Awake!, May 8, 1967
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Do you really believe that our times are urgent? The constant increase in crime, the uncontrolled student riots, the increasing racial violence, the unceasing revolutionary changes in national governments, the persistent threat of world war-do you believe that these are unprecedented dangers, peculiar to our times? Do you believe that selfishness is on the increase, that morality is on the decrease, that lack of self-control is growing, that love of goodness is gradually fading out? Just get out your Bible and turn to 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Read it. That is how urgent the Bible says our times are. Protect yourself and your family. Read
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Why Fear the "Evil Eye"?
PAGE 5
Hungry India
PAGE 9
Your Personal Appearance Makes a Difference PAGE 12
"Good News of Something Better" for Jamaica
PAGE 16
MAY 8,1967
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 interest. "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 scares of nations. Its articles are read in many lands, in many languages, by millions of persons.
In every issue "Awakel" 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. "Awakel" 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
Being Impartial Is Wise as Well as Just 3
Why Fear the "Evil Eye"? 5
Hungry India 9
Your Personal Appearance
Makes a Difference 12
Man's Amazing Muscles 15
"Good News of Something Better"
for Jamaica 16
Enjoying Freedom of Worship
in the Dominican Republic 18
Puerto Rico-Promoting God's Praise
in the Islands 21
Could You 'Follow Him'
as a Missionary? 25
"Your Word Is Truth"
What the Ecumenical Movement
Means to You 27
Watching the World 28
BEING IMPARTIAL is wise
GREAT is the harm being done by those who seek to destroy the influence of the Bible as
as well as just
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the Word of God. In doing so they have caused many persons to lose faith in the Bible as well as respect for Bible principles, which are not only just but also wise, making for good relations between man and man and between God and man.
For example, there is the matter of being impartial. According to the dictionary, impartial means "not favoring one more than another; treating all alike; not partial"; that is, "not biased or prejudiced in favor of one person, group or side, and so forth." To be impartial is to be fair, just.
Throughout the Bible this guiding principle of impartiality is stressed. Why? Because of the human tendency to show favoritism or partiality. Therefore, time and again the Bible points out that God is impartial: "Jehovah . . . is the God of gods . . ., who treats none with partiality." With Jehovah our God there is no unrighteousness or partiality." "God is not partial." "There is no partiality with God." Yes, he "judges impartially."—Deut. 10: 17; 2 Chron. 19:7; Acts 10:34; Rom. 2: 11; 1 Pet. 1:17.
And consistently, Jehovah God urges partiality upon his human creatures.
Thus he commanded by his prophet Moses: "You people . . . must not treat the lowly with partiality, and you must not prefer the person of a great one." "You must not be partial in judgment. You should hear the little one the same as the great one." Yes, all were to receive justice. How different from the way laws often are applied today!—Lev. 19:15; Deut. 1:17.
In the same vein the disciple James counsels Christians: "My brothers, you are not holding the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, our glory, with acts of favoritism, are you? Yet you look with favor upon the one wearing the splendid clothing and say: 'You take this seat here in a fine place,' and you say to the poor one: 'You keep standing,' or: 'Take that seat there under my footstool,' you have class distinctions among yourselves . . . But if you continue showing favoritism, you are working a sin."—Jas, 2:1, 3, 4, 9.
One might be tempted not to be impartial but to show favoritism to another because of that one's having the same skin color, or being of the same nationality or even because of being of the same sex.
Included also is blood relationship. It is very easy to show favoritism to one's relatives at the expense of others. This kind of favoritism or partiality is termed nepotism, and concerning it The Century Dictionary states: "Favoritism shown to nephews and other relatives; patronage bestowed in consideration of family relationship and not of merit. The word was invented to characterize the propensity of the popes and other high ecclesiastics in the Roman Catholic Church to aggrandize their families by exorbitant grants or favors to nephews or relatives."
Because of human weakness and inherited imperfection we all must ever be on guard against yielding to the temptation to show favoritism or partiality because of a biased viewpoint. In fact, it is well to 'lean over backwards,' as the saying goes, to make certain that one is not yielding to this tendency, for it is so easy to do so unwittingly. One should, therefore, continually remind himself that it is wrong, unjust. Helping to guard against unjust partiality is empathy. Putting ourselves in the place of others will help us to deal with them impartially. How would we feel if we were being denied that which is our just due simply because we were of a different skin color, a different nationality or of another blood relationship?
Helping us to be impartial is the "golden rule" that Jesus gave: "Just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them." (Luke 6:31) There is no gainsaying the justice of that rule. But there is also another good reason for our striving to be impartial and that is that being impartial is the course of wisdom. When we show favoritism to another, ignoring justice and merit, we are working against that one's best interests. How so? In that by giving him more than is his just due we are encouraging selfishness.
But, chiefly, failure to be impartial can result in building up resentment in others, for one of the hardest things for the human heart to endure is the feeling of being unjustly treated. All who have positions of oversight, such as schoolteachers, managers and foremen, and overseers of Christian congregations, therefore, need to exercise care lest they permit personal considerations and preferences to influence their treatment of those over whom they are placed. All such will do well to reflect on the importance of a fine spirit of cooperation in getting things accomplished, which spirit is not likely to prevail unless they preside over others in an impartial manner.
In particular must parents who have a number of children exercise care to treat all their children impartially, not treating any unfairly as a result of favoring one. Failure to do so can result in harm.
Of course, this does not mean that an overseer or a parent may not have more affection for one than for another. The apostle John describes himself as the one for whom Jesus had special affection. But there was no injustice in this; the others were not sligged or treated unfairly as a result of this bond of special affection. That Jesus was above showing unkind partiality can be seen from the fact that, while John was the one for whom he had a special fondness, he gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter, even though Peter doubtless time and again tried Jesus because of his impulsiveness.—John 13:6-10, 23.
