Awake!, November 8, 1966
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Relief from Suffering and Death
PAGE 5
Why Are They So Messy?
PAGE 8
Mexico and Central America Welcome Yo
PAGE 12
Christendom's Criminal Crusades
PAGE 17
NOVEMBER 8,1966
THE REASON FOR THIS MAGAZINE
News sources that are able to keep you awake to the vital issues of our times must be unfettered by censorship and selfish interests. "Awakel" has no fetters. It recognizes facts, faces facts, is free to publish facts. It is not bound by political ties; it is unhampered by traditional creeds. This magazine keeps itself free, that it may speak freely to you. But it does not abuse its freedom. It maintains integrity to truth.
The viewpoint of "Awake!" is not narrow, but is international. "Awake!" has its own correspondents in scores of nations. Its articles are read in many lands, in many languages, by millions of persons.
In every issue "Awake!" presents vital topics on which you should be informed. It features penetrating articles on social conditions and offers sound counsel for meeting the problems of everyday life. Current news from every continent passes in quick review. Attention is focused on activities in the fields of government and commerce about which you should know. Straightforward discussions of religious issues alert you to matters of vital concern. Customs and people in many lands, the marvels of creation, practical sciences and points of human interest are all embraced in its coverage. "Awake!" provides wholesome, instructive reading for every member of the family.
"Awakel" 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 God's righteous new order in this generation.
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CONTENTS
The Assassin's Knife Strikes 3
Relief from Suffering and Death 5
Why Are They So Messy? 8
Mexico and Central America
Welcome You 12
Iguazú Falls 16
Christendom's Criminal Crusades 17
New Film Builds Faith in God 21
Sugar Comes in Many Forms 23
The Spirit of Isaiah
in the Twentieth Century 25
"Your Word Is Truth"
What Do You Know
About Jesus Christ? 27
Watching the World 29
Watching the World 29.
THE ASSASSIN'S KNIFE STRIKES
ON Tuesday, September 6, 1966, the bells were summoning the members of the South African Parliament to the debating chamber of the House of Assembly in Cape Town. The time was just before 2:15 p.m. The chamber was filling up with members, and spectators were beginning to fill up the public galleries. The prime minister's wife, Mrs. Betsy Verwoerd, was waiting for the elevator to take her up to the public gallery to watch her husband make what was expected to be an important policy speech. The delay spared her seeing her husband slain.
Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd was seated at his bench in the debating chamber. Suddenly, Demetriws Tsafendas, a temporary messenger at the House of Assembly, dressed in a messenger's blue-and-green uniform, appeared out of a group of members, rushed at the prime minister and, before anyone could stop him, stabbed the prime minister rapidly four times. The prime minister could barely raise his hands in self-defense; he jerked back and then slumped forward.
The first man to grapple with the assassin was the minister of tourism, forestry and sport, Frank Waring, a former rugby player, who later said: "I was sitting at my bench studying the order paper. . . . I glanced towards the Prime Minister's bench, which is diagonally opposite mine, and saw a man holding a dagger and poised to strike. I rushed towards the man and grabbed him from behind with a headlock, but by that time he had already stabbed Dr. Verwoerd. I pulled him over backwards, but he kept slashing at me with the dagger. It tore my trouser leg without touching the flesh. The man was ferocious and rarely have I encountered a more powerful person. The evil-looking dagger he had in his hand was a terrible sight." Others also began to grapple with the assassin. "By then the man was completely berserk," said Waring. "If he had broken loose he would have stabbed anyone who came within reach." Overpowered, the assassin was carried bodily from the chamber.
By now Mrs. Verwoerd was sitting behind the prime minister's bench, while the doctors gave him immediate attention, making examination and attempting to force the prime minister's heart to beat again. A member of Parliament suggested to Mrs. Verwoerd that "he would not want you to be here," so she arose, silently kissed her husband on the forehead and left. Later she was told that Dr. Verwoerd was dead. "Hoe vreeslik?" ("How dreadful!") she exclaimed.
What was Dr. Verwoerd going to say in his speech on that Tuesday afternoon? It was expected that he would take a visionary look at the future in certain major issues affecting South Africa. But, as The Sunday Times (Johannesburg) of September 11, 1966, said: "Dr. Verwoerd, in debate, never spoke from a prepared speech, and only rarely from a few jotted notes. Nor was he given to communicating his visionary ideas to his colleagues in advance. Unless he had discussed his ideas in some detail with other Cabinet Ministers, South Africa will never know what his plans were for this turning point in the Nationalist Government's history."
The day of the funeral, Saturday, September 10, was declared an official day of mourning in South Africa. The funeral was held in the country's capital, Pretoria, the service being conducted in the amphitheater in front of the Union Buildings, the principal center of the country's government. The moderator of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) in the Cape Province, J. S. Gericke, gave the funeral oration, and among other things said: "We lost the man, but thank God, we have retained the message of his life. And if we understand the signs of the times correctly, then we will have great need of this message in the years ahead."
Whatever cleric Gericke had in mind when he uttered those words, South Africans, as well as thinking people throughout the world, do well to consider this sobering thought: The very act of violence in the assassination of Dr. Verwoerd was in itself symptomatic of the "signs of the times," for throughout the earth we see violence and lawlessness on the increase.
most complacent and cause them to sense again the icy finger of fear at their hearts, fear of a world that seems to be getting more and more out of control. It is that kind of violence that appears suddenly, almost inexplicably. Not the product of conspiracy by a group, but the violence of a single man who, out of obscurity, strikes down some public figure, or, even more illogically, innocent passersby unknown to and unconnected with their slayer.
With violence so common a thing, many have become inured to it. Yet there is one aspect of violence that has increased in recent years that is enough to shock the
Certainly violence is a sign of the times of this generation, and it is not accidental. The Holy Bible makes it clear that "in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here," the prophecy then going on to describe a complete moral breakdown, men becoming "without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong." More and more news reports tell of persons without self-control, of persons going berserk, taking a knife or gun and killing people who come within their sight. Terrifying was the ferocity that drove a twenty-five-year-old student at the University of Texas, on a warm August morning this year in Austin, Texas, to shoot to death fourteen persons and wound thirty others as they, for the most part, went about their daily tasks.—2 Tim. 3:1-5.
In answer to the question, "What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?" Jesus Christ spoke of a time of great distress for mankind, a time marked by world wars, food shortages, earthquakes and the "increasing of lawlessness." These conditions add to the "fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth" that was foretold to pervade the hearts of men in the "last days" of this system of things. But those who recognize the sign of the times, know that "deliverance is getting near"—a deliverance from violence and lawlessness by means of God's kingdom.—Matt. 24:3-12; Luke 21:25-28.
LIEF FROM Suffering and Death
THERE can be no question that remarkable advances have been made in the field of medicine, providing cause for opti-
Will relief be realized by the efforts of medical science? Or is there a
mism. The world-
famous medical scientist Hans Selye was even moved to say: "Medical researchers have learned how to pull the sting of death from one disease after another. . . If the causes of aging can be found, there is no good medical reason to believe that it will not be possible for science to find some practical way of slowing the process down or even bringing it to a standstill."
Yet, despite all that medical science has been able to do, the fact remains: Suffering and death are still among the com-
more certain assurance of relief?
Antiquities of the Jesus, Book 18, chapter 3, section 3, he said: "Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. . . . And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day [about 93 C.E.]."
monest of human experiences. Every day more people die than ever before—an average of more than 160,000 persons world wide, or about two deaths every second. Even though modern medicine has temporarily benefited some, millions of victims suffer indescribably for weeks, months or years before dying.
Is it possible for mankind to realize complete relief from suffering and death? Since humans are obviously incapable of bringing it about, is there anyone that can? Happily, there is! The authenticated.
John Mark, another first-century historian, highlighted the grand relief Jesus Christ brought suffering mankind. Following Jesus' remarkable cure of Simon Peter's mother-in-law, Mark, in his account, said: "When the sun had set, the people began bringing [Jesus] all those who were ill and those demon-possessed; and the whole city was gathered right at the door. So he cured many that were ill with various sicknesses." These many works of healing occurred in Capernaum at the home of Simon Peter and his brother An-
reports of history describe the earthly activities of one who not only demonstrated the power to provide this relief, but promised that it would be realized by all obedient mankind.
The Doer of Wonderful Works
The first-century historian Flavius Josephus wrote regarding this one. In his NOVEMBER 8,1966
drew, who had apparently moved there from nearby Bethsaida.—Mark 1:21-34; John 1:44.
After Jesus was driven by religious persecutors from his hometown of Nazareth, he, too, moved to Capernaum, a city located on the north coast of the Sea of Galilee. Perhaps, while living in Capernaum, he stayed at the home of the apostles Peter and Andrew, (Luke 4:16-40) If so, when John Mark continues his narrative and says, "After some days he again entered into Capernaum and he was reported to be at home," Jesus was at the house of these two apostles.—Mark 2:1.
When people heard that Jesus had again returned to Capernaum they flocked to the home to hear his comforting words. Pharisees and other religious teachers from all over Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem also came. The crowd was so great that they jammed the doorway and spilled over into the area outside the house. It was these circumstances that set the stage for a truly remarkable scene. What occurred on this occasion is of vital importance, for it helps us to appreciate how it is that Jesus had the power to relieve suffering, and even resurrect the dead.—Matt. 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26.
The Paralytic Brought to Jesus
Mark's narrative continues: "Consequently many gathered, so much so that there was no more room, not even about the door, and he began to speak the word to them. And men came bringing him a paralytic carried by four." But how disappointing! They were not even able to get close to Jesus. Yet, the men were not to be thwarted. They climbed up on top of the house, and "removed the roof over where he was, and having dug an opening they lowered the cot on which the paralytic was lying." What a remarkable thing! —Mark 2:24.
Palestinian houses of the first century were somewhat different in structure from houses built in many other places today. So it is very interesting to read the account of this incident by the well-known Jewish historian Alfred Edersheim. He wrote in his work, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Book 3, chapter 16:
"It would have been comparatively easy
to 'unroof' the covering of 'tiles,' and then, 'having dug out' an opening through the lighter framework which supported the tiles, to let down their burden 'into the midst before Jesus.' All this, as done by four strong men, would be but the work of a few minutes. But we can imagine the arresting of the discourse of Jesus, and the breathless surprise of the crowd as this opening through the tiles appeared, and slowly a pallet [small bed] was let down before them. Busy hands would help to steady it, and bring it safe to the ground. And on that pallet lay one paralysed—his fevered face and glistening eyes upturned to Jesus. It must have been a marvellous sight."
What did Jesus do? Was he angry because of the interruption? Not at all! Instead, he was deeply impressed by their faith, and said to the paralytic: "Child, your sins are forgiven." (Mark 2:5) Imagine! He said the man's sins were forgiven! Could Jesus actually forgive sins?
Relief from Sin Through Christ
The religious leaders present did not think so. They were shocked by Jesus' words, "reasoning in their hearts: Why is this man talking in this manner? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins except one, God?" Jesus knew exactly what they were thinking, and so used the occasion to impress upon those present the authority with which he had been empowered by God.—Mark 2:6, 7.
