi-Papal "reconstruction" of Europe going on at the present time, or that they were the worst persecutors of Protestants during the Inquisition.

Although, in 1940, Ohio went Democratic for all other offices, from president down, Bricker, a republican, won by 359,633 votes, an unprecedented majority. Who says it doesn't pay to fawn upon the Hierarchy? One doesn't have to be too smart, either (witness Hitler). Bricker has been a mediocre governor.

In view of the foregoing it is easy to see why Bricker would ignore a petition for freedom of speech, worship and assembly signed by over 2,000,000 Americans. Jehovah's witnesses' contract for the State Fair Grounds was broken, and the Fair Grounds showed a loss of $10,562 for the year, but Bricker had won the approval of the Jesuit religionists, 'saved the day' for them—and for his own hide—until Armageddon.

"Reverend" Bricker and Mine Disasters

◆ No man could believe the silly lie that an all-loving Creator plans to torture helpless creatures, and be a decent governor. Bricker is of no good either as a minister or as a man or a governor. In violation of the law he made George Strain director of industrial relations of Ohio. The law requires five years actual practical mining experience; Strain has had none. When a committee tried to bring this to "Reverend" Bricker's attention he treated them with the same discourtesy as when Jehovah's witnesses presented him with signatures of more than 2,000,000 Americans asking that the Ohio State Fair Grounds stand by their contract as real Americans.

With no mining experience himself, Strain made Llewelyn Lodwick, also without mining experience in Ohio, the state's No. 1 inspector. As a natural result there followed mine explosions at Willow Grove, Nelms and other places in Ohio which caused the loss of at least 176 lives which might have been spared if the state of Ohio had had a real man in the position of governor.

When the miners of the state, alarmed for their own safety, sought to remove the illegal appointee, Lodwick, from the ranks of inspectors the impossible Bricker, by legal technicalities, and by political influence, contrived to keep him in his job. Bricker is a menace to Ohio and to the United States. By the number of game wardens and the fewness of its mine inspectors Ohio has shown most emphatically that what it needs is a new governor. It will get one at Armageddon, but it would be best for Ohio to have a better one than Bricker even earlier.

The Nazis in Holland and Norway

Germany's Debt to Netherlands

◆ [After the first World War] our country was invaded by thousands and thousands of underfed German children, and we fed them well, even at a time when Holland itself was no longer overflowing with milk and honey. In thousands they came to our country after the war, and again we fed and very often clad them.

We were kind to them. We admitted them to the intimacy of our living rooms. They played with our children and shared their toys and their sweets, their comforts and pleasures. We gave them a portion of our affection, and were careful not to let them feel that they were exiles.

We might not be very fond of their parents, but they were innocent children. They were ill-nourished and weak. We saw how they got stronger and healthier from week to week, and were grateful for it. We imagined that one day they, too, might be grateful for it.

That day has come. Those children have grown up. They are soldiers now, and they are invading our country, dropping from the skies onto the land that fed them.

They are bombing and destroying the places where once we fed them. German children may have been sheltered in the very houses which are smoking ruins now. Dutch soldiers are killed by German invaders whom, as children, they gave their most treasured toy, because those little exiles looked so pale and miserable and forlorn.—J. H. Boas, Netherlands correspondent, in London Catholic Herald.

Not Espionage, but Demonism

◆ While it is true that the Pacelli-Hitler partnership for world dominance has spies in every part of every government of earth, and much of the success of Hitler's lightning-like "blitzkriegs" may thereby be explained, yet the fact that Hitler is in constant consultation with the demons must not be overlooked. The man does not have to wait for news. It comes to him instanter by the demons that infest the air and know and report immediately what is of interest or necessity for him to know in making his decisions. Indeed, they probably make the decisions for him and he merely goes along, doing what he is told. In this connection, consider the following statements made by James Aldridge of the North American Newspaper Alliance in a dispatch sent from Stockholm, Sweden:

The too perfect operation of the Nazi fleet and air force against the British troop transports sent to Norway proves that the German High Command must have known what was going on almost as soon as the British commanders themselves. The Germans had time to get their ships into the best sea positions possible.

The time schedules of the British troop landings at Namsos, Aandalsnes and Narvik were known almost to the minute by the Nazis. This information could hardly have reached them from England, but they got it from somewhere.

The Germans had their planes overhead at the exact moment they were needed. Also, during the Allies' short stay at Namsos, every move they made was known beforehand by the Germans. A French officer admitted this to me in exasperation.

Even the time of the Allies' withdrawal from Namsos was known beforehand by the Germans and before the Norwegian command knew it—and that is from the lips of the Norwegians' divisional commander himself.

In the Bombing of Rotterdam

◆ The German estimate is that in the Nazi bombing of Rotterdam 300 Netherlands civilians were killed and 360 wounded. The estimate sent from London is that "in this work of destruction, horrifying as a nightmare and absolutely without precedent, at least 100,000 people must have perished".

Something About Flowers

CONCRETE roads and automobiles are enabling millions of people to get out into the country, with resultant rapid disappearance of wild flowers and wild plants over large sections of England and the United States. Hikers also do their part in denuding the earth of its beauty, and, as no one deals in seeds of wild plants, many varieties are in process of extermination. Why try to make the Creator's footstool less attractive?

Out of the grand total of 162 wild flowers, how many do you know? Don't you think it better that a person who knows little about wild flowers had better let them stay where God planted them, and where they grace the landscape so beautifully? Yes. And don't you think the same would apply to all? Certainly.

Is it love for flowers to deprive them of their life? Some would say so; but it looks like poor reasoning. Sometimes the flowers square the account. Not a few mountain climbers have fallen to their death striving to gather edelweiss, and many persons have drowned while striving to gather lilies.

Not all plants are as innocent as they look. Workers around daffodils have to watch themselves, as the plants give out a subtle poison.

Somebody transplanted lantana from the United States into Hawaii, where it has become a pest. Valuable grazing lands have been ruined by it; yet in the United States it is merely considered a pretty flower.

The Japanese are a specially flower-loving people. The Japanese islands produce some 3,200 species. The chrysanthemum is on the crest of the emperor.

New York Floral Business

The first floral business in New York was opened in 1825. A few years ago $50 for a bouquet was considered elaborate. Today thousands of dollars are spent for a single presentation of flowers for a wedding or a funeral. Sometimes, for special occasions, flowers are grown to order.

Flower decorators specialize in different designs. One is a dinner table specialist, another looks after reception rooms, another after church decorations, while there are some who do nothing but design corsage bouquets, designed to harmonize with a particular dress or to suit the style of the lady.

Flowers are now painted. Lilies, carnations and sweet peas are dyed by placing the newly-cut stems in dyes specially prepared for the purpose.

It is an error to think moonlight injures growing plants. When the moon shines brightly it means a lower temperature, and it is the night cold that does the damage, not the moonlight.

Flowers can be tricked into bloom at unusual seasons by controlling the flow of light. African marigolds, poinsettias, Klondike cosmos and chrysanthemums can be taken into a cellar for an hour or two before sunset each day in late summer. The plants 'think this means autumn is approaching', so they hurry up the ripening process. Conversely, it has been found that lengthening the short days of autumn or winter with the aid of electric lights of proper intensity delays flowering.

Two lots of iris were sown in late October. One lot was given eighteen hours of light per day, and bloomed December 25. The second lot, not favored with any artificial light, was dormant until the next February.

In the care of summer flowering bulbs, such as the canna, gladiolus, dahlia, and caladium, decay should be avoided by preventing excessive heat, cold or moisture.

Most plants get sick from too much water. Too much water cuts off absorption of air by the roots and chills the plant.

RIGHTEOUS RULER THE NEW GOVERNMENT

Jehovah's Protection

◆ The Lord is gracious to His people; and the following incidents will be of interest, as they show His protection, and also you will like to hear of the reactions of the people to the Truth after an air raid.

The London Pioneer Home No. 3 is in South-West London immediately behind the main street or Broadway, and on Friday last, after one or two warnings on previous days, the enemy planes came right over the town, leaving in their wake death and destruction all around. The raid began at 5:30 p.m., and within about 35 minutes the "all clear" sounded. Feeling apprehensive, and curious as to what had really happened, we went out, and, to our amazement, the streets on the opposite side of the Broadway were literally smashed up while we on the left side escaped any damage. It was still only about half an hour after the raid—houses were still smoking, debris falling in, dead strewn about the pavement, and down street after street people were knocking out the remains of the glass from windows which still remained in place. Cars were burnt out to a shell, great gaping holes in the roads, and people walking to and fro as if trying to keep calm. Indeed it was wonderful to see that very little hysteria or panic was shown.

At one shop, all intact except for broken glass from a large window, I saw a lady who had had the book Salvation about one month ago. On going to her she said, "Oh, thank you so much for coming. I was thinking about you and the book this afternoon." I said, "Well, now you can see plainly how salvation can only come from God." She was quite sure that He had protected her. Then her husband came and, in spite of her tears, she told him that I was the lady who had brought Salvation. I arranged to call later, but before my leaving she told me that back of the shop a boy of thirteen lay dead, and she thanked God that her own boy was saved.

Next day we tried a district some two miles away, thinking to get away from the scenes of disaster; but there again destruction reigned. We spoke kindly to the people and told them of God's kingdom which was their only hope. While I was speaking to one old lady a loud bang went off, this time a delayed-action bomb; but I told the lady it must have been a motorcar tire bursting, and was glad to keep her just a little longer talking of the wonderful Kingdom blessings soon to come. Now today, August 22, just six days after the raid, I went to my Watchtower route, which is some distance away from home, and there again, although most of the debris had been removed, destruction was all around. I have eight Watchtower calls and two others all in one street. As it was a working day, three were out; but of the others, each one was eager to talk about the Truth, and it took over two hours to get around. Not one house in the street where interest, either by books, booklets or magazines, had been shown was damaged except for some broken windows, and all were glad to have me call. One lady said her husband was now reading Government and said it was grand—he hoped to be in one day when I called. Another lady said she was so upset and shocked that she had not been out of doors since the raid. I told her that maybe God had protected her because she was of good-will, and explained to her about the "great multitude"—how Noah and his family were saved at the Flood and how, if she remained faithful and sought to serve God, He would count her as one of the "other sheep". The tears came then and she said that the lady next door was in hospital nearly blind and two doors away the house completely ruined. So again I fixed up a back-call. It would take too long to tell all that happened, but each house was the same—the awful experiences had brought greater appreciation for the Truth.

Kingdom "locusts" landing on bank of river in Amazonas, Brazil. All travel goes by water.

Then at another house the lady was out, so I asked the neighbor if she would give her The Watchtower. Noticing she seemed very distressed and nervous, I talked on, and she told me she had not been out since the raid. Just over the garden she pointed to a great shell hole and a small workshop which was in ruins, while her house, not five yards away, was intact. Of course, I told her about The Watchtower, and explained again about the "great multitude", and told her about THE THEOCRACY and how she too could be on the side of God. Then I told her that if God could protect her during that raid surely He will do so now; and she quickly took Religion and again I arranged a back-call.

Now just one more incident. A lady just down the street had left a note on the door about a month ago to say that she did not want me to call again, so, of course, I did not do so. Today, however, I just thought I would try, so I knocked at this house. When the lady came I said, "Hello, Mrs. Jackson; just called to see if you are all right." She beamed all over her face and told me that she had been thinking of the things I had told her and was sorry she had told me not to come, but sometimes she did not have the threepence for The Watchtower and did not like to say so. Well, we had a chat and I explained that the Truth was free and that when she had no money The Watchtower could still be brought; so she paid threepence and promised to come to the home study, and was quite pleased that I had called.

So I thank our Father for all His mercies and pray that we may all remain steadfast to the end, comforting those who mourn and shedding the light of Truth in a dark world.—Contributed.

Jw Convention in Dublin

◆ Who but the Lord could ever have made possible a convention of Jehovah's witnesses in Dublin, Eire? Twenty came from Belfast; others from the counties of Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Louth, Meath and Sligo in Eire. It was a 100-percent Irish convention. Hurrah for Ireland! One Irishman quoted Numbers 13:16 as saying "And Moses called O'Shea the son of Nun, Joshua." The Irish can't help it that they are lovable. They are made that way. In the witness work from door to door the conventioners received so many offers of a tote of whiskey that if they had accepted them all the convention would have been 100-percent drunk. There were 61 present, and the 41 who went out as publishers placed 2 books and 300 booklets. At the beginning of 1940 there were but two company publishers in Dublin; a year later there were 13. In that time Dublin company has had public lectures featuring "Government and Peace" and "Victory" and has run a series of model studies. The book Religion is being widely circulated, in spite of the fact that 90 percent of the population of the city is Roman Catholic. Obviously, only the common-sense way of presenting the Kingdom message in Eire is by Irishmen, formerly Roman Catholics, who can be of real assistance to the good-hearted sons of Erin still in darkness.

Theocracy sound-car on road near Sao Paulo, Brazil

Jehovah's witnesses in front of WATCHTOWER Branch headquarters, Helsinki, Finland, megaphoning "Come and listen"

In a Baltic State

◆ One of Jehovah's witnesses was out with the gramophone the other day on back-call work and played a couple of lectures. The man of the house heard them with greatest interest and desired to take three bound books. As they talked about them, came a knock at the door, and when it opened a lady stood outside. She told them she had been in the yard and heard the lectures and begged that they might be played again, as they were the best she had ever listened to. So the records were put on again, and in the result the lady ordered a whole set of the bound books. Gramophones to the fore! Thus on this one back-call eighteen books were placed with two people.—1941 Yearbook of Jehovah's witnesses.

Pastor Stubs His Toe

◆ In Finland a pastor caused the arrest of one of Jehovah's witnesses. He asked that he might take his phonograph into court, so that the record might be heard. This the police would not permit, but the judges in court sent for the records and the result was a splendid witness for the Lord, with the exoneration of the brother.

Jehovah's witnesses comforting the mourners in Finland. One is blind. Great multitudes have listened to the recordings. One contributed 1,000 marks to the cause.

Witnessing in Finland

◆ One of our most zealous brothers is almost completely blind. He has been very keen to arrange sound meetings. Many successful trips were made with our motorcar, under his direction; but when the war broke out we were not permitted to obtain gasoline, and so we have not been able to use our car. But the brother found another means of getting on with the work. He bought a tandem bicycle and arranged with two other brothers to assist him. One guided the tandem with the blind brother behind and the other pedaled a tricycle carrying the sound-machine and loudspeaker. The distances covered were considerable and all the main towns were visited. In order to advertise the lectures friends from the companies went on the streets using megaphones made of cardboard to cry out invitations to the people. The results were really wonderful. Thousands and thousands came to the meetings, which were held in the most central open places in the towns. The enemy was perplexed. In some places meetings were dissolved and our brethren arrested, but, nevertheless, the result was very wonderful and a mighty witness was given.—1941 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses.

Strange Things in Finland

◆ Jehovah's witnesses in Finland had some extraordinary experiences in 1940. One was arrested and beaten so badly that both eardrums burst and blood ran from nose and mouth. At almost the same time one of the largest newspapers in the country printed a whole page and one-third giving the contents of a Kingdom lecture. When the chief editor was reproached he replied, “Why should we not print something about God’s Kingdom in our paper for once?”

Obtaining Phonographs in Nyasaland

◆ They [those who wish to proclaim the Kingdom message by recordings] buy a huge tree (choosing one near to a river, if possible), fell it and float it down to their village. There they set about hollowing out the trunk and shaping it into a canoe, which, when completed, is sold to bring in the wherewithal to equip themselves with a gramophone. All this takes time, some months, in fact, and is hard work, but it means a phonograph. —1941 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses.

By courtesy of The Protestant Magazine.

THE PAPAL MEDAL.

This is a facsimile of both sides of the medal struck by Gregory XIII. in commemoration of the massacre of St. Bartholomew. On the obverse is the head of the Pope, with the Latin inscription reading, “Gregory XIII., Pontifex Maximus, the First Year.” On the reverse is a representation of the killing of heretics by an angel who holds in one hand a sword and in the other a crucifix. The Latin inscription reads, “The Slaughter of the Huguenots, 1572.”

Rome claims that she did not approve of the massacre of the seventy thousand Huguenots. Why, then, did the bells of the papal churches in Rome peal out joyfully when the news of the slaughter was received by Pope Gregory XIII.? Why did he have the above medal struck to commemorate the event, and why did he order Te Deums to be sung in the churches instead of Misereres or de Profundis? Why did not the Cardinal of Lorraine, who was at Catherine’s court, raise a voice of protest against the crime?

“Give us more religion,” say the politicians, plutocrats, and priests.

Fragmentary News from Italy

◆ The 1941 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses contains extracts of touching letters from witnesses in Italy cut off from contact with the Society and with one another. The account says, in part: “The ‘strange work’ has been entirely closed down in Italy by the action of the ‘great harlot’ and her lovers. By order of the Italian police, a number of the families whose providers were imprisoned wrote not to send any more literature or The Watchtower. Surely these reports from Italy will be of great interest and encouragement to the brethren everywhere, seeing that, because of their faithfulness and steadfastness, so many Italian brethren were taken to Rome, that age-old city of martyrdom and persecution, there to face their enemies, ‘for a witness against them.’ ”

“Passing the Buck” in Hamilton

◆ A private letter from Hamilton, Ontario, says: “It is really amusing, apart from the nerve strain. All of the local members of the board of education and the board of control have been “passing the buck” from one to another, at the same time threatening to lay charges under every act imaginable. They have appealed to both the Provincial and Federal governments for aid, also the Provincial board of education, and all three have refused to act, stating that it is a matter for the local authorities to deal with. The mayor was the most vicious for a time, stating that we should be interned and our children taken away from us and raised in a ‘sane’ (?), loyal atmosphere. Directly after this outburst his wife died suddenly from a heart attack.”

Manchester Free Trade Hall Ruined

◆ The Manchester Free Trade Hall, in which Jehovah’s witnesses were privileged to hold their great British convention in September, 1940, was completely ruined early the following January in one of the raids staged by German bombers. Pictures of the ruins give one the creeps.

Not So Bad

◆ It is characteristic of the witnesses of Jehovah that they chose the city of Detroit as the site for their 1940 national convention. They were in the backyard of their arch enemy, Father Charles Coughlin, and just a short distance from Canada, where they are legally banned. As Malcolm Logan wrote in the New York Post, “they do not wait to be thrown to the lions; they walk into the lions’ den and bat its occupants over the head with the complete works of Judge Rutherford.”—Magazine Digest, Pickering, Ont.

Protecting the Sheep (In England)

◆ Brethren whose homes have been destroyed on the Friday are out in the field work the next Sunday as if nothing had happened. During one model study a sister was holding, the entire house was destroyed and crumbled, burying the sister and her three listeners in a pile of debris. The A.R.P. wardens dug them out, and these four lovers of righteousness were unharmed.—1941 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses.

Opposition Ends in Destruction

◆ In Paraguay the Catholic clergy became so angered at the lectures by electrical transcription broadcast concerning the “Trinity” and the doctrines of the Bible that the Hierarchy petitioned the Government to prohibit further activities of the witnesses. The one taking the lead in this assault upon Jehovah’s witnesses has ended his earthly course.—1941 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses.

In Every Corner of the World

◆ The London Catholic Herald contains a four-column story from a Catholic missionary en route to the Far East in which he incidentally mentions hearing a sermon at Rangoon, Burma, against the witnesses of Jehovah. He did not say if the priest who gave the sermon advised the flock to smash the property of the witnesses.

(To be continued) COUNSEL by J. F. Rutherford

Proper Union

WHO has authority to perform marriage ceremonies in order that marriage between man and woman may be right and proper? Many answer that a man and woman are not married unless a marriage ceremony is performed by a duly ordained priest or clergyman. Since the marital relationship is of divine institution, the question can be properly answered only as the Scriptures state. No organization would have the authority to make a rule contrary to that which is stated in the Bible, or even a rule that is not approved by the Word of God. The Bible contains not one word giving authority to a priest, clergyman or minister of religion to perform a marriage ceremony. The law of the land made by men does bestow authority upon a priest, clergyman or minister of religion to perform marriage ceremonies. Here the question is considered purely from the Bible authority.

When God made man and woman and brought her to the man, there is nothing in the record indicating that a ceremony was performed. Manifestly it was impossible for any man to have performed such a ceremony at that time, for the reason that Adam was the only man on earth and Eve was the only woman. Four thousand years later there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and Jesus and His disciples were invited and were present on that occasion. There is not one word in the record at John chapter two, however, that either Jesus or His disciples performed any marriage ceremony at that or at any other time. The only act of Jesus performed in connection with that wedding in Cana was that of making wine when it was needed, which constituted the beginning of His miracles. Manifestly Jesus was there performing that miracle to begin the work of establishing faith of the people in Him as the Messiah, or Christ. It had nothing to do with the contracting parties to that marriage.

When Jehovah organized the Jews as a nation He made provision for the office of priest and appointed men to the priesthood to perform the duties of the priest's office. Such office and service was in connection with the sacrifices; but the Bible contains not one word showing that they had any authority or duty in the performance of marriage ceremonies. The practice amongst the Jews was that when a man sought a wife he had some friend to act for him, and the father or brother or other near relative acted for and in behalf of the woman. The "friend of the bridegroom" and the near relative of the woman arranged the terms of the contract. Sometimes the consent of the young woman was asked; but often she was selected and arrangements were made without first obtaining her consent; but her consent was obtained afterwards when she entered the marital relationship.

Both the Bible and the law made by the various nations recognize marriage as a contract entered into and performed by the man and the woman. John, who announced the appearing of Jesus, said: "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice; this my joy therefore is fulfilled."—John 3: 29.

☛ The twenty-fourth chapter of Genesis gives a plain and clear statement of what constitutes marriage in the sight of God. Abraham was growing old. He desired that his son Isaac should take a wife. Abraham commissioned his servant to go to his native land, Mesopotamia, and there seek out and take a wife for Isaac. In proof that it was to be a contract between the woman selected and Isaac, the servant of Abraham inquired what he should do in the event that the woman was not willing, and to that question Abraham replied: 'If the woman will not be willing, thou shalt be cleared of thy oath or obligation.' The meeting of the minds, or willingness on the part of both the contracting parties, is necessary to the contract.

Arriving in Mesopotamia, Abraham's servant came in contact with the young woman Rebecca, the daughter of Abraham's nephew; and she was therefore a kinswoman of Isaac. Without a doubt the Lord directed Abraham's servant to that house, because, at Genesis 24:7, Abraham said: "The Lord God of heaven . . . shall send his angel before thee; and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence." Abraham's servant presented himself to Rebecca's father and mother, and they discussed together the question of her becoming the wife of Isaac. Showing that Rebecca's consent was obtained before the marriage was made, Genesis 24:58, 61-67 reads: "And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man; and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide; and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and behold, the camels were coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master; therefore she took a vail, and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death." No clergyman was present at that marriage; only the two contracting parties; and possibly the servant of Abraham was present as a witness.

Why, then, have the people followed the rule of having a marriage ceremony performed by a clergyman? Because such is a rule of "organized religion" and is customary amongst men. Furthermore, the law of the various nations provides that a marriage ceremony shall be lawfully performed by a minister of religion. Also, it provides that such marriage ceremony may be lawfully performed by certain judicial officers, such as a magistrate, or a judge of a court of record. Then is it not right for a Catholic priest or a Protestant minister to perform a marriage ceremony? Certainly it is proper under human law, because the law so provides; but it is not a Scriptural requirement. The real marriage is performed when man and woman enter into the agreement and then faithfully proceed to carry out that contract. The marriage ceremony does not add any virtue to the marriage contract. A legal marriage is properly defined as a contract entered into between man and woman to become husband and wife and then to have a ceremony performed in the presence of witnesses by one legally authorized to solemnize marriages. Such ceremonies comply with the law of the land, and it is proper to observe the law where the law of the land does not directly conflict with God's law. A ceremony performed by a justice of the peace, a magistrate, a judge of a court, a judge of a court of record, or other judicial officer authorized so to do, is just as effective and binding as that performed by any religious priest or clergyman. The money fee charged by the religionist is often exorbitant and works a hardship on the poor.

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