Yes, being impartial, avoiding the showing of favoritism because of bias, is not only just but also wise. It avoids corrupting some, even as it precludes nurturing resentment in others. Not without good reason does the Bible counsel us to imitate God in being impartial.—Matt. 5:44-48.
A FRENCH woman in the hamlet of Saint-Fraimbauld drowned herself in December of 1964 because she firmly believed that she had been looked at by a person with an "evil eye," and a farmer hanged himself in the same locality for the same reason. In
the United States, during the 1950's, dissatisfied workers
in a factory were forced by gangsters to stay at their jobs out of fear of a man thought to have an "evil eye." In 1934 the London Daily Express reported that a man in England was slowly wasting away because of the spell of an "evil eye." Doctors were unable to diagnose the cause of his illness or effect a cure. These and many other reported incidents involving the "evil eye" reveal that the fear of it that plagued the ancients is still present in this twentieth century.
century witch caused the person escorting her to jail to foam at the mouth and to jump up and down by casting an "evil eye" on him.
While the use of the "evil eye," called "overlooking" and also "fascination," is usually with malicious intent, it is believed that many persons have the power of the "evil eye" without being aware of it and others "fascinate" things involuntarily. In his book The Evil Eye, Frederick Fluyver states: "I have also been fully
Central American Indians believe that a person with an "evil eye" can cause illness by admiring a child or by looking at it fixedly. In Mexico it is called mal ojo and is believed there to cause no end of suffering and unpleasant happenings. In Italy it is called matocchio, and the one who is thought to have an "evil eye" there is called a jettatore. Many stories are told about the terrible things that happen after he has "overlooked" someone. As a result, fear of a jettatore is common among Italians.
Lovingly states. It has also been fully believed, both in ancient and modern times, that many persons by the glance of their eyes have caused injurious effects, without their consent and even against their will, so that in some cases mothers would not venture to expose their infants to the look of their own fathers." There is the story of a farmer in England whose "evil eye" is said to have involuntarily caused the death of his own cattle.
Pope Pius IX had the reputation of being a jettiatore because misfortune seemed to accompany him wherever he went and
It is believed that an "evil eye" can cause bodily injury, illness, poverty, loss of affections, loss of property and even death. In an African town there was a man the name of Elzanan who was reported to have killed eighty persons in the space two years by means of the "evil eye." Another report claims that a seventeenth-
came upon whatever he blessed. When he went to a place to hold a great festival, the floor collapsed. When he visited the column to the Madonna in the Piazza di Spagna and blessed it as well as the workmen there, a workman fell from the scaffold that very day and was killed. When he arranged to meet the king of Naples at
Porto d'Anzio, a violent storm came up that lasted for a week.
His successor, Pope Leo XIII, was also regarded as having an "evil eye" because of the large number of cardinals that died during his pontificate.
Children are regarded as being especially susceptible to the "evil eye," and so it is customary to make a certain statement to counter the malign effects of the "evil eye" when praise or admiration is given a child or when a compliment is given a person. The statement, of course, varies with nationalities. In Italy, it is: "No evil eye take effect." The pagan Romans said: "Fend evil, I should say." When admiration was given a baby in nineteenth-century Russia, the precautionary statement, "God save the mark," was made.
An Ancient Fear
Fear of the "evil eye" permeates the history of just about every nation. Elworthy states: "The belief that there is power of evil working which is ejaculated upon any object it beholds, has existed in all times and in all countries. . . . The enlightened call it superstition; but it holds its sway over the people of many countries, savage as well as civilised, and must be set down as one of the hereditary and instinctive convictions of mankind."
Evidence of it appears on the earliest monuments found in Babylonia. The Babylonians believed that sorcerers and witches were masters of it and could, by means of it, bring misfortune to whomever they "overlooked." Under its influence they thought nothing could prosper, that the rain would not fall, the grass would not grow, the domestic animals would cease bearing offspring and a woman would become barren.
In ancient Rome special laws were enacted against injury to crops from "overlooking," and in Egypt an amulet called the "Eye of Osiris" was used as a protection against it. The mystic eye was worn by the living and the dead as an amulet and appeared painted on walls. The Etruscans, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans also wore carved eyes on necklaces as well as on gems.
In Mexico today, the ojo de venado, or eye of the deer, is worn as a protective charm against the "evil eye." The charm is made from a tree seed, such as a large acorn, and is painted to represent the eye of a deer. It is sold throughout Mexico in markets and by street vendors.
In India the custom is to put lamp black on one's eyelids in the belief that this will protect a person from the "evil eye" as well as make his eyes incapable of involuntarily casting it. Some Hindu peasants also have had the custom of protecting their crops from it by setting out a black pot painted with a white cross or with the mystical swastika.
Phallic Amulets and Gestures
In all ages phallic amulets have been regarded as a powerful protection against the "evil eye." They were worn on one's person or suspended in the home. In fact, phalli were carved on the exterior of buildings for protection, as can be seen in the ruins of Pompeii. Because the ancient sex worshipers regarded the phallus, the male organ, as the symbol of life, they believed that replicas of it could protect a person and his home from "fascination" by a person with an "evil eye."
Up to the nineteenth century many women and children in Naples wore amulets to protect themselves from the "evil eye," and they were exactly like the phallic amulets worn by their pagan ancestors. One of the amulets that is still in use is the phallic hand—a clenched fist with the thumb pointing downward while thrust between the middle and index finger. Italans call it "mano in fico."
An idol with this phallic hand fastened to a phallus was found in the first-century ruins of Herculaneum, near Naples. A gesture with the hand in this position or with the middle finger extended from a closed fist, being representative of the phallus, has been regarded as being protective against the evil eye." So also is the gesture called mano cornuta," in which the index and little fingers are extended from a closed fist in imitation of horns.
Wearing an amulet shaped like a loathsome creature has been regarded as protective against the "evil eye" because it is supposed to detract its power. Hideous masks and carved ugly faces served the same purpose. The devices upon the helmets and shields of warriors were originally regarded as a protection against the "evil eye" of an adversary because it was thought that the first glance was the most injurious, and so, if it fell on some distracting object, the person would be safe.
The Fear Has Basis in Fact
Although it is evident that many of the stories about the "evil eye" are the result of superstitious imaginations, there undoubtedly is a concrete basis for this widespread fear. This is indicated by the fact that it spread from ancient Babylon, which was the fountainhead of the occult arts. Babylon's sorcerers were noted for casting spells, it being common for the sorcerer to make an image of the desired victim. But an image of the victim was not always necessary. In his book The Region of Babylonia and Assyria, Morris Jastrow, Jr., reports:
"Witches could invoke the demons at their will and bring such persons as they chose within the demons' power. Various means were at their disposal for bringing this about. The glance of a witch's 'evil eye' was supposed to have great power.
Terrible were the sufferings of the one on whom a witch threw the glance that kept the person under her spell."—Pp. 267, 268.
Uncanny powers strange to modern science and unexplained by it do exist. The Holy Bible speaks of "uncanny power." (1 Sam. 15:23) Regarding uncanny power, Elworthy observed: "The more we study with unbiased mind the subjects which are called occult, the more evident will it become even to the least advanced or enlightened amongst us, that there is a whole world of facts, operations, and conditions, with which our human senses and powers of comprehension are quite incapable of dealing."
The Bible identifies the source of uncanny power as spirit creatures who followed Satan in his rebellion against man's Creator. (Jude 6; 1 Tim. 4:1) Since the days of Babylon, these self-demonized angels have been making their power evident through the magical arts. Individuals in close contact with the demons, whom the Bible calls spiritists, have been able to do amazing things, such as perform feats of extrasensory perception or levitation. (Rev. 22:15) That spiritists have been able to cause misfortune to people by means of spells is made evident by the Bible at Deuteronomy 18:11, where it condemns sorcerers or those 'who bind others with a spell.' In the book Evidence of Satan in the Modern World, Leon Cristiani states: "Spells . . . are effective, and they owe their efficacy to demonic forces."
The fact that fear of the "evil eye" has had a strong grip upon people of all nations for thousands of years is because there have been persons in close contact with the demons who could cast spells by means of their eyes. The malicious actions of such persons keep alive the fear of the "evil eye" and cause people to imagine that every mishap or aliment is due to it, thus attributing more to it than is often warranted.
No Need to Fear the "Evil Eye"
The liberating truths of God's Word have freed true Christians from fear of the "evil eye." They have the assurance that Jehovah God, who is mightier by far than any form of evil, is with them. His
Word assures those who trust in him that "Jehovah himself will guard you against all calamity. He will guard your soul. Jehovah himself will guard your
that "the angel of Jehovah is camping all around those fearing him."—Ps. 34:7.
The good eyes of the Almighty God are upon the righteous, and the promise is made that "he will not take away his eyes from anyone righteous." Moreover, "the eyes of Jehovah are in every place, keeping watch upon the bad ones and the good ones." (Job 36:7; Prov. 15:3) So
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going out and your coming in from now on and to time indefinite." (Ps. 121:7, 8) Having such a mighty guardian, why should a Christian ever delude himself into imagining that he needs an amulet or a charm or a phallic gesture to protect him from evil? Instead he can say: "Jehovah is my light and my salvation. Of whom shall I be in fear? Jehovah is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be in dread?"—Ps. 27:1.
No matter how frightening the many stories may be about the "evil eye" and no matter how many people in the local community may wear amulets, paint mystical signs on their homes, repeat the prescribed sayings when admiring something a person has and use protective gestures, a true Christian will not share their fear. He will not think calamity will come upon him because someone reputed to have an "evil eye" looks at him. Even if the person is active in occult practices and may actually have the power to cast a spell by means of the eye, the faithful Christian will not fear him, because he has Jehovah's protection. He will go about his daily affairs with a sense of security, knowing
fear Jehovah God, not the "evil eye." If one yields to the fear of the "evil eye," giving in to it in some degree, one is putting himself in a dangerous position.
So do not give in to the fear of the "evil eye" in any degree. After all, whose eyes are the more powerful—the eyes of a spiritist or the eyes of Almighty God? Have faith in the more powerful eyes of Jehovah God, and remember what God caused to be recorded: "There is no unlucky spell against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel."—Num. 23:16, 23.
It is, of course, wise to avoid association with those who are spiritists and who go in for the "evil eye." It is wise also not to accept objects from a known spiritist, since those who accept such articles or objects may be cooperating, though unwittingly, with the sorcerer in the casting of a spell, giving the demons a beachhead.
Whether people in the locality where one lives fear the "evil eye" because of superstition and imaginative tales or because of personal knowledge about demon-controlled persons who have actually cast spells by it, a Christian who puts on "the complete suit of armor from God" can feel secure. (Eph. 6:10-18) He can confidently say to God: "Even though I walk in the valley of deep shadow, I fear nothing bad, for you are with me."—Ps 23:4.
LAND with half the area of the United States and almost two and a half times its population; a land where the population of 489 million humans and 250 million cattle increases vastly each year; and yet a land in which mass starvation poses a continuing problem—this is India. Despite the millions of dollars and millions of tons of surplus foods from other lands that have been funneled into the country during the past decade, India is still a land of hunger and the prospect that the worst still ahead haunts her people.
It is true that since independence from the British was gained in 1947 tremendous strides have been made in the fields of education and technology. There is a growing eagerness for learning and advancement. However, 80 percent of the people are still illiterate, and millions of children cannot be spared from the ardulabors necessary to eke out family existence. And for those privileged to get education there is little hope that there will be enough jobs to go around when they do graduate.
Meantime, with all the efforts at education and industrialization, people go hungry, millions subsisting on one meager meal each day. Evidences of malnutrition and emaciation are seen on every hand. Hundreds of thousands of families have been reduced to selling, for a pittance, precious heirlooms, farm implements and other possessions. Food is now the primary concern.
Some Facts of the Situation
People in other lands may suspect that press descriptions of India's present state are purposely written in sensational terms, and that, in fact, things are not as bad as they are painted. However, last May some opposition members in India's Parliament claimed that six million persons in the one State of Orissa were affected by famine, and one million of these were desperately struggling to keep alive. Half a million had migrated to the cities, while hundreds had already succumbed to starvation. People were eking out an existence by eating seeds and flowers, while emaciated children wandered through the village streets.
A member of the Legislative Assembly described conditions he witnessed during a twelve-day tour. In one area 10 to 15 percent of the people had kept going for six or seven days at a stretch by eating boiled leaves and roots. And from Andhra Pradesh came reports that in an area of 98,000 square miles, twenty-five million people are face to face with famine. Drought has resulted in a loss of 2,000 million rupees in agricultural produce. In Maharashtra 16,000 villages are famineaffected. Indeed, reports from practically every state add up to the realization that the whole country is in the throes of a food crisis.
It may seem incredible to the Westerner that anyone should have to live on about ten cents a day.
Yet that is what millions of India's people have to do. They are underfed and undernourished, for the vast majority live on rice alone, without addition of proteins, fats and other vital food elements. And for all the 250 million cattle in the land, India's children, for the most part, never drink a glass of milk. Many of the cows are diseased and of poor quality.
There are other manifestations of the crisis in this land of hunger. Multitudes of sickly children, who should be in school, are to be seen engaging in laborious jobs. Long lines of people wait patiently at stores where grain is sold, hoping there will still be some left when their turn to be served comes. Beggars infest the towns and cities. Cases of suicide are mounting. A father will administer poison to his entire family and then kill himself, unable to stand the strain of watching them gradually go into decline and die from lack of nourishment.
The Reasons Behind the Problem
What lies behind this worsening problem of India's millions? The stark and basic fact is that the land cannot provide sufficient food for its present population, and yet each year India's population is increased by as many people as live in New York city. To meet this increase the rice crop would have to be stepped up by one million tons a year for the next fifteen years. Yet the output often suffers a decrease.
Dependent as they are on the plentiful rains of the monsoon season, two years of reduced rainfall have left Indian farmers in a sorry plight. The 1965 drought alone resulted in a shortage of thirteen million tons of grain. Cyclones and tidal waves have also taken their toll. On the east coast rice crops, sugarcane and coconut trees were damaged to the tune of ten million rupees. Imagine the ruin to crops
when salt seawater, driven by the winds, inundated wide areas under cultivation!
Other factors contributing to the food crisis can also be noted. Rodents and other pests annually eat up 10 percent of the country's grain supplies. Human pests, too, namely, black marketeers, produce artificial shortages by hoarding grain until a price rise is forced, and by that time the poor are unable to meet the price demanded. Human selfishness enters the dismal picture in other ways too, such as when 955 bags of grain from the United States were dumped into the sea during a port crisis in Calicut. Keeping a large border army on the alert also costs India plenty of food. Thousands of soldiers, formerly farmers subsisting on one meal a day, now receive three good meals each day—good for them, but another serious drain upon the nation's food resources. Government, too, has come in for sharp criticism by reason of its tardiness in taking steps to stave off the hunger threat.
Climatic conditions and maladministration, however, are not totally responsible for India's famine. The mental attitude of the people, built up by religious teaching over the centuries, must bear a sizable share of the blame. Hinduism teaches "karma," that is, whatever one suffers or possesses in this life is due to his works in a previous life; and "dharma," the grace one obtains if he passively accepts his present fate. So poor Indians have come to accept hunger, disease and poverty as their predestined lot in life, one that is inescapable. This, in turn, has led to a lack of initiative, slothfulness and indifference to their own plight.
Then, too, there is the Hindu tradition that cows are descended from the cowgoddess and are therefore sacred. Thus some 185 million of India's cattle population are viewed as "holy cows," cows that may not be slaughtered for meat or treated as ordinary cattle, cows that fanatical Hindus will protect with their lives if need be.
And in their millions these "holy" animals are permitted to roam unchecked through a land that is not producing enough food for its human population.
Coping with the Problem
People of other nations have not been indifferent to the food crisis in India. Free gifts and financial assistance have flowed in from many lands. Wheat from Canada, Argentina and the United States, fertilizers from West Germany, medical supplies from Switzerland, meals for children from the CARE organization, money loans on generous terms from Italy and Britain, cattle-improvement projects financed by Italy, on-the-spot relief measures by the Red Cross, the Peace Corps and other agencies—all these forms of aid have been brought to bear upon the situation. But still these measures prove to be inadequate.
India's own self-respect requires her to take steps toward some solution to her problem, rather than to become obligated, politically or otherwise, to other nations. In its latest five-year plan the Government hopes to spend $11 billion on fertilizers, farm machinery and better seed, with a view to increasing output. Crop insurance against calamity and easier credit for farmers are also planned, to afford more stability to the small landowners. Crop rotation methods are being tried, in the hope that grain crops may be greatly improved both as to quality and production per acre. But the big question is, Are India's millions able and willing to make the changes in their way of life that might
avert, for the time, the disaster that threatens? Or, will traditional modes of religious thought continue to hamstring every effort?
As with so many other human problems, India's food crisis will have to await the permanent solution proposed by the true God. According to his dependable Book, the Bible, Jehovah God has promised a heavenly government over earth's affairs, an administration under which "there will come to be plenty of grain on the earth," and "they will actually sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree." How will this come about? The true God answers: "In the wilderness waters will have burst out, and torrents in the desert plain," and "I will cause the pounding rain to descend in its time. . . . And the tree of the field must give its fruitage, and the land itself will give its yield." —Ps. 72:16; Mic. 4:4; Isa. 35:6; Ezek. 34:26, 27.
Think of it! Deserts made into productive lands, and cultivated lands made to produce plentifully. How? By the simple agency of the 'rain in its time.' But remember, men cannot control the weather or guarantee good crops and freedom from hunger. It takes the power of the true God, "the One who is covering the heavens with clouds, the One preparing rain for the earth, the One making the mountains to sprout green grass." (Ps. 147:8) And as to hunger, the same mighty One has promised he 'will certainly make for all the peoples a banquet' such as they have never seen before. (Isa. 25:6) Humble people of India can hope to have a share, a share that will forever banish their fear of hunger and want.
er people, but it makes you personally feel good too. Being presentable is an act of personal kindness. It saves you and others from embarrassment.
Still, there are some people who are not careful about their personal appearance. Students at California's newest college have been given advice on dress and general behavior. It came in a memorandum from Provost Page Smith to the 620 students of Cowell College, part of the new University of California campus at
of the New University of California campus in Santa Cruz. Here is an excerpt from the memorandum: "I am aware that for many students an aggressively untidy appearance is a matter of principle, a personal statement about the world,
YOUR PERSONAL APPEARANCE Makes a Difference
a valued style. . . . But, like everything else, it can be carried too far. We have become rather too unbuttoned at Cowell over the past year. An open and informal atmosphere is one thing, a rude and slovenly attitude is another. . . . It is not necessary to be dirty in order to be color-
THE doorbell rings. The lady of the house rushes to the door and opens it. A very dear friend of hers has called unexpectedly and has found her at her very worst—hair up in curlers, a sleeve partly torn on her dress, slip showing, sagging hose and untidy shoes. How do you think she feels? Does she graciously invite her unexpected guest in, and then sit down with ease to talk? Or does she flush with embarrassment, fuss
ful and individual." What responsible person would not agree with that statement?
Still, there are many today who are sloppy in their appearance. Their irresponsible attitude is frequently described as a form of rebellion against traditional standards. But the styles replacing the old ones apparently are becoming more debased by the year. A word of caution, therefore, appears timely. No matter what the present style may be, it should be weighed judiciously. Clothes do express one's personality. Who is there, then
with her hair, apologize for her appearance, then suddenly realize that she is still standing at the door? Your personal appearance does make a difference as to how you feel in the presence of others.
A clean, neat appearance is not only refreshing to the eyes of oth-
that can afford to toss the question aside indifferently with the remark, "If people don't like me for what I am they need not like me for my clothes"? After all, the clothes you wear do reflect, to some degree at least, your mentality what you believe in, who your associates are To appreciate this fact is, in part, to understand the need for being well dressed.
The Modern Trend
Recently, one observer declared: 'More and more we seem to be running into people who insist on wearing their complexes on the outside, who need a spiritual haircut or hairdo, and whose mental shirttails are out.' Restaurants that used to have signs reading "Gentlemen will wear ties" (and in some cases supplied both ties and coats) have settled in recent years for signs saying "Come as you are." And many people do just that. In many places in the Western world women go to restaurants and shopping centers in short shorts and with their hair in curlers.
Miniskirts and mod dresses appear more frequently. Tunisia's Habib Bourguiba has long been one of the Arab world's loudest champions of women's rights. He looked on approvingly as the Moslem veil began to vanish, and he has shown no objection to the new brief, airy frocks on girls who parade through the narrow streets of Tunis. But in August he banned the thighhigh miniskirt. "How many times," he said in a nationwide television address, "have I had to seat women whom I received at audiences next to me, rather than facing me, in order to avoid general embarrassment. Nothing should compel us to suffer such trials. It puts the nerves of men and the modesty of women to a severe test." One should dress so as not to be an embarrassment to anyone.
Men, too, in recent years, have become more casual in their appearance. It has been noted that some come to public places in T-shirts or in undershirts. Humorist Don Herold wrote: "I now see many men in public places with wardrobes the total worth of which is not more than $1.40. They come as they are to the bandromat, to the movie theater." Far too many do not care how they look, whether they bathe, shave or not. All they want to be is comfortable. Their indifference to their appearance has produced a mental as well as a physical sloppiness, a lack of pride in self, a disregard for preparation, grooming and tidiness, Herold said.
For thousands of years, people have been trying to spruce up and look their best. Now all of a sudden they have let themselves go. What is the reason for this letdown? When Malcolm Muggeridge, a noted British editor and author, was asked about the styles in contemporary Britain, about young men wearing long hair and women wearing short skirts and long pants, whether this was not evidence of a revolt against the old values, he replied: "Not in the least. I think it's sheer degeneracy. . . . It's just degeneracy—the antics of an exhausted stock." Do you see any sensible reason, then, why you should want to copy styles and attitudes that belong to a degenerate or "exhausted stock"?
Case for Cleanliness and Neatness
What excuse is there for being dressed sloppily. Often it is not a matter of dress, but a matter of neatness and cleanliness. Since people do regard appearances, we cannot afford to disregard how we look. People form their opinion of us and of what we believe to a large extent by outward signs. That is why you often hear them say, "I like the way he looks," or, "She's always so neat and clean." And as you look around, you will notice that your eyes see not only what people are wearing but also the way they wear their clothes. In fact, your grooming is one of the most important aspects of your personal appearance.
Employers like the people in their employ to dress well. This does not necessarily mean one needs expensive clothes. The most expensive garment in the world can look unimpressive if not worn correctly, with the right accessories, or if it is not correctly fitted, shortened or lengthened and carefully selected for the person who is to wear it.
Properly selected clothes should not overshadow one's personality, however. In other words, people should never see what you are wearing first and you second. That is why it is wise not to be the first to adopt a new style or the last to drop an old one.
The Holy Scriptures give us the right way to look at this matter of appearance and dress. The Christian apostle Paul wrote: "I desire the women to adorn themselves in well-arranged dress, with modesty and soundness of mind, not with styles of hair braiding and gold or pearls or very expensive garb, but in the way that befits women professing to reverence God, namely, through good works." (1 Tim. 2:9, 10) This is sound advice for both male and female and is just as applicable today as it was in the days of Paul. A fine appearance still means to appear in "well-arranged dress," with true modesty and without any showiness.
Have you noticed how pleased you are to see people who are not only well dressed but neatly dressed? A neat appearance bespeaks a certain grace and poise. It means being attentive to oneself so that one's appearance is free from what is unbecoming, inappropriate or distasteful. For example, a coat may be fashionable, a fine fit, but it may have a button loose or missing, which can mar your whole appearance. Your suit may be made out of the finest materials and tailored to a tee, but that food spot on the lapel is all many people will remember. Your shoes may be in style, but are they polished? Your shirt may be made of silk or Egyptian cotton, but is the collar clean?
Neatness has to do with those things that reflect on one's personality. Many people do not have money to buy expensive clothing, but the clothes they do have can be neat and clean. This is what counts.
A run in one's hose may seem like such a little thing, yet people will notice it and consider you careless or thoughtless if you persist in wearing them. An unshaven face may cause a man to feel like some rugged individualist, but others may simply think him lazy for not having shaved. A minister at the door may speak God's message, but dirty shirt cuffs and collar do detract. A householder may well reason that a shirt can be washed at night and be worn the next day clean. Soiled garments generally make one feel uncomfortable when in the presence of others, especially so in the presence of persons who are neat and clean. At such times one wishes one had taken the time to sew on that button, change that dirty shirt and make oneself more presentable.
Body Care Shows Love
Good grooming is a reflection of a healthy personality. It includes more than being well dressed. It embraces cleanliness, care of skin, teeth, hands and hair. Such cleanliness shows that we regard others; it is a mark of love.
The importance of a clean body to proper personal appearance cannot be overemphasized. A man may be dressed in a tuxedo and a girl in an evening gown, but failing to bathe can ruin the whole evening for them and others. People perspire. This is why it is so essential to keep the body clean, so that the unpleasant odors can be kept to a minimum. Regular bathing is very important.
Your face is the part of your body that people will notice first. What will they remember about your face? Of all things your face should be clean, presentable Your mouth is one of the most outstanding features of your face. It can be attractive by expressing warmth and pleasantness by smiling often. Sparkling teeth, well brushed, make a bright smile.
Well-kept hair complements the face. Lustrous hair, well kept and becomingly styled, is one of woman's greatest aids to physical beauty. The beauty of her hair can be enhanced by brushing, shampooing and by a becoming arrangement. A woman's hair is a glory to her. It should not, however, supersede the spiritual qualities that find great value in the eyes of God. —1 Cor. 11:15; 1 Pet. 3:3-5.
Look at your hands. Do you like what you see? It takes so little to keep hands clean and neat, yet the rewards are great.
Your feet also deserve careful attention. The average person walks about 70,000 miles in a lifetime. Imagine walking that distance with painful feet! Feet that hurt do horrible things to the body. They destroy graceful motions, play havoc with your posture, not to mention what they do to your disposition. Modern footwear often exposes much of the foot. Can one's feet, especially the toenails, take examining, or will their appearance be an embarrassment?
dequate Sleep, Early Training
Perhaps nothing contributes to a pleasant appearance like a proper amount of sleep. The lack of sleep may show up on your face, in the way you walk and talk and in your very disposition. Cosmetics hardly cover up lack-of-sleep signs. Lines appear around the eyes, the glow disappears from one's complexion, thinking is impaired, body movements slow down, and
a sunny disposition can turn to one of meanness. When President Lyndon B. Johnson's daughter, Luci, appeared in public before her marriage, many onlookers remarked that Luci looked ill, but the press secretary Elizabeth Carpenter said she was not ill and quoted Mrs. Johnson as saying Luci "needs more sleep." Perhaps you do too.
The art of being well dressed comes from early training. If your mother insisted that you come to the table with clean hands and face, well-brushed hair and fresh clothes for dinner, then you have reason to be thankful to your mother, because she has been trying to make later life easier for you. The habits you are forming, the home life you have, the friends you are making, the clothes you are wearing and the activities you are engaging in all are gradually molding your personality for better or for worse.
Remember, too, all the fine clothes in the world will have little meaning if you do not have fine conduct to go with them. The way you wear your hair, the way you fix your face, the beauty of your body and all your other assets can be destroyed, if your actions do not add up to those befitting a Christian lady or gentleman. Let your conduct, then, tell all onlookers that your appearance, too, is motivated by a sincere appreciation stemming from knowledge that you are the product of the highest wisdom, the handiwork of Jehovah our Creator-God.
Man's Amazing Muscles
When you blink your eyes, swallow food or walk, are you aware of the many muscles that are working to allow you to do these things? Usually not, for they operate so smoothly and effortlessly that you are not conscious of their operation. Yet these and other moves you make involve a complexity of muscular contraction. How many muscles does your body have? Well, there are over 500 of them, and they account for approximately half of your body's weight. A tissue of muscle looks like a bundle of fibers, each fiber being about the size of a human hair. Yet their size is not to be sneered at, for they can support a thousand times their own weight and move in a fraction of a second to perform some of your bodily functions. How marvelously the Creator made man!
"GOOD NEWS OF SOMETHING BETTER"
MIDWAY between Miami and the coast of South America, in the blue of the Caribbean Sea, lies the island of Jamaica, where tropical sunshine is tempered by cool ocean breezes, and tropical showers, in season, freshen and beautify the permanent carpet of greenery. Kingston, the capital, was the site for the "God's Sons of Liberty" International Assembly scheduled for the five days ending January 1, 1967. Already 250 delegates from Britain as well as hundreds from the United States, Canada and other lands were on their way to an assembly that was destined to bring "good news of something better" to Jamaicans.—Isa. 52:7.
Gone now are the Arawak Indians, who lived here before the Spanish came. Gone, too, are the Spanish, who were driven out by the English. Changed, also, the old slaveholding society by which British planters reaped a harvest of wealth, for that ended with the emancipation of all slaves back in 1834. That was a serious blow to the sugar interests, but it was the first step on the road to eventual political independence of Jamaica, a goal finally achieved as recently as 1962.
For many years now this "island in the sun" has attracted tourists from all parts of the English-speaking world. It has been described as "the Caribbean Paradise," and certainly has many natural scenes of beauty and serenity. However, poverty and superstition still handicap the laboring class, and, as in other parts of the world, discontent is on the increase. Jamaica truly needs "good news of something better."
Showing that this beautiful island is not immune to the ugly spirit that is sweeping the whole world, a Jamaican journalist makes these admissions: "Crime, dishonesty, violence, rudeness, obscenity, discounty, selfishness—these are the besetting sins of our people today. . . . Sometimes I wonder whether there is not some strange madness taking possession of our people that makes them behave in this beastlike manner. . . . "Jamaica" is fast becoming a jungle filled with wild beasts of both sexes that walk on two feet."—The Star, Kingston, July 11, 1966.
A Jamaican clergyman even admitted that
"over 75 percent of the society had the stigma of illegitimacy and the birthrate among teenagers was reaching alarming proportions." The Daily Gleaner, Kingston, February 21, 1966.
Pointing to Christendom's failure here in Jamaica, and the grave need for something better for her people, another journalist offers these pertinent observations: "The message of the Church is clothed in too much jargon—a mass of long-sounding words which pass over the heads of most congregations. . . . Clergy men today are loaded down with titles. . . all in distinct contrast to the lowly Nazarene known only as Jesus. Too much dressing-up and formality prevails. . . . the subject of sex, what a woeful lack exists in this regard in the Church. Exceedingly plain speaking is necessary when such matters are discussed. The leaders of the Church have been too prone to use euphemisms."—The Sunday Gleaner, Kingston, May 29, 1966.
Timely International Assembly
Yet many Jamaican still manifest a great deal of respect for the Bible, and are willing to discuss its fine principles and marvelous promises whenever there is opportunity. That opportunity comes when Jehovah's witnesses call at their homes and bring Bible education within their reach. To aid all such Bible-loving Jamaican with "good news of something better," it was most fitting that Kingston should be chosen as the scene of an assembly of Jehovah's witnesses. The only suitable auditorium for the occasion, the huge outdoor National Stadium, was duly contracted for. It is delightfully located so that one can sit in the shade of its grandstand and see the lower ranges of the Blue Mountains rise steeply before him, while far off to the right can be glimpsed the waters of the Caribbean.
Here in this beautiful setting a fine program of Bible instruction was presented by means of discourses, dramatizations of Bible principles in action, practical discussions and experiences. Here, too, John Groh, a Watch Tower Society director, delivered the public lecture "Mankind's Millennium Under God's Kingdom," to an audience of 9,458, truly bringing good news of something better" for Jamaicans.
Having in mind that there are about 5,300 Witnesses on the whole island, and that there were about 900 foreign delegates present, it is evident that about 3,300 interested Jamaicans were in that great crowd that listened so attentively and applauded enthusiastically when the speaker concluded. Just the previous day, as 1966 was on the way out, 189 Jamaicans heard the sobering talk on "Responsibilities of a Baptized Witness" and signified their readiness for the step of baptism as evidence of their dedication of themselves to Jehovah God.
Newspapers, radio and television focused attention on the Witnesses in an unprecedented manner. Officials and businessmen were astonished at the elaborate assembly preparations, the efficient roaming department, the cafeteria with dishwashing facilities devised by the Witnesses themselves, and the handsome platform decoration set up in the stadium's playing field. All of Kingston's half million population and other Jamaicans visiting the capital during Christendom's holiday season got to hear about this unique assembly that brought "good news something better" under God's kingdom.
Sight-seeing on the Island
A visit to Jamaica would not be complete until one had seen at least a few of its interesting places. So touring Witnesses saw breathtaking panoramas from various vantage points on the nearby hills. They visited Hope Botanical Gardens, where 150 acres
are skillfully employed to display a variety of tropical crubs and trees, and where greenhouses, a zoo, an aquarium and an artificial island having Jamaica's own contours are all attractive features.
Then there was the visit to Port Royal, out along the tip island beyond the airport. Here the major part of city enriched by pirate loot appeared in the waters of the Caribbean less than three hundred years ago, than an earthquake shook the whole region. An epitaph in a churchyard recounts the odd experience of one man living that time. The initial shock ended him in debris, but a later shock threw him clear to the sea, where he was up and revived to live
for many more years. Strange, too, it was to learn that the notorious British buccaneer, Henry Morgan, eventually became one of His Majesty's governors of Jamaica, and even tried to reform some of his erstwhile criminal associates.
Another tour had as its goal Ocho Rios, an attractive tourist spot on the north coast. Just the sight of the hills, mountains, greenery, bamboo clumps, flowering and fruit-bearing trees and marvelous vistas of the valleys far below as they crossed the interior ridges would have made the trip worth while. But then there was also the section of the road that utilizes the bed of an ancient river to descend to the northern coastal plain. Deep and dark and cool, with ferns and moss decorating the steep rock walls of the gully, it was a pleasant contrast to the brilliant sunshine above.
As a climax to this tour there was seabathing for the visitors at Ocho Rios. At this point on the coast a river rushes down to the sea over rounded rocks, producing a beautiful succession of waterfalls, swirling and splashing their way to the beach. Those stout of heart and limb climbed the falls right to the top, at the same time rinsing away the salty seawater.
So convention visitors did get to see something of Jamaica's beauty in addition to attending the upbuilding sessions of a most successful assembly. They got to see that this "Caribbean Paradise" has its grave and worsening problems, problems that embrace the spiritual welfare of all the island population.
H. A. Graham, traveling representative of the Watch, Tower Stadium, Kingston Stadium, Kingston, on how to "shopper the flock of God"
The "God's Sons of Liberty"
unmistakably to the only
sure remedy. God's kingdom.
Jamaicans who have already
his Word rejoice in the freedom
that results from such a
world's fears for the future,
freedom from superstitions
and fear of men. In their
thousands they are spreading
emancipation among their fellow
citizens, an emancipation
that far excels any thus far
achieved. "How comely upon
Isa. 52:7.
LYING over the blue waters of the Mona Passage, which separates the western end of Puerto Rico and the eastern tip of the island of Hispaniola, we were soon cruising over the broad, eastern plain of the Dominican Republic, a plain that from our altitude seemed to stretch out like a flat green pavement of rough cement. The shoreline along the southeast coast looked jagged, like the teeth of a saw, and we could make out sharply descending cliffs, against which the ocean's waves were dashing. Nearer to the capital, Santo Domingo, we spied the mountains that fill most of the western part of the country, reaching a peak in Pico Duarte, some 10,249 feet above sea level.
We were a small group of delegates to the "God's Sons of Liberty" Assembly of Jehovah's witnesses to be held in Santo Domingo, January 25 through 29, 1967. With special interest we had anticipated this assembly in a land where the Witnesses were now enjoying freedom of worship after having spent many years under an unjust ban because of their refusal to compromise their Christian neutrality.
Santo Domingo lies about the center of the south coast and athwart the country's principal river, the Río Ozama. Traveling from the airport by car, we were soon crossing that river on a modern suspension bridge and approaching the downtown section. Bullet-pocked walls and gaping holes in some buildings offered evidence of the violence of the recent revolution. But everything now appears to be peaceful and quiet as we drive through narrow streets with their typical, balconied buildings. Then into narrow business streets where activities have slowed down in the heat of the early afternoon.
Early History
This city was founded by Columbus' brother, Bartholomew, in 1496, and so ranks as the
oldest city established by Europeans in the Americas. It lays claim to having the first hospital in the western hemisphere, San Nicolás de Bari, founded in 1503; the oldest university, Santo Tomás de Aquina, founded in 1538; and the oldest cathedral, Santa María Menor, completed in 1540. Though Spain denies it, the remains of Christopher Columbus are said to be enshrined here in an ornate marble tomb. Here also can be seen the former residence of Columbus' son, Diego, when he served as governor of the colony.
History shows that the clergy were prominently involved in Columbus' second voyage in the persons of the Bishop of Fonseca and Talar Boll, the latter of which headed a group of twelve
missionaries. Far from bringing peace with them, those churchmen disliked and envied Columbus and did all they could to undermine his authority.
Santo Domingo soon became the major outpost of Spain in the Caribbean and served as springboard for such notorious treasure hunters as Balboa, Pizarro, Cortes and Ponce de León. In later times, as other islands were occupied and colonized, this city became not only an administrative center but also the principal seat of the Catholic church. Here the church had opportunity to demonstrate what it could do to develop the country along peaceful Christian lines. With what result?
Undeniable historical records tell that, while this young country early suffered from the invasions of the English, the Dutch and the Catholic French, and later of the Haitians from the western half of the island, over the centuries its greatest problems were internal. Discontent, avarice, envy, calumny, intrigue, insult
Restored sixteenth-century residence of Governor Diego Columbus in Santo Domingo ordination, revolt and assassination regularly disrupted the peace and stability of the land and impeded its progress.
The church, with its long-time, undisputed monopoly as to religious instruction, can hardly divorce itself from the major responsibility for these peace-destroying factors in the Dominican Republic.
Thirty Years of Tyranny
More recently the regime of dictator Rafael Trujillo lasted over thirty years until his violent end in 1961. As so often boasted by himself, his iron rule did bring a measure of stability and order to the country. However, in 1950 his government issued a decree forbidding Jehovah's witnesses to assemble for Bible study or carry on their Bible education work. Brutal beatings and other indignities were meted out to respectable Christians. The people in general were reduced to abject fear by reason of the cruel way that Trujillo's strongarm squad dealt with any kind of dissent.
Yet Trujillo's regime enjoyed excellent relations with the Catholic church. A priest was for many years a member of his "rubber stamp" legislature. In 1954 Trujillo journeyed to Rome where, though twice-divorced, he was hospitably received and there signed a concordat between his government and the Vatican. Only during the last year or so of his life did a breach begin to develop between the church and his government. All of this, well known to the Dominican people, has been a source of considerable embarrassment for the church in these post-Trujillo years, causing it to be discredited in the eyes of many.
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