He said to the religious leaders: "Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Get up and pick up your cot and walk?" But in order for you men to know that the Son of man has authority to forgive sins upon the earth,'—he said to the paralytic: "I say to you, Get up, pick up your cot, and go to your home.' At that he did get up, and immediately picked up his cot and walked out in front of them all, so that they were all simply carried away, and they glorified God, saying: 'We never saw the like of it.'"—Mark 2:8-12.
The cure was clearly miraculous. It was by divine power. Immediately the suffering caused by the dreadful disease was gone. Later, Jesus performed an even more remarkable cure. The daughter of Jairus, the presiding officer of the synagogue there in Capernaum, came to be in an extreme condition and died. Yet Jesus responded to the requests for help and traveled to the man's house. Mark reports what then occurred:
"[Jesus] took along the young child's father and mother and those with him, and he went in where the young child was. And, taking the hand of the young child, he said to her: 'Talitha cu'mi', which, translated, means: 'Maiden, I say to you, Get up! And immediately the maiden rose and began walking, for she was twelve years old. And at once they were beside themselves with great ecstasy."—Mark 5: 35-43.
Jesus thus demonstrated the power to reverse the deteriorating and death-dealing effects of sin! Actually, it is because of the sin inherited due to the first man's disobedience that people become sick with grievous diseases, grow old and eventually die. The Bible explains: "That is why, just as through one man [Adam] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned—For the wages sin pays is death." (Rom. 5:12; 6:23) Medical science, regardless of how advanced its knowledge and technique become, can never combat sin's effects and permanently relieve human suffering and death. Only the One with the power to cancel sin can do so.
Happily, Almighty God has made arrangements to accomplish this very thing. He sent his heavenly Son to earth to provide his perfect life as a ransom to redeem man from the terrible effects of sin. "God loved the world so much," the Bible explains, "that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life." "By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses." So, by reason of his appointment by God, Jesus has authority to forgive sins, and he proved it by miraculously removing sin's effects.—John 3:16; Eph. 1:7.
NOVEMBER 8, 1966
Suffering and Death Soon to End
True, the healings and resurrections performed by Jesus back there were only of temporary benefit, for these same people eventually got sick and died again. Nevertheless, Jesus thereby offered a preview of the miraculous conquest over suffering and death that would be realized under the reign of God's kingdom. By the application of the ransom benefits all obedient mankind will eventually be relieved permanently from the deteriorating, death-dealing effects of sin!
According to Bible prophecy, we are now living at the time for the ushering in of these grand blessings under God's kingdom. The unprecedented world distress throughout the earth was foretold in the Bible to mark the last days of this wicked system of things. (Matt. 24:3-14; Luke 21:7-32; 2 Tim. 3:1-5) So, soon now, we can be confident that mankind will realize the fulfillment of the Bible's sure promises of relief: "And God himself will be with [mankind]. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away."—Rev. 21:3, 4.
Why are they so MESSY?
WHAT would you think of a guest who, when finished with a meal in your home,
threw his napkin on your dining-room floor? Or when eating candy, threw the wrapper on your living-room rug? Or when eating fruit, spit out the pits on your lawn?
Such messy habits would indicate to you that your guest was either inconsiderate, ignorant or perhaps even hateful. In any event, you would think twice before inviting such a thoughtless person back to your home. You want to associate with people who have respect for your property.
Do you have respect for the property of others? 'Why, yes,' you may quickly respond, 'when I am a guest I never throw my napkin on someone else's dining-room floor, or discard items on his rug or lawn.' However, while this may be true when you are a guest in a private home, is it still true when you attend an event on public property? On such occasions, where do you discard the napkin that came with your hamburger or hot dog? What of the paper cup that held the coffee or other drink you had? How about that candy or gum wrapper? What do you do with all these things?
A Disgrace
In many countries today the volume of litter people leave behind in public places is a national disgrace. A recent photograph of a New York beach after a hot
summer's weekend revealed a staggering amount of litter. A headline in the New York Times of July 6 declared: "Huge Carpets of Debris Cover Beaches After Long Weekend." The article noted: "Vast quantities of garbage lay rotting on the city's beaches yesterday in the wake of the hot holiday weekend." A Parks Department supervisor,
with more than a quarter of a century of experience, said: "This is the worst I have ever seen." Several days later the Park Commissioner inspected the beach and stated: "This is unbelievable. It looks like the beginning of the Black Plague."
At sporting events, stadium floors are usually left covered with paper cups, napkins, cans, wrappers, newspapers and other litter. At times, this messiness takes on a more deliberate aspect, as during one soccer game held in New York city. A report said: "Beer cans started to fly for no apparent reason at the hundreds of spectators bunched on the sidelines. At one point, it appeared that most of the record crowd of more than 28,000 was hurling cans. Play was halted for 15 minutes as cans, foam-rubber cushions and even Panama hats rained down. The people on the field revolted and started tossing the missives back."—New York Times, August 22, 1966.
There is no getting around it, disrespect for the property of others, particularly public property, increases. Highways are found littered with refuse thrown from passing cars. Public buildings are littered with gum and candy wrappers, cigarette butts and other items. Buses, trains and subways seem always to contain something left behind by passengers, including the inevitable newspaper someone has read and discarded. These bad habits are, as noted in the Reader's Digest, "creating the most appalling mess known to civilized man."
True, it is all too easy to be swept along with a crowd that is messy, since 'everybody else is doing it.' But just because others are messy, is that any reason for you to be? Particularly is this true for one who is being educated in the high principles of the Bible. Such God-fearing persons must be considerate, neat and clean in private and public places, regardless of what others may do. They appreciate that by not being messy they uphold the high standards God sets out in his Word, particularly that which declares: "All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them." (Matt. 7:12) Do you want people to throw litter on your floor, rug or lawn? Would you want garbage to be dumped regularly on your property? Then, as the Bible states, do not do it to someone else's property, whether private or public.
