Awake!, June 8, 1967
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...can you find comfort from the Holy Bible?
Death has been man's relentless enemy for thousands of years—ever since our first forefather rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden. But God has purposed that it will not always be so. In his own way, and at a time he has appointed, the death process will be reversed and the dead will rise again! This promise is repeated many times over in the Bible. Do you know how and when it will take place? The answer to this question, and many others affecting you and your loved ones, is to be found in the book
"Things in Which It Is Impossible for God to Lie."
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Relief from Frustrations Certain
PAGE 5
Portugal's Supreme Court Agrees to Conviction of Innocent Christians! PAGE 9
Steps to Easier and Better Laundering
PAGE 12
American Chiefs of State Meet in Summit Conference
PAGE 21
JUNE 8,1967
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"Awakel!" pledges itself to righteous principles, to exposing hidden faes 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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11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
CONTENTS
Do You Apply Preventive Maintenance to Your Life? 3
Relief from Frustrations Certain 5
Portugal's Supreme Court Agrees to Conviction of Innocent Christians! 9
Steps to Easier and Better Laundering 12
High Cost of Business Letters 15
Government of the Bahamas Changes Hands 16
Will Spain Soon Have
Religious Liberty? 17
American Chiefs of State Meet in
Summit Conference 21
A Woman's Way of Life in Africa 24
Greetings from Prison 26
"Your Word Is Truth"
What Is the Kingdom of God? 27
Watching the World 29
Do You Apply
DID you know that there is such a thing as preventive maintenance? There is, and, what is more, you can and should apply it to your life. "Preventive maintenance," though a comparatively new expression, simply means applying the old principle that "a stitch in time saves nine."
Maintenance, as used in this regard, refers to keeping things in repair. As defined by Webster's latest unabridged dictionary, maintenance means "the labor of keeping something (such as buildings or equipment) in a state of repair or efficiency." Every institution, business or manufacturing plant, therefore, has need of maintenance.
However, in recent years there has come to the fore what is now called preventive maintenance. Among up-to-date plants that efficiently employ preventive maintenance are the Watch Tower Society's printers.
Preventive maintenance has much to recommend it. It is good sense. It eliminates costly shutdowns, for it means keeping things in such shape that they do not break down, needing repairs. It also means that equipment lasts much longer. Such preventive maintenance involves many things. It means, first of all, seeing to it that all moving parts on the machines are properly lubricated. It means
periodically checking machines, being alert to note any cracks, