Awake!, September 22, 1963
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Happiness for Those Who Suffer Affliction
PAGE 5
How Well Do You Read?
PAGE S
Spotlight on British Guiana
PAGE 20
Seat Belts Save Lives
PAGE 2*4-
THE MISSION OF THIS JOURNAL
News sources that are able to keep you awake ta the vital issues of our times must be unfettered by censorship and selfish interests. “Awake!" has no fetters. It recognizes facts, faces facts, is free to publish facts. It is not bound by politico! ambitions or obligations; it is unhampered by advertisers whose toes must not be trodden on; it is unprejudiced by traditional creeds. This journal keeps itself free that it may speak freely ta you. But it does not abuse its freedom, it maintains integrity to truth.
“Awokel" uses the regular news channels, but is not dependent on them. Its own correspondents are an all continents, in scores of nations. From the four corners af the earth their uncensored, on-the-scenes reports come to you through these columns. This journal’s viewpoint Is not narrow, but is international. It is read in many nations. In many languages, by persons of oil oges. Through its poges many fields of knowledge pass in review—government, commerce, religion, history, geography, science, social conditions, natural wonders—why, Its coverage is as broad as the earth and as high as the heavens.
“Awake!" pledges itself to righteous principles, to exposing hidden foes and subtle dangers, to championing freedom for all, to comforting mourners and strengthening those disheartened by the failures of.a delinquent world, reflecting sure hope for the establishment of a righteous New World.
Get acquainted with ‘'Awake!'1 Keep awake by reading “Awake!"
in>He■ |M
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CONTENTS
Integrity Leads the Upright Ones 3
Happiness for Those Who Suffer Affliction 5
How Well Do You Read?
Power of Encouragement
Helped by Awake! and The Watchtower 14
The Cautious Python
Blue Laws—A Cause of Contention
Spotlight on British Guiana
Disappearing Animals
Seat Belts Save Lives
“Your Word Is Truth"
Why Is Jesus Christ
a Stone of Stumbling?
Watching the World
Volume XLIV London, England, September 32, 1963 Number 18
IN A city high in the Andes mountains of
South America a prospective buyer directed his attention to a sack of potatoes a vendor hoped to sell. The potatoes looked good and the price was reasonable. But the weight was questionable. So the weighing was repeated. This time the buyer did not look at the scale to which the potato sack was hooked. Instead, he focused his attention on the bottom of the sack. By careful observation he noticed that the vendor was distorting the weight! He had put one foot on a small string that was attached to the bottom of the sack, by which he exerted a pull on the scale until it indicated several pounds more than were actually there. His distortion was discovered! The sale was ruined.
By no means is distortion limited to one part of the earth and just to vendors. It is widespread7 throughout the world and in all fields of activity. Inspectors and government agents in many countries are kept busy trying to eliminate such bad business practices.
Those who practice distortion are endeavoring to cover up the facts. Usually it is for some selfish reason. They may feel they are bettering themselves at the expense of someone else. However, at best it can only be temporarily so. God’s Word, the Bible, shows how unwise such thinking is when it says: “The integrity of the upright ones is what leads them, but distortion by those dealing treacherously will despoil them."—Prov. 11:3.
There are several good reasons for not practicing distortion of facts. Some realize that it is a good business policy not to do so. When they deal honestly with customers or clients they expect they will have repeated business with the same people and this will more than account for any temporary profit that might be gained by distortion. Others may want their name and that of their family to be held in high esteem in the community, so they shun any practice that would bring reproach. Legal sanctions have been imposed on many that have been exposed and convicted of distortion. Fearing the same consequences, many avoid the activities that would lead to such sanctions.
These reasons show thoughtfulness and practicality. However, a Christian has an even more compelling reason for not practicing distortion. As the proverb states: “The integrity of the upright ones is what leads them.” Integrity governs their decisions in all they do; it shows them which course to take. With Christians it is not a matter of doing what is expedient. It is a matter of doing what is right.
Generally speaking, integrity means uncompromising adherence to a code of morals or other values; avoiding deception, artificiality or shallowness of any kind for expediency. But there can be different standards or codes for different people. On what are the Christian’s standards of integrity based? With the Christian the standard is based on what God considers to be integrity. It is his Word that acts as the touchstone for determining right and wrong, and not the codes or values of men. God’s codes are the highest, so in following those in integrity the Christian cannot help but be a benefit and blessing to his fellowman.
From the time of God’s faithful servant Abel down through the ages, keeping God’s standards of integrity has been a matter of vital concern to his people. This was demonstrated very well in the case of the God-fearing man of ancient times, Job. He was tested by Satan the Devil, who had boasted he could make Job break his integrity under severe pressure. Through it all Job stood fast and showed what was motivating him in his faithful course when he said: “Until I expire I shall not take away my integrity from myself.'”—Job 27:5.
The despoiling effects of distortion are often felt in broken marriage relationships. Unhappiness and despondency enter the lives of many because they fail to live up to their marriage vows. On the other hand, those who maintain integrity toward God’s standards for marriage benefit greatly. Their marriage relationship is kept clean and the marriage ties strong. Also, parents who are led by integrity toward God’s ways and who show proper love for their children benefit much. "The righteous is walking in his integrity. Happy are his sons after him.”—Prov. 20:7.
The position of those led by integrity is not always appreciated. Especially is this true in regard to the integrity of Christians among the nations of this world. One cause for this lack of appreciation is distortion of Jesus’ words, “Pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.” (Mark 12:17) Some take this to mean that one should do all that Caesar requires. But did Jesus mean that anything and everything Caesar asks for should be given to him? Surely Jesus did not mean that. If he did, what would be left to give to God? Yet, that is the very thing some would have us believe. Christians worship only God. To him they give their allegiance and ascribe salvation. They do not give to Caesar what belongs only to God.
At one time Peter and the other apostles were faced with such a distortion of the facts. What did they do? They proved they were men of integrity by saying: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” —Acts 5:29.
At times men may distort the facts. They may know what strings to pull so a distorted weight will be presented to the eyes of a buyer. They may distort their love and faithfulness to their marriage partner by secret acts of immorality. They may even try to distort the loyalty and integrity of Christians so they appear unfaithful to Caesar. But those who practice distortion should remember that no wrongdoing is hidden from God’s eyes.
Even if found guilty before men, those who are led by integrity remain loyal to God and his ways in all their activities. With integrity-keeping Job, they confidently say, “He will weigh me in accurate scales and God will get to know my in-tegrity.”—Job 31:6; Heb. 4:13.
$!!
feet, not only upon yourself, but upon your friends and neighbors as well.
happy are 1J. you whenever men hate you, and whenever they exclude you and reproach you and cast out your name as wicked for the sake of the Son of man. Rejoice in that day and leap, for, look!
CM
Embittered by
Affliction
What made Jesus’ words so astounding is that affliction does not normally bring
your reward is great in heaven.”—Luke 6:22, 23; Matt. 5:1-12.
Happiness for those hated, excluded, reproached and cast out as wicked! It may have seemed impossible to the crowds as they listened to Jesus deliver his never-to-be-forgotten sermon on the Galilean mountainside.
Even after nineteen centuries, the ma-
happiness. Happiness is defined as “a state of well-being and pleasurable satisfaction,” and it is not natural that physical abuse or ill-treatment should bring such a condition. To the contrary, affliction often robs persons of all happiness and embitters them.
Today the earth is filled with millions of people who have become bitter because of their lot in life. War, famine, pestilence and natural disasters have stripped many
jority of people may be puzzled by these teachings of Jesus. It seems incredible to them that affliction and happiness can go hand in hand. But rince Jesus’ words are true, since literally thousands of Christians continue to find happiness even when suffering affliction, would it not be wise to endeavor to find the explanation for it?
Thousands of people are happy despite being sorely
afflicted. How is it possible?
of material possessions and good health and, as a result, their happiness as well. Embittered by the affliction, they blame God as responsible. They feel as Job's wife did. When her husband was experiencing affliction, she told him: “Curse God and die’”—Job 2:9.
Others, because of race, religion, na-
Think what it would mean if you could find the recipe for happiness while suffering affliction. What a transformation it would make in your life! One thing is certain, you would get a lot more joy out of living, which would have a beneficial ef-
tionality, social position or some other circumstance, are hated, persecuted, reproached, excluded from society, and people lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against them. But instead of finding happiness in this affliction, they also become
bitter. In fact, their bitterness often causes them to retaliate in kind, repaying hate with hate and reproaching with reproaching;.
This happiness-robbing disposition is found in so many people today. Think of your own recent experiences, things that have happened to you or to those with whom you live or alongside whom you work day by day. How have you reacted to unkind, unjust treatment? How have they? Is it not true that bitterness often results from minor afflictions one experiences in day-to-day living? Sometimes it may last for only a few hours, but often it extends much longer, over days or months or years. It brings strained relations, sharp words, unkind accusations. Sometimes these people do not speak to one another and they go out of their way to hinder the progress of others.
A further tragedy lies in the fact that the unhappiness of one person can affect the happiness of so many others. An unhappy frustrated father returning home with a “chip on his shoulder” can make things miserable for all the others in his family. An unhappy mother—think how she can upset the peace of the whole home and put the family circle out of gear. All because of what? The inability of parents to rise above the daily afflicting problems of life and maintain an overall happy frame of mind.
Happiness in Spite of Affliction
But can happiness be maintained even though one daily has to rub elbows with those who are bitter and unhappy? Yes, if one endures day-to-day afflictions “for the sake of the Son of man.” (Luke 6:22) Would Jesus be pleased if you mistreated those who mistreat you? Of course he would not! He would be disappointed that you did not follow his example, for “when he was being reviled, he did not go reviling in return. When he was suffering, he did not go threatening.” Could you really be happy if you knew that your conduct was a disappointment to the Son of man? —1 Pet 2:23.
So, “for the sake of the Son of man," Christians do not say: “Just as he did to me, so I am going to do to him. I shall repay to each one according to his acting.” (Prov. 24:29) They make the heart of their Master glad by rising above petty misunderstandings and afflictions that result from day-to-day contact with people. They ‘continue to love their enemies and to pray for those mistreating them,’ and thus they “keep conquering the evil with the good."—Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:21.
What happiness such conduct brings those that suffer affliction! Not only are they happy because Jesus is pleased with them, but it brings them great joy when, as a result of their conduct, relations improve with their associates.
However, if persecutors and evildoers do not change, but, rather, flourish and receive the plaudits of men, Christians do not envy them. They see the wisdom in God's counsel: “Do not show yourself heated up at evildoers. Do not become envious of wicked people. For there will prove to be no future for anyone bad; the very lamp of wicked people will be extinguished."—Prov. 24:19, 20.
Consider for a moment that expression “heated up.” When metal is heated up it gets soft and impressionable to hammer blows, and this changed shape can remain with it even after it has cooled down. So it is with the man who allows himself to get worked up over the evil things men say or do. If he is not careful, the hammerblow effects will make a lasting impression on his personality. Realizing this, Christians avoid becoming “heated up” when evildoers afflict them and continue to prosper. They have confidence that evildoers are being watched by God and that He will soon extinguish them just as one would blow out a lamp.
So it is the cooling effect of God’s Word that keeps the true Christian from getting overheated when he meets opposers. He soon learns that cool, dignified words produce much better results than heated rebuffs. (Prov. 15:1) He thus retains his own happiness, and so is able to help the next one he meets to become happy.
Happiness Because of Affliction
It is interesting to note that Jesus did not merely say that true Christians could be happy in spite of affliction, but that they would even be happy because of affliction. “Happy are you when people reproach you and persecute you and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against you for my sake,” Jesus said. (Matt. 5:11) How could this be?
To those unfamiliar with God’s Word it would be difficult to imagine circumstances where affliction could have the effect of making a person happy. But there are such circumstances. When a Christian is hated and persecuted because he obeys Christ’s commands, then he is happy. It is not because he enjoys the physical or mental punishment, or because he derives pleasure from persecution, due to a personality quirk. No, but it is because he knows that he is doing the right thing, what Jesus himself did and told Christians to continue doing.—1 Pet. 2:20, 21; 3:14; Prov. 27:11.
Affliction by an Enemy World
But does it seem strange to you that true Christians should be hated and reproached for obeying Jesus’ commands? It really should not if you consider what the worldly authorities did to Jesus. When they finally got their hands upon him, they mocked him, beat him up and nailed him to a torture stake. (Mark 14:65; John 19:23-30) And just a few hours earlier Jesus had warned his disciples: “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. ... A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” —John 15:17-20.
Yes, this world is an enemy of Christians, and, for that reason, Christians are warned: “Do not be loving either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” The Scriptures prove that this world is under the control of Satan the Devil, whom Jesus called “the ruler of this world,” and whom the apostle Paul identified as “the god of this system of things." —1 John 2:15; John 12:31; 2 Cor. 4:4.
Satan the Devil is the wicked spirit creature that turned the first human pair away from Jehovah God in the garden of Eden, and then boasted that, if given the opportunity, he could do the same with all their offspring. However, down through the centuries many have kept integrity to God and have thus disproved Satan’s contention. Yes, they have been happy to endure hatred, reproach and persecution in order to prove the Devil to be a liar and to vindicate God’s name I—Gen. 3:1-6; Rev. 12:9; Job chaps. 1, 2.
Happily Enduring Affliction
Since Christians know that Satan the Devil is exerting pressure to make them forsake the teachings of Christ, they are happy to demonstrate their loyalty to Jesus and his Father by obediently keeping their commands. As the apostle Peter said: “If you are being reproached for the name of Christ, you are happy.” The disciple James wrote similarly: “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials.” And the apostle Paul said: "Let us exult while in tribulations.” —1 Pet. 4:12-14; Jas. 1:2; Rom. 5:3.
Paul knew what it meant to exult while in tribulation. When he and his companion Silas were turned over to the civil magistrates by opposers in Philippi, they were beaten with rods and thrown into prison. “But about the middle of the night Paul and Silas were praying and praising God with song.” One would naturally think a person would be unhappy after being beaten and treated as a vile criminal. But not so! Paul and Silas were happy because they were suffering affliction ‘for the sake of Jesus?—Acts 16:20-25; Matt. 5:11, 12.
Peter and the other apostles felt the same way. While preaching in Jerusalem they were arrested by the worldly authorities and were ordered to stop the preaching work Jesus had commanded them to do. (Acts 1:8) When they did not, the authorities “summoned the apostles, flogged them, and ordered them to stop speaking upon the basis of Jesus’ name, and let them go. These, therefore, went their way from before the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of his name. And . . . they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.”—Acts 5:40-42.
This same happiness has been enjoyed by true Christians in modem times. Jehovah’s witnesses in Nazi Germany, Russia, Communist China, Spain and in many other lands have been imprisoned and brutally treated, not because of wrong conduct, but because of their obedience to Christ’s commands; yet, like the apostles, they have been happy. They have had that same feeling of “well-being and pleasurable satisfaction” because of ness In these troublous times, he must build his life around God and his purposes. “Happy is he that is trusting in Jehovah.” —Prov. 16:20.
This happiness can be maintained in spite of the minor afflictions that are encountered day by day. It can even be maintained when war, natural disaster or sickness rob one of his material possessions and health. And affliction because of obedience to Christ’s commands can even increase one’s happiness.
However, one must keep the proper viewpoint during these difficulties. He must realize that God has only permitted wickedness temporarily in order to give Satan the opportunity to prove his boast that he could turn all men away from God. When a person appreciates this he can look at all affliction in the right light. He can see in it an opportunity to bring honor to God by happily serving God and helping others in spite of whatever affliction may temporarily have to be endured.
Not only is there happiness now for those who apply the wise.counsel of God’s Word in their lives, but there is also a future reward. Jesus said: “Rejoice in that day and leap, for, look! your reward is great in heaven.” (Luke 6:23) The reward of everlasting life in God’s righteous new order, whether in heaven or under the rule of a righteous new heavens, will more than make up for all the affliction Christians now receive because of faithfully obeying
God’s commands. Under the be-
knowing they were suffering for righteousness and that God was pleased with them.—1 Pet. 3:14.
So ft is evident that if one is going to maintain happi-
nign influence of God’s kingdom all who live will receive love and blessings instead of reproaches. What a reward-g future! What compelling reason for happiness for those who now suffer affliction!
/•.SV’,
HOW well do you A W . read? Are you an 1 ------
efficient and rapid read
er, or just average? Or are you among the ever-increasing number of poor or retarded readers? Unlike the lower animals, man can read; he can take an interest in things that can be gained from reading. And there is no reason why one cannot improve his reading, if he really wants to.
The value of reading and its importance can hardly be exaggerated. Ability to read well is the mark of the well-educated man. It is basic for drawing upon the vast store of knowledge that the human race is heir to, chief of which is the written Word of Jehovah God. Efficiency in the professions, in ail the “white collar” jobs, as well as in most businesses and crafts, depends upon your ability to read.
In addition to being of prime importance for ever so many in earning a livelihood, . reading can be the source of much enjoyment. By means of the word you can travel anywhere you wish, you can enjoy no end of beauties, you can have ever-new horizons opened up to you. You can visit with the finest, most noble men that ever walked this earth anytime you choose. Humor, romance, mystery and more are waiting between covers of books to delight
and entertain if not also to edify you.
In recent years ability to read has assumed a hitherto unrecognized importance, in that it has been learned that it may have a direct bearing on a child’s becoming a delinquent. Because so many juvenile delinquents are poor readers it had long been thought that behavior problems caused the poor reading, but more and more it was found that often the opposite was true. As one report to the mayor of New York city a few years back put it: “Failure in reading accounts more than any other single factor for behavior problems.”1 Poor readers drop behind in their studies, become frustrated and develop hostility. Then they may drop out of school and, being unable to find employment, embark on a life of crime, compounding the evil.
Thus we find that remedial reading is one of the chief tools used by some who specialize in trying to restore delinquent youths to a useful place in socie-t y. Among those using this approach to the problem is the Association for Psychiatric Treatment of Offenders. Its director, psychoanalyst Dr. M. Schmideberg, would make ability to read a condition for probation of juvenile delinquents, as then they would have a better opportunity for going straight.
Hole Bad Is the Situation?
If you are not satisfied with how well you read, you are not alone. Today there are many complaints about how widespread poor reading is, especially in the United States.’ There the problem came to the fore some eight years ago when educator Rudolf Flesch published the book Why Johnny Can’t Read and What You Can Do About It. What about these complaints? Are they justified? No, says Arthur I. Gates, of the Institute of Language Arts, Columbia University: “The widely published assertion that Johnny does not read as well today as he did a generation ago is proclaimed without any real evidence. It is quite untrue. The results of actual tests of reading abilities show, without an exception of which I am aware, that today’s youngsters read better than comparable children in previous decades.”2 What about this claim?
Jacques Barzun, Dean of Faculties and Provost of Columbia, observes that “statistics by themselves prove nothing, and the results of ‘tests’ can be manipulated or misunderstood with great ease.” According to Barzun, the reading problem in the United States is such as to make a person’s hair stand on end. After commenting on the vast amount of illiteracy uncovered among army draftees of World War II, he goes on to say: “Speaking for myself, I can say that among the highly selected students in the university where I teach I find about one in ten who needs coaching in the elements of literacy—spelling, punctuation, s
* That Great Britain Is beset with the same problem . Is seen from the book by Lucy Street, Spoil trie Child, and the reviews Lt received In the public press, sentence structure and diction. And these students cannot write because they cannot read,”3
But is this situation not to be expected in view of the quality of reading that prevails in the elementary and secondary schools? In 1960 one report stated that, more than 25 percent of the students in New York city’s junior high schools were retarded in their reading two and a half years or more? In 1961 the superintendent of New York’s schools revealed that ten thousand of the city’s seventh-grade pupils could not even read third-grade textbooks? And just last November Dr. L. W. Nelson, of the Fund for Advancement of Education, called attention to the widespread difficulty children are having with reading and blamed society for it?
Who or What Is to Blame?
Apparently those who would have us believe that children read as well as they did in past generations are indulging in wishful thinking. A situation, however, can never be remedied unless it first is recognized as existing. And even then, the cause must be discovered. What is the cause? What can be blamed for the widespread reading problem in countries such as the United States?
According to Dr. Nelson, the blame rests squarely on “society,” on the school boards that refuse to spend money for adequate equipment and on parents who do not take an interest in their children. Such may have a bearing, but are these the crux of the matter? Those teaching current popular methods claim that the reading problem is caused by the fact that many students simply are “nonverbal,” others are emotionally maladjusted, others come from nonreading homes, and still others have nervous, mental or physical defects.
But others, who do not sympathize with the modern trend in reading education, have a different story to tell. Thus Mortimer Smith, director of the Council for Basic Education, blames the situation on "that gigantic guessing game that goes by the name of reading instruction.” And Barzun of Columbia says regarding his students who have reading difficulties: “The origin of their plight is confirmed by the occasional would-be scholar who does not know the order of the letters of the alphabet.” For Barzun, viewing words as a whole, “as if our words were Chinese ideographs,” simply does not make sense, for then a child will “quite naturally confuse halier and taller and begin the dangerous practice of guessing his way.”3
One reading expert correctly described this “look-say” or “whole-word” method, as it is generally termed, as “a difficult, tedious, complicated, confusing, timeconsuming, uninteresting and unserviceable exercise in visual recall, association, surmise, invention, prediction, paraphrase, substitution, and interpolation or omission at will—all blighted by an incessant striving for speed. This uncoordinated exertion mutilates or even obliterates the meaning of the writer.”7 Yes, by this method the student, instead of trying to discover what the author has written, tries to guess what the word is by its shape or its context or his familiarity with the subject.
The modern method is further handicapped by such “progressive” ideas as "reading readiness,” by strictly limiting the progress of reading to some four hundred words a year for the first few years and by arbitrarily telling the parents not to teach their preschool children the alphabet. Teachers of this method are happy if the majority of their children have a reading vocabulary of some eight hundred words at the end of the second grade, whereas in such countries as Germany and Russia the average child at the end of the second year can read just about anything in print.
True, many teachers are recognizing the inadequacy of the “look-say” method and therefore have added to their modem method the millenniums-old method of learning to read by the sound of the letters, known as “phonics.” However, they still start with the guessing game, and so for many persons reading ever after remains a guessing game even though phonics have been superimposed upon the “look-say” method. Advocates of the latter method stress that English is not a completely phonetic language. But should a method be based on the 13 percent of the language that is not phonetic, or upon the 87 percent that is phonetic, that is, pronounced as it is written? Which is easier to memorize, twenty-six letters or thousands upon thousands of word-shapes?
Although the “look-say” method was first brought forth almost a hundred years ago, it was only in the 1920’s that it replaced phonics in the United States. No doubt what has helped to make the “look-say” method even less fruitful than it might have been is the fact that it is mostly being taught by those who believe in “progressive education,” in which the child is pampered, cajoled and coaxed to want to do things instead of disciplined to do things because they are wise and right.
A new trend, which might be said to be adding weight to the phonic method of teaching children and may yet prove to be its most modern form, is that known as “Augmented Roman.” It drops the two letters “Q” and “X” as unnecessary and adds nineteen phonetic symbols to stand for the other distinct sounds used in the English language in addition to the remaining twenty-four letters. While these nineteen symbols resemble the usual letters, they have the advantage of being used consistently.
By use of this “Augmented Roman” the time required to learn to read was cut in half. Also, it was found that by means of it children at the bottom of the class learned to read as quickly as the brightest ones. And once having learned to read Augmented Roman, it was easy for children to switch to the regular alphabet. Incidentally, by this method children were able both to write and to read, a fact true of the phonic but not of the “look-say” method. Conceivably this new alphabet might provide a meeting ground for the two basic methods for teaching reading.
When to Begin?
As previously noted, many modem teachers of reading discourage parents from teaching their children to read before they reach school age; but not all of them. According to Dr. D. Durkin of Columbia Teachers College, not only does the average child stand to benefit greatly by having his mother teach him the alphabet before he begins school, but the lower the I.Q. of the child is, that is, the less bright (presumably) he is, the more he stands to gain from such preschool training.
The fact is that today sociologists are teaching three-year-olds to read, by means of a “talking typewriter,” and they report that the children love it. By the age of five such children are writing poetry. There is another method, advocated by a group of reading experts and pediatricians, that provides for mothers’ starting to teach their children the alphabet when they are two, at the latest.
These ultramodern methods, as they might be called, are more or less costly, but their principles can be translated into practical terms for the average family, and patience and love can take the place of specialized, costly equipment. Thus hand in hand with teaching your child the names of various things around the home, begin teaching it the names of letters— say, one a day. Letters appeal to his imagination and he will be fascinated by them. A great help is a set of large alphabet blocks with capital letters. Take one vowel and the consonants having but one sound and form one-syllable words such as bat, cat, fat, hat, mat, pat, sat, vat, and so forth. An even greater help is a typewriter, if you can afford one. Youngsters learn the alphabet with the aid of the typewriter sooner than you may expect.
Reading Efficiently
If you are one of the slow readers who have difficulty in reading correctly aloud by reason of having been taught the “look-say” method, it goes without saying that to overcome your word difficulty you must start from the beginning by memorizing the alphabet, if you have not already done so, and then drill yourself to view words according to the individual letters they contain rather than their overall configuration or shape. This will take effort, but in view of the amount of reading the average person does and its importance and value to you, it certainly will be worth your while. Just as it pays one who uses a typewriter often to learn the touch system of typing, so it will pay you to take the time and effort to learn the phonic method of reading.
Among weaknesses to be overcome for efficiency in reading is “subvocalization,” that is, moving your lips or the muscles of your throat while reading. Test yourself by placing your fingertips on your lips and on your throat and learn to read without moving either your lips or your throat.
Still another weakness to guard against is “regression,” a continual looking back at what you have read. This might simply be a bad habit to be overcome by giving it attention, or it might be caused by not having your mind fully on what you are reading, in which case the remedy is to concentrate. Be absorbed in what you are reading. Have a sense of urgency, as though you wanted to make the beet possible use of your time, which you do.
Do not be overly concerned about speed. The amount of enjoyment you get from an hour of reading may not depend upon how fast you read. Who is to say that you will not get just as much enjoyment out of spending several hours perusing one book as you might if you could complete two books during that time? Likewise when it comes to reading for the sake of remembering or beihg edified by what you read, what counts is not how many pages you cover but how much you store up in your mind. Of course, in view of your time being limited, you will do well to pace yourself, or be conscious of speed when reading the daily paper or other equally light reading matter.
To get the most out of your reading it is well to read at the right time and place —when not too tired, nor too full of food. Get a comfortable, but not too comfortable, chair in a quiet room. Such ideal conditions may not always be possible. Many find it advantageous to get up a half hour earlier than usual each morning, to get their reading done when they are bright and fresh and when others who ordinarily disturb are still in bed. It is also helpful to pick your reading according to your setting. Some articles you can well cover while traveling to and from work in a bus or train; others call for more favorable circumstances.
NEXT ISSUE—SPECIAL!
Learning from the Marvels of Creation.
Greek Government Bows to the Church and Suppresses Freedom.
How well do you read? That depends upon how rapidly you read, plus how well you understand what you read, plus how well you remember what you read. It also depends upon what you read. Be selective in your reading. Do not keep company by means of books with the type of persons you would not be seen with in real life! As one of Canada’s leading authors not long ago said: “What you read becomes a part of yourself, especially when you are young. It stays with you as long as you live.”6 Most important of all, remember that faith in God comes by reading his Word. Man does not live on bread alone but on the words of Jehovah God recorded in his Word the Bible.—Matt. 4:4.
REFERENCES
1, JEeadint? Chao# and Cure—Term an-Wal cut L
2. National .Education A&sociaZion January
1963.
3. Tomorrows —Walcutt.
4, New York Times, May 3, 1960.
5. New York Journal-American, April 16, 1961.
6. New York Times, November 7. 1962.
7. The Atlantic Aforafh.Zjr, November, 1959.
8. Victoria Times, November 10, 1961.
POWER OF ENCOURAGEMENT
"We need encouragement in whatever we do,” recently reported Science Digest in its issue of May, 1963. “When the physician Dr. Henry H, Goddard was on the staff of the Vineland Training School In New Jersey, he made frequent use of the ergograph—a device used to measure physical indications of fatigue. He discovered that when a staff member said to a youngster, ‘You’re doing fine,' the boy's energycurve would soar. Discouragement and fault-finding invariably had the opposite effect.”
“JU"!” .nJ “JL Watcktou,./’
THE BIBLE TRIUMPHS
• At a circuit assembly in Lafayette, Indiana, one of Jehovah’s witnesses related the following: "We have many experiences with students at Purdue University, and many of them are from other countries. We called on a young man who had obtained the Paradise book. He was from India and was a Hindu. He was curious about the Bible and wanted to study it. A study was held regularly, but he later transferred to a college in California. The student recently subscribed for Awake! He wrote a letter telling about his expedience with the special Awake! on ‘The Bible Triumphs in a Scientific World.’ He wrote:
“ ‘I finished reading it at one sitting. I was taught Darwin’s theory in my school, and it was Interesting it could be argued against so strongly. That evening we had Mr.-----visit
us. Mr. -—— is a well-educated scientist and biologist. He Is an original thinker. I was all stirred up by Awake! and asked, “Do you believe In Darwin’s theory?” He said, “Yes.” I stated, “The Bible says God created the world. Do you agree?” “No, I do not believe in God.” I started using the arguments used in Awake! Finally I brought him the magazine. He looked at the front page and said, “Oh, this is a crazy "group: I have read this book quite a few times.” I corrected him: “This is not a book, and you could not have read this even once before since it is first published today.” He said, "Well, I cannot believe in these people.” I said, “I feel nothing but sympathy for a man like you who wants everyone to listen to him and at the same time you are so biased that you do not even care to open this magazine before giving your opinion.” We opened it and read a few paragraphs. The discussion started and continued for four hours. He left for home at 2:30 A.M.—taking with him my copy of Awake! I want to show it to some of the professors at the college. Could you send me two copies of the special Awake! as soon as you can?’”
HOUSEWIFE AIDED
• A circuit minister of Jehovah's witnesses tells of visiting a congregation in Rhode Island where he attended a Bible study: “The woman with whom the study was being conducted was well advanced in knowledge and understanding and would be engaged in the service If she were not very near the time for having her first child. While talking with her, I learned that what made her take interest in the truth in the beginning was an article that she read in Awake! She was newly married and was quite discouraged with keeping house. She said her house was constantly in a state of confusion. Her husband endeavored to help her but soon he became discouraged, and she told me that she got to the point where she hated housework. One day a Witness called and left Awake! and The Watchtower with her. In the Awake! was an article on managing the household. She studied it over and began to apply the principles and counsel. She said that her house began to change immediately and also her and her husband's relationship toward each other. When the Witnesses called again, she invited them in and a Bible study was started."
DESIGNED TO HELP
• A Witness in Ontario, Canada, reports: “While traveling from Toronto to his home in Ottawa by train, a man noticed copies of The Watchtower and Awake! that had apparently been left by someone on the seat. Having nothing much to do on the journey, he decided to read them from cover to cover. He thought to himself, ‘How different these publications are! Why, these magazines are really designed to help persons like myself to learn the Bible, which my church isn't doing,’ Before he left the train, he clipped the coupon for subscriptions to both magazines and sent them to the Society. These magazines made such an impression on him that he decided to leave them on the seat for someone else to read. A goodwill follow-up slip was sent by the Society to the local congregation, and a pioneer minister began calling on him. Shortly afterward, the call was turned over to me and I carried on a Bible study in the booklet ‘This Good News o/ the Kingdom,' during which time he attended all meetings. We had not finished studying the booklet when he expressed a desire to come along in the field service. Now he takes calls by himself and goes out in the service nearly every day with pioneers. He is thinking seriously of baptism in the near future.”
zoologist crawled out of the cave and obtained
EMINDING us of the Bible’s words at Genesis 3:1, “the serpent proved to be the most cautious of all the wild beasts of the field that Jehovah God had made," is an experience that British zoologist Gerald Durrell had with a giant python. In his book A Zoo in My Luggage Durrell tells of his trip to West Africa and how he heard about a long, plump python holed up in a cave. The zoologist and his companion were keenly desirous of possessing this serpent and were willing to put forth the most strenuous efforts to effect its capture. Equipped with ropes and nets, they arrived at the cave, located in a small cliff that split into a series of upward-sloping, shallow caves, each connected with the other. How to get the serpent out of the cave was the problem.
It was decided that smoke should induce even the most reluctant python to come out into the open. So the men set fire to the grass around the mouth of the cave. But no python. Despite the smoke, the serpent was taking no chance of running into trouble.
Having failed to smoke out the python, Durrell and his companion crawled into the mouth of the cave with a flashlight to locate the serpent. “Eight feet ahead of us the passage ended in a circular depression in a rock, and in this the python lay coiled, shining in the torchlight as if freshly polished,” wrote Durrell of the serpent, which he judged was about fifteen feet long. "It was also in an extremely bad temper. The longer the torch beam played on it the more prolonged and shrill did its hisses become, until they rose to an eerie shriek.”
The men then left the cave and obtained a forked stick and a rope, intending to put a noose around the head of the giant serpent. But the zoologist was unable to get the noose over the serpent’s head because this cautious creature kept its head buried deep in its coils a long, large branch with a fishhook-like projection on the end with which he hoped to drag the python out.
The zoologist's companion finally managed to edge the hook of the branch over the serpent; he pulled with all his strength. "The results were immediate and confusing,” explained Durrell. “To our surprise the entire bulk of the snake—after a momentary resistance—slid down the cave towards us. . . . The snake uncoiled still further; its head and neck appeared out of the tangle and struck at us. Wedged like a couple of outsized sardines in an undersized can, we had no way to move except backwards, and so we slid backwards on our stomachs as rapidly as we could. . . . The snake slid into view, hissing madly, its coils shuddering with muscular contraction as it tried to free itself of the hook around its body.”
When the men reached the mouth of the cave they quickly got out and stood on their feet, but the one who was pulling on the branch fell down when he stepped on a loose rock; quickly the serpent took advantage of a momentary respite: “The snake gave a mighty heave that freed its body from the hook, and with the smooth fluidity of water soaking into blotting paper it slid into a crack in the cave wall that did not look as though it could accommodate a mouse. As the last four feet of its length were disappearing into the bowels of earth, Bob and I fell on it and hung on like grim death. We could feel the rippling of the powerful muscles as the snake, buried deep in the rocky cleft, struggled to break our grip on its tail. Slowly, inch by inch, the smooth scales slipped through our sweaty hands, and then, suddenly, the snake was gone. From somewhere deep in the rocks came a triumphant hiss.”
INDIGNANT American merclyints who are forced against their wishes to close their stores on Sunday are continuing a long, drawn-out fight against what they consider to be unjust blue laws. These are Sunday closing laws that got their name from New England Puritans who vigorously enforced such laws in colonial times and who adopted the color blue. Supporting the laws with a determination equal to that of these merchants are other merchants who customarily close their stores on Sunday, and also some religious groups.
The religious supporters of blue laws contend that Sunday is the sabbath and should not be violated by business being conducted on that day. The law in the State of New Jersey states that “no
worldly employment or business except works of necessity and charity” shall be performed “on the Christian Sabbath.” In one New Jersey community a zealous group of Methodist laymen started a campaign against food stores that were open on Sundays. They claimed that this “is a matter of concern to all Christians in the area.” In other areas Roman Catholics vigorously support blue laws. For many religious people blue laws appear to be justified, as they appear to enforce the observance of Sunday as a sabbath, but it is on this very point that religious differences contribute to contentions.
Merchants who observe Saturday rather than Sunday as their religious sabbath firmly believe that blue laws tire violating the separation of church and state that is lawfully required in America. They believe that they are being put at an economic disadvantage because they must close their stores on Saturday, their own sabbath, and also on Sunday because of blue laws. In their viewpoint the laws are discriminatory by favoring the religions that observe Sunday as a sabbath. On this point, Justice Potter Stewart of the U.S. Supreme Court stated in a dissenting opinion on blue laws:
“Pennsylvania has passed a law which compels an Orthodox Jew to choose between his religious faith and his economic survival. That is a cruel choice. It is a choice which I think no State can constitutionally demand. For me this is not something that can be swept under the rug and forgotten in the interest of enforced Sunday togetherness. I think the impact of this law upon these appellants grossly violates their Constitutional right to the free exercise of their religion,”
Early Beginning
Sunday closing laws had their beginning in the days of the Roman Emperor Constantine, who, A.D. 321, decreed that “all magistrates and people of the city, and all who work as artisans shall rest upon the venerable day of the sun.” Being a worshiper of the sun, he wanted one day a week set aside in its honor and to carry its name. Regarding Sunday legislation, the book Sunday Legislation, by Abram Lewis, states: “All Sunday legislation is the product of pagan Rome. The Saxon laws were the product of the Middle-Age legislation of the Holy Roman Empire. The English laws are an expansion of the Saxon, and the American are a transcript of the English.”
As far as God’s written Word is concerned, Sunday was never declared by him as a sabbath. The sabbath he required the Israelites to observe was the day of the week that is equivalent to our Saturday. The Scriptures contain no command for Christians to observe any day as a sabbath.—Col. 2:16, 17.
Up to the time of the Revolution, the American colonies were under the Sunday law enacted by the English king Charles II. That law stated: “For the better observation and keeping holy the Lord’s day, commonly called Sunday: be it enacted by the king’s most excellent majesty . . . that all and every person and persons whatsoever shall upon every Lord’s day apply themselves to the observation of the same, by exercising themselves thereon in the duties of piety and true religion, publicly and privately; and that no tradesman, artificer, workman or other person whatsoever, shall do or exercise any worldly labor or business or work of their ordinary callings upon the Lord’s day; . . . and that no person or persons whatsoever shall publicly cry, show forth, or expose for sale any wares, merchandise, fruit,herbs, goods or chattels whatsoever, upon the Lord’s day or any part thereof.”
Among the Puritans of New England, it was unlawful to travel, loiter at the door of a meeting house, drink in an inn, stay at home instead of attending church or do any work on Sunday. The punishment was a fine or public whipping. The law of 1760 provided for twelve wardens to patrol the streets of each town to see that the people obeyed the Sunday laws. The Puritans failed to realize that religious devotion and respect for God cannot be forced on people by civil law. It must come voluntarily as a result of proper instruction.
Reason for Blue Laws Today
Enforcing Sunday as a religious sabbath is not the principal reason for blue laws today, despite the fact that this is the impression that some of the public get. The primary reason seems to be commercial. In some communities these laws have existed for a very long time, but for many years they were not enforced. Now that a growing number of discount stores are making their appearance in suburban areas, many retail merchants are pressing city authorities to enforce the blue laws because they are worried about this commercial competition.
In St. Louis the Missouri blue law was flouted for years, but when discount stores made their appearance there things changed. Regarding this the New York Times of December 25, 1961, reported: “The recent appearance of several discount houses in this area is a factor in a current test of the law. As more and more of the new stores did business on Sunday opponents of Sunday employment began to press the police to make arrests.”
Competition among merchants is usually so fierce that Sunday selling by big stores gives them an advantage over competitors. On the other hand, merchants who recognize Saturday as a sabbath and close their stores then feel at an economic disadvantage when they must also close on Sunday.
When upholding the validity of blue laws in a 1961 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court took the position that they no longer enforce rest on Sunday for religious reasons and, therefore, do not violate the Constitution. In the majority opinion, Chief Justice Warren stated:
“There is no dispute that the original laws which dealt with Sunday labor were motivated by religious forces. But what we must decide is whether present Sunday legislation, having undergone extensive changes from the earliest forms, still retains its religious character. ... In light of the evolution of our Sunday Closing Laws through the centuries, and of their more or less recent emphasis upon secular considerations, it is not difficult to discern that as presently written and administered, most of them, at least, are of a secular rather than of a religious character, and that presently they bear no relationship to establishment of religion as those words are used in the Constitution of the United States. . . ■ We do not hold that Sunday legislation may not be a violation of the ‘Establishment’ Clause if it can be demonstrated that its purpose—evidenced either on the face of the legislation, in conjunction with its legislative history, or in its operative effect—is to use the State’s coercive power to aid religion.”
The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court did not bring an end to court battles over Sunday closing laws or silence the contention they cause. Angry merchants who feel that the laws are discriminatory, confusing, unjust and economically damaging to them continue their legal battles against them.
Confusion
The Missouri Supreme Court upheld the blue law of that state, but the State Supreme Court of Kansas declared a Kansas blue law, that was originally copied from the Missouri law, unconstitutional, This difference of legal opinion has created confusion in Kansas City, which lies astride the Kansas-Missouri border. In the Missouri part of the city the law is considered valid, but in the Kansas portion it is labeled invalid. The Kansas court ruled that the statute is “so vague that men of common intelligence must guess at its meaning.” This was one year after the U.S. Supreme Court had upheld the validity of blue laws.
What blue laws permit to be sold on Sunday or forbid causes a certain amount of confusion and contributes to the contention they create. Usually they specify that sales may be made for mercy, charity or necessity, but what can come in this category is rather vague. On this point a Philadelphia judge remarked about a Pennsylvania blue law:
“This law forbids a clerk to sell ... a Dylan Thomas recording, but does not prohibit the same clerk from selling me a book containing exactly the same poems from the next counter. Side by side in Bargain City and many other stores are tricycles, which cannot be sold to me for my two-year-old .granddaughter because they are toys, and adult bicycles which I can buy for myself or for my daughter just out of her teens. A clerk may sell me seat covers for my automobile, but he cannot sell me slip covers for my sofa. If I have forgotten to shop for a birthday present for my wife during the week, the same store may sell me on Sunday without violating this law a camera, ice skates or a dozen roses, but not a watch or a suitcase or a tie pin for myself.”
In the State of Virginia the blue law there forbids the sale of dry goods, food that requires further preparation, cameras, clocks, household goods and jewelry, but permits the sale of such things as motor fuel, newspapers, magazines, sports and recreational equipment at the places where they are used, and also allows the operation of amusement facilities. One critical comment in a court argument in Virginia pointed out that the law discriminated against “even the pig . . . because hams can be sold and other parts of the pig may not be sold.” In some states stores in resort and beach areas are permitted to operate on Sunday but not stores outside those areas.
Arguments Against the Laws
When the city council of Minneapolis presented a blue law to the mayor for his approval, he vetoed it and gave the following reasons why he did: “Many sincere and devout citizens strongly support this ordinance because they believe that it will have the effect of enhancing Sunday as a day of rest and worship. It is extremely important that everyone understand that this ordinance will not accomplish that purpose and the public should not be misled on this point.” He pointed out that the law does not prohibit a person’s working on Sunday but rather the selling of certain items of merchandise. He also said: “The ordinance is aimed primarily, if not exclusively, at protecting certain businesses in their competitive position with respect to what are described as discount houses, some of which have been operating—almost entirely within- suburban communities—during certain hours on Sunday. .., The ordinance has the effect of restricting the freedom of our citizens and of protecting one group of merchants from actual or threatened competition. This is its real purpose, and it is, therefore, not consistent with the idea of a free economy and a free society.”
A similar line of argument was presented by John C. Webb, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates: “Each individual must be free to reach his own decision, to make his own judgment as to what is right and proper, and if need be, to make his own mistake. Sunday rest should definitely not be forced by law. Most Sunday laws do not ensure a day of rest anyway; they only require that certain items not be sold on Sunday.”
Without a doubt, people are entitled to a day off once a week from their secular work, but the enactment of blue laws that restrict the selling of certain types of merchandise misses that objective. A state has a right to declare that its citizens should have one day a week off and can ensure it by limiting the number of hours a man or woman can work in a week. But when its law appears to enforce the observance of a religious sabbath or puts some of its citizens at an economic disadvantage because of their religion, the wisdom of the law is questionable. Justice William O. Douglas of the U.S. Supreme Court argued; “The question is not whether Sunday can by force of custom and habit be retained as a day of rest. The question is whether a State can impose criminal sanctions on those who, unlike the Christian majority that makes up our society, worship on a different day or do not share the religious scruples of the majority.”
When blue laws interfere with religious freedom and are misapplied to Sunday missionary work being done by an unpopular religious minority, which has happened, they cannot be regarded as just and good. If their purpose is to. force all people to observe Sunday as a sabbath, they are religiously oppressive and violate the wise principle of separating church and state. In view of the contention still being raised by these laws two years after having been upheld by the Supreme Court, it would seem that there is a need to review the wisdom of them. As conditions change, it becomes increasingly difficult to fit these old, religiously inspired laws into a modern freedom-loving society.
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