Root Cause
But just why are so many people so messy? A root cause of the problem lies in the fact that over a period of time adults have set a bad example for a younger generation, which, in turn, has grown up and continued to set the same bad example for its own children. It is a vicious circle, for if a mother or father is unconcerned about littering, then their children can hardly be expected to be more considerate. And, in turn, what else can be expected of their children's children in the future?
The place to begin to correct matters is right at home, with the parents. They are the ones who should begin to learn, and then put into practice, proper standards of neatness in private and public. And what is the motive for doing so? Because it is the right thing to do, the godly thing, the neighborly thing.
However, what about parents who do try to set a good example in this matter, but whose children are still "litterbugs" because of the bad example they see in neighbors or schoolchildren with whom they associate? Here, too, the parents must bear the load of responsibility. Even though they may not be litterbugs themselves, they still have the obligation to discipline their children who may carelessly mess up private or public property. Thus, parents who themselves may not be messy are at fault if they do not take steps to correct their children who are.
Recognize Problem
Parents cannot expect their children to do automatically what is right in this regard. Why not? Because of the fundamental truth stated by the Bible at Proverbs 22:15, where it says: "Foolishness is tied up with the heart of a boy."
Yes, because of human imperfection all children are born with a tendency toward wrongdoing. That tendency will become even more pronounced if children are left without guidance where right and wrong are concerned. How can such foolishness be corrected? The same proverb adds: "The rod of discipline is what will remove it far from him."
So parents must recognize this problem, that there is an inherited trait toward wrongdoing prevalent in their children. That is why young ones need discipline, and even punishment at times, from those responsible for bringing them into the world, their parents. And this responsibility cannot be shifted to another, to a schoolteacher, to a presiding minister of a Christian congregation, or to a relative.
Begin Early
Discipline, as defined by one dictionary, is "instruction and exercise designed to train to proper conduct or action." This training, in this case for neat habits, should begin early in life.
The longer parents wait, the more difficult it will be.
What form should this training in neatness take? Several forms. First of all there is the all-important good example of the parents. When parents learn to pick up and put things where they belong, then they will have taken a giant step in teaching their children to do the same, for the right example is one of the best ways to teach.
Then comes the oral teaching. Beginning when the child is very young, the parents can explain that it is wrong to throw things about and mess up the home or yard. They can explain that littering is contrary to the principle of neighbor love, and that it is displeasing to God, their parents, and their neighbors to do what is wrong, but pleasing to do what is right. They can be taught that there is a proper place to put litter and that there, and only there, is where it belongs.
Children can be taught to do this wherever they may be, but especially so when attending meetings where the true worship of God is carried on. Never would they want their children to be responsible for throwing items on the floors of buildings or stadiums being used in such worship, for that would show disrespect for God and would cast a bad reflection on the organization of which they are part.
But can children absorb such teaching at a very tender age? Is it not likely that they will go on throwing things about? Well, are you discouraged because your child does not master speaking a language by the age of one? Why, no, you continue to teach him words and phrases, so, as time goes by, the child begins to talk. By the time the child is four or five years old he has pretty well mastered the basic use of a complicated language! Surely that same mind can, over the course of a few
more years, master the art of not being messy. If children can be taught within a few years to speak, read and write, then they can also be taught to be neat. It is all a matter of discipline, yes, training in proper conduct and action.
Certainly it takes time and patience to get over various points and ideas to children. Parents may have to mention a certain thing dozens, perhaps hundreds of times, over and over again. But after a number of months and years, the child will get the point, will begin to imitate the good example of the parents, will understand and apply the training to put things where they belong. This all takes much time and effort, true, but if it is not done, then the child probably never will learn right habits.
Part of the disciplining, or training, involves correcting. When a child fails to obey even though he understands and is capable of following directions, then parents should take corrective measures, perhaps denying something of value, or perhaps applying the rod of punishment—a spanking. By doing all these things over the years, what will take place is as Proverbs 22:6 states: "Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it."
Difference Evident
The difference between properly trained children and those who are not becomes evident at any gathering of people, in either private or public places. Those not disciplined are usually the ones who, along with their parents, will mess up their surroundings before too long. Those who are being trained properly show it, as they are usually under the control of parents who make it a point to see that their young ones are well-mannered and do not litter the ground with refuse.
Such differences in training show up in the home too. Those children who have not been trained in good habits usually mess up their rooms by throwing down clothing and other items haphazardly. And if mother does not pick up these things, the room will probably remain in a mess. On the other hand, properly trained children put things where they belong after they are through using them. They keep their rooms in reasonably good order because they know that their parents require it.
Of course, even well-trained children will have lapses in their good conduct at times, because they are still children and cannot be expected to behave like a well-disciplined adult. But a gentle reminder will usually suffice to correct the situation, though at times sterner measures may have to be taken.
Eventually, this patient and prolonged training will produce adults who will, in turn, train their children in the right way. They, as well as their parents, will stand out from those who are messy.
Benefits
So children can be taught that there is a time and a place for everything. There is a time to take toys out and play with them, and a time to put them all back; a time to take books off the shelves to read, and a time to put them back; a time to put on clothes, and a time to put them back in the closet or in the laundry bag; a time to eat, and a time to clean up the refuse.
Parents who take the time and make the effort to train their children early in life will reap great benefits. In the long run they will save themselves trouble, toll and heartaches, for as their children grow up, their neatness will become habitual, part of their life pattern. Parents will thus
discover that they will have to take less and less time disciplining their youngsters in this matter.
This will be a genuine contribution to the upkeep required in a home. It will lessen the burden of cleanup required for the parents, for now the young ones will assist in keeping the home tidy instead of mother or father having to do it all. Hence, instead of making more work for parents, children properly trained will make less work by not being messy.
No, neat parents and neat children will not convert a messy world to orderliness. It will likely go on in its messy way. Still, you will have great satisfaction in knowing you have done the right thing, that you have produced good results in your family circle and among your associates, particularly those in the Christian congregation. And when decent persons observe you and your children picking up litter and putting it where it belongs, they will be encouraged to do the same.
Really, those who insist on being messy show hatred for their fellowman. And whether they realize it or not this is actually displaying hatred for God, for the Bible states: "If anyone makes the statement: 'I love God,' and yet is hating his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot be loving God, whom he has not seen." —1 John 4:20.
So avoid being messy, regardless of what anyone else may do. Respect the property of others, whether private or public. In this way you will show respect for God, who is himself a God of order, and for your neighbor, who will appreciate your neatness. Such will be a practical application of love for God and for neighbor, which are in fact the two greatest obligations of man.—Matt. 22:37-39; 1 John 4:21.
HAVE you ever thought of making a motor trip to Mexico and Central America? Did you know that it is now possible to drive a car from the United States right through to Panama? A good time to go is during the northern winter season. Many of Jehovah's witnesses are planning to make the trip during December this year, because a series of international assemblies will be held, commencing December 3 at Mexico City, with conventions thereafter in the various Central American capitals.
Good roads connect most of the main cities of this southern section of the North American continent. But what about the language problem? Well, even if you do not speak Spanish, you will manage. Along the main routes and in the cities English is spoken by many employees of service stations, restaurants and hotels. You can add to the enjoyment of your trip, however, by arranging for someone who knows a little Spanish to join you.
So now that we have settled the two major problems, roads and language, let us give some thought to things you can now be doing in preparation for your tour.
Preliminary Preparations
First, you should obtain a passport, if you do not already have one that is valid for the period of your trip. Also, it will help to have a police certificate, showing
that you are a citizen in good standing. You are then ready to visit the nearest consular office of each country you plan to visit. In each instance you should be sure to apply for a "multiple-entry visa." This will facilitate the considerable number of border crossings that will be involved in your itinerary, if you plan to make the tour of the entire isthmus. (United States' citizens who travel only to Mexico will not need passports, but may obtain tourist cards at the border or from a Mexican Government tourist office or consulate.) At the consular offices you can also obtain information about the current rate of monetary exchange.
Another preparatory move you can make is to obtain an international certificate of vaccination. This will be supplied to you by your doctor after he is sure your vaccination has taken properly. To avoid the possibility of suffering some reaction during the trip, it is advised that you care for this matter several weeks ahead of your departure.
Then you will need to prepare your car. For a trip of this length it should be in top running condition, and should be equipped with five new or near-new tires. It may also prove to be economical to take along a few spare parts, such as an extra fan belt; also a good jack and a few tools for emergency. However, all the main routes are serviced by modern garages, and parts for the popular makes of cars can be obtained.
Start well in advance to make other preparations also. For example, you might begin drawing up a list of things you could take with you to add to the happiness and convenience of your party: soap, washcloths and towels, flashlight, toilet tissue, a few cans of food or fruit juices, even a small icebox if you have room. A small supply of your regular engine oil and perhaps a two-gallon container of regular gas for emergency could be included. A water container is always welcome. It can be used for drinking water or even to replenish your auto's radiator, should the need arise.
Entering Mexico
The approach to Mexico for main routes heading south will probably be by any one of five major entry points strung along the border: Nogales, El Paso, Eagle Pass, Laredo and Brownsville. To avoid unnecessary charges, try to plan your arrival at the border during normal office hours, usually 8 a.m. to noon and from 2 to 5 p.m. A small fee is charged at other times.
There are three matters that must have attention here at the border: (1) the immigration inspector will check your passport, visa or other credentials. If he is satisfied, a thirty-day tourist card will be issued free to each member of the party fifteen years of age or older; (2) the customs officer will make out a form covering particulars of your car, from information appearing on your ownership certificate. He will want to know where and approximately when you plan to leave the country, so it would be well to have a rough itinerary sketched out in advance, showing the tentative dates and border points. He will give you a slip of paper bearing your car license number and the official stamp; and (3) the police officer
will copy down information from your car ownership certificate and driver's license. He will inquire where you are from and where you are going. He may also make a casual inspection of your luggage.
When you have gone through these three brief steps you are free to get started southward, but not before handing the little slip of paper to the guard who is stationed nearby to receive it. Now that you are in Mexico, what comes next? Many persons feel that it is wise to take out a Mexican insurance policy on their car (and trailer), covering property damage and public liability. This additional insurance protects them against seizure of their car or being taken into custody in event of an accident.
Then there is the matter of money. For safety you will doubtless bring your funds in the form of traveler's checks. Now at the border you will want to exchange some of it for Mexican currency. If you are not satisfied with the rate offered by exchange brokers usually in evidence at the border point, you can always go to a bank or other reputable money dealer.
As you enter each country it would also be advisable to find out from the police what is the law relative to traffic checkpoints. There are places here and there on the main routes where vehicular traffic has to stop and undergo inspection by a traffic official. In some countries, such as Mexico, only trucks are required to stop, while in others all vehicles must stop.
Highway Travel
At last we are on the open road! It may not always be a superhighway, but, for the most part, it is far better than dusty gravel roads. Of course, by now you have picked up a road map, preferably one that shows English and Spanish explanations of the traffic signs. Note especially that there are two signs, both the easily recognizable octagonal shape, that mean STOP.
Also, remember that in Mexico distances are measured in kilometers, so that those little posts along the main route bearing a K prefixing a number are really to let you know how many kilometers you are from Mexico City. Also, when the speed zone sign shows 80, this means 80 k.p.h. or 48 m.p.h.
If you have a trailer hitched to your car you have probably elected to follow a route with comparatively level highways. So, if you did not take the road via El Paso, you very likely chose the one passing through Saltillo.
In Mexico, gasoline sells by the liter (Spanish: litro). It takes 3.8 liters to equal one U.S. gallon. Most service stations along the main routes are likely to have two grades of gas, and the better grade is recommended for most cars. However, in Central America, where gas is sold by the U.S. gallon, there is usually only one grade available, and it corresponds to what is called "regular" gasoline. Consequently, you may wish to adjust your engine for the lower octane gas before you start your trip. Few of the service stations will honor credit cards, so it would be well to plan to pay cash.
As you drive through towns on your tour there may be danger of losing track of the right highway. However, if you have in mind the next major town on your route, you can watch for signs pointing to it. In a pinch you can also just say the name of that next town to someone in a questioning tone and he will doubtless catch on and point the way that you should go. Then watch for those kilometer posts that tell you what progress you are making toward Mexico City.
When you get to Remedios, Panama, you will have to drive over some forty miles of narrow, tortuous road with many one-way bridges. This is a section where
the Inter-American Highway is still under construction. Courtesy and caution should be your guide in negotiating this difficult though scenic part of the route. Speed here will never be more than 25 m.p.h., but the slower pace will allow you to get some fine views of the Pacific Ocean.
Sleeping and Eating
Before leaving home you probably obtained information from some auto club or oil company showing the best routes and offering suggestions as to good quality eating and lodging places. In all the larger towns there are fine hotels and motels that offer reasonable rates. There are also pensiones, where you can get a room with one or more folding beds, and which cost as little as 1 or1.50 per person per night. It is not advisable to leave your car parked all night on a city street. Rather, use a garage or motel parking facilities. And even when you have to park briefly anywhere, do not leave cameras, luggage or other valuables visible on the car seats.
Should you wish to vary your program by having picnic lunches in the car instead of patronizing a restaurant, you will find that fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful and inexpensive—but, a word of caution here! Always peel fruit before eating it and make it a rule to avoid eating lettuce and salads. Why? Because intestinal parasites abound on fresh vegetables, and if you get them you will not enjoy your trip. So never be careless about what you eat!
For a change you may wish to buy some tortillas and cheese or even some homebaked beans. In the larger centers you will be able to get pasteurized milk, and almost everywhere soft drinks. Bottled pure water is also to be had in the larger towns. In view of the danger of dysentery or typhoid you should be most careful about the water you drink in those southern countries.
If you cannot be sure that it has been purified, do not drink it. If you wish, you can carry along some chlorine tablets to doctor up the water yourself.
And while we are on the subject of water, we should remind you not to be surprised at some of the bathing facilities you are likely to encounter. In good hotels there will be the luxury of hot water, but in many places the cold shower is the
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only provision. At times there is not even running water. Then you may have to bathe from a pila, which is a large cement receptacle for bath water. All you do is dip some water to splash all over yourself, then soap up, and then dip some more water to rinse off.
Some Travel Tips
If you make this trip in December, the rainy season in Central America will have passed, and the weather should be delightful. In the daytime it will be quite warm, so you should be dressed for tropical climate. However, in the early mornings and in the evenings it can be quite chilly. Because of its altitude of over 7,000 feet above sea level, Mexico City is cool in December. To meet this situation you can bring along a sweater or a warmer wrap. Though it will be quite all right to wear shorts while traveling, keep in mind that in most Latin-American countries it is not considered good taste to wear them in public.
Though you may be accustomed to travel during the cool of the evening, it is not recommended that you travel after dark in lands south of the border. There are a number of good reasons. Burros, cattle, horses, even people on the highway after dark are not easily distinguishable. There
night your speed must necessarily be reduced below 40 m.p.h. And, to get some choice of overnight accommodation you should plar on finishing you
driving for the day around four or five in the afternoon.
The scenery you will enjoy along the way is often breathtaking. Lovely lakes, rugged mountain terrain, waving palms and gorgeous sunsets are but a few of the multitude of memories you may want to record with your camera. Quaint villages and primitive settings here and there will certainly bring you delight. As you have opportunity, you may plan a few side trips in Mexico and Guatemala, to view the mysterious ruins of ancient American cultures that date back some two thousand years. Lofty pyramid temples, strange and grotesque images, and other cultural remains unite to give evidence that Babylon's religion was entrenched here long before the arrival of Columbus or Cortés.
Many of the cities have interesting points to visit, such as the National Museum. And perhaps in Guatemala City, Belize, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa, Managua, San José or Panama City you may enjoy the added pleasure of attending a gathering of Jehovah's witnesses, where informative speeches will be presented in Spanish and English. Even if you cannot respond in Spanish, you will be delighted by the friendship that will be extended to you. Whenever you can go, Mexico and Central America will welcome you.
BY "AWAKE!" CORRESPONDENT IN ARGENTINA
GUAZU, in the language of the Guarani Indians, means "great water." How fitting this name is can be verified by a visit to Iguazu Falls in Argentina's province of Misiones, that province that juts northward and forms a sort of blunt wedge between Paraguay and Brazil.
It is said that when the Spanish conquistadores visited this area their attention was drawn by the loud roar and by the mist that hangs high over the region. Imagine the breathtaking surprise that awaited them! Words failed to describe adequately what they beheld.
Visitors today are directed across a bridge and then the amazing view opens before them. From a lengthy ridge, like a huge curved curtain rod, the waters of the Iguazu River plunge downward, for all the world like wisps of white curtain, separated here and there by patches of brilliant greenery. Individual falls seem to drop the two hundred feet in one plunge. Others drop to a ledge about halfway down and then plunge again. At other places the fall of water takes the form of steep cataracts, such as Dos Hermanas (Two Sisters).
As one visits the principal falls, each in turn, he is impressed by the background green of the ever-damp forest, with its hundreds of varieties of trees. Colorful flowers and festooning creepers add their decoration. Swallows dart to and fro through the mist cloud, while brilliantly hued parrots and toucans, tiny hummingbirds and long-billed kingfishers add life to the panorama.
high into the sky and combine with the sunshine to form a beautiful rainbow that is almost continuously visible during the daylight hours.
Outstanding is the view down into the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), which, like a bottomless pit, swallows the never-ending torrent that pours over this wide precipice. From its vast caldron the spray and vapor rise
Some hardy souls try the approach to this boiling and noisy abyss, the Garganta, by boat from below. It provides quite a sensation as the frail-looking boat nears and then teeters on the edge of the maelstrom. The force of the waters, as they rush outward and downriver, really prevents the boat's getting too near, and it is well that this
is so, for it would soon be swamped. It is reported that the few who undertook to swim in these waters did not survive to tell the tale.
On the way to the Garganta one can rest momentarily on a little island situated between the Argentine and Brazilian sections of the falls. Here the thunder of the waters and the nearby singing of birds blend in an amazing orchestration. Across the way can be seen a towering wall of rock. That is Brazil. And, as the waters unite below in the Iguaçu River, one can note its rapids hurrying on toward the junction with the Paraná River, where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina meet.
In order to get a complete view of the magnificence of the Iguazu Falls, one has to take to the air, or take up various positions of vantage on both sides of this international river line.
For those who cannot come and see this tremendous scene firsthand, a comparison with the famous Niagara Falls may help. The average drop of the Iguazu Falls is one-half greater than that at Niagara, and the rim of the precipice here over which the waters hurtle is almost double the length of that which links the United States and Canada at Niagara.
The National Park, which forms the setting for this stupendous display, is visited each year by thousands of tourists. Mainly they come to see the "great waters." Though not the highest waterfalls in the world, the Iguazu Falls rank sixth as regards displacement of water—61,660 cubic feet per second. Though Iguazu Falls lack the strength of Niagara's solid sheets of water, their attractions are enhanced by a colorful tropical setting. The waters crashing from the 10,000-foot-long rim afford an unforgettable panorama of variety and effect.
CHRISTENDOM'S CRIMINAL CRUSADES
"TAKE up your arms, valiant sons, and go. Better fall in battle than live to see the sorrow of your people and the desecration of your holy places." With these words the speaker wound up his fanatical harangue and the multitudes who heard roared out with one voice: "God wills it! God wills it!"
The time was the year 1095 of our Common Era, and the place Clermont, in what we now call France. The speaker was Urban, one of the rival popes of that time when opposing pontifex led armed forces in battle against one another and scrupled not to resort to foul and monstrous policies and deeds to attain their ends. It is evident, too, that Urban did not agree with the One whose vicegerent he claimed to be, for had not Christ declared unequivocally to Peter: "Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword"?—Matt. 26:52.
That call to arms was no impulse of the moment. No, it had been well planned, and that assembly at Clermont had been convoked by letters to church dignitaries throughout Europe. Urban had given ample thought to just how he would appeal to every base passion of the crowd in order to achieve his purpose. Among other things, he declared: "You will despoil the enemy of greater treasures. Do not fear death, where Christ laid down his life for you. If any should lose their lives, by sea or land, or in strife with the pagans, their sins will be required them. I grant this to
all who go, by the power vested in me by God."
Monks and knights, bishops and peasants, most of those in that great throng well knew that they had failed to live up to the requirements of Christ; and in the view of the Church of Rome many of them did not even have enough years of life left to expiate their crimes. Many, too, thirsted for adventure and release from the restrictions of a feudal system that confined them to the small world of their liege lord.
Urban's Purpose
And what was Urban's purpose? The ostensible purpose was to combine the manpower of Christendom, move upon Jerusalem in a "holy" war and wrest it from the worshipers of Allah. But of what value would possession of Jerusalem be to a pope who was by no means secure in his pontificate, a pope whose rival was entrenched in most of the States of the Church?
Short of open war, with the papal throne as the prize, Urban needed a great show of strength to overawe his rival. There was need, too, to reduce the influence of kings and princes so they would no longer presume to nominate and invest rival occupants of the so-called throne of Peter. Also, the power of the clergy had to be built up so as to achieve for the Church the coveted temporal and spiritual supremacy over all kingdoms and empires.
Urban also knew that Latin Catholicism could not triumph until the power of the Greek Orthodox Byzantine empire had been broken and the menace of Islam dispelled.
Both he and his predecessors had received appeals from Constantinople for aid against the invading hosts of the Seljuk Turks, who had already occupied many provinces of the Eastern Empire. How timely it would be to grant such aid, become the powerful patron of the Greek Empire, and then restore the bishoprics of the East to allegiance to Rome!
How It Worked Out
Urban's strategy certainly had its effect. Serfs and princes, warriors and criminals, flocked to the army of the cross, so named because each one who vowed to share in the armed pilgrimage had to fasten a red cross on his outer garment. Multitudes left fields and industry, sold whatever they owned in order to arm and furnish themselves with funds for the voyage. And here is where the Church made some solid gains. As the crusade fever rose, the value of lands and goods dropped, and it was then easy for the agents of the Church to obtain them at a bargain. Not a few of the crusaders were induced to bequeath their possessions to the Church.
By the spring of 1096 several hosts of the crossed pilgrims were already on their way eastward, impatient at the time taken by princes and knights to arm and equip themselves. Undisciplined hordes they were, totaling some 275,000, and made up of the very dregs of Europe's population. Wild, indeed, were the ideas entertained by this rabble. To them Palestine was still a land flowing with milk and honey, and Jerusalem the glorious city so vividly portrayed by the Apocalypse of John the apostle. As various towns of Europe were approached, the question was not uncommon, "Is this Jerusalem?"
But soon money and supplies were gone, yet onward they must march through other Catholic lands. Their vast numbers came to be feared and hated by fellow Catholics. Towns were pillaged and cattle and crops forcibly appropriated. In some European cities the "pious" pilgrims robbed and massacred the Jews, slaying men, women and children indiscriminately. Had not the Church taught that these were God-killers? Many Jews who sought and paid for protection by local Church authorities were nevertheless yielded over to the hands of the rapacious and blood-thirsty mob.
As the motley hordes moved on through Hungary, fear and hatred moved the local populations to wage open warfare upon them. Thousands of the pilgrims perished, others turned home completely disillusioned, and only a few reached Constantinople. Even these, when tempted by that city's opulence to resume looting, were quickly persuaded to be on their way into Asia Minor, where all but a few hundred were slain or captured by the Turks.
Some months later the knights and princes of Europe with their retainers and armies followed upon the heels of the peasant host. They, too, had to fight their way through Catholic Hungary. At the news of their approach the Eastern emperor, Alexius, was filled with foreboding. How was he to deal with the armed forces of Europe, several armies, a total of some 600,000? He cunningly maneuvered matters so that no two of the crusader armies were before the walls of Constantinople at one time. Also, he demanded of each army commander an oath whereby all territorial gains made in the war with the Turks they would hold as his vassals or else turn over to him directly.
As they finally headed south from the imperial capital the troubles and disasters of the crusaders multiplied.
There were suspicions of Greek treachery. Leaders quarreled over spoils and points of honor. Cities were besieged and taken only at great cost. Expenditure of human life was colossal. Famine and pestilence claimed their thousands. In fact, when Jerusalem was reached and placed under siege, the mighty host had shrunk from 600,000 to only 40,000. Of course, desertions also accounted for many, among the deserters the fanatical Peter of Amiens, the monk who had persuaded so many to engage in Urban's "voyage of God."
Jerusalem was taken by assault, and the so-called Christian pilgrims indulged in a veritable bloodbath as they slaughtered Mohammedans and Jews without regard to sex and age. Many Jews who sought sanctuary in their synagogue perished when the torch was set to it. Then, with bloodied hands uplifted in hypocritical prayer to the God of love and of peace, they gave thanks to Him who had nothing to do with their wretched successes. This was in 1099. And the pope who had urged them on in this murderous campaign did not live to enjoy the fruitage of his scheme, for he died that same year. He had, however, overawed and driven out his rival.
Other Crusades
The immediate effect of that first costly crusade was the formation of several so-called Christian principalities in the Near East, one centering on Edessa, one with Antioch as capital, and one in Palestine proper. In course of time these degenerated; the Turks took advantage of the situation and inflicted defeats upon the northern principalities, thus placing the kingdom of Jerusalem in grave peril.
A second crusade was preached by a Roman Catholic monk, and the forces of France and the German empire took the
lead. Disaster overtook their armies in a fruitless attempt at capturing Damascus. Again treachery of the Greek emperor was suspected. Only a small remnant of the European host ever regained their homes.
When the sultan Saladin united in his own person the rulerships of Egypt and Syria, his armies overran Palestine and recaptured Jerusalem in 1187. In great contrast to the behavior of the Church's armies of the previous century, Saladin granted magnanimous terms to the capitulating forces, showing special consideration for women and children.
A third crusade was preached by the bishop of Tyre, and France, England and Germany joined forces, their monarchs themselves taking the lead. However, the German emperor, Frederick, drowned while crossing a river on the route. Philip of France, having quarreled with Richard of England, decided to return to Europe, though leaving his army under the leadership of the English king. A heavy defeat was thereafter inflicted upon Saladin's forces at Ascalon, a treaty was signed granting protection and right of passage to European pilgrims, and then the crusaders set out for home without having reached the city of their pilgrimage.
Pope Innocent III was the instigator of at least three more crusades in the early half of the thirteenth century. The first was undertaken in furtherance of the Roman Catholic policy of stimulating piety and fostering opposition to Islam. And, by a strange turn of events, the forces of the crusade were at the last minute turned upon the Greek empire, and Constantinople was taken and pillaged amidst the worst of excesses. The armed pilgrims welcomed the opportunity to wreak vengeance for suspected Greek treachery of the past, while the pope was happy to bring the Greek Orthodox Church under Roman domination.
The next revolting and ghastly crusade that must be placed to Innocent's account began in the year 1209. An army of extermination, its members wearing the sign of the cross, was unlicased upon the fair provinces of southern France, peopled by an industrious population, many of whom dared to believe and teach that Rome's superstitions were in opposition to the Scriptures. The whole area with its towns and villages was laid waste. Albigenses and even Catholics who failed to march with the fanatical crusaders were slain without quarter. Barbarous tortures were frequently applied before the merciful deathblow was administered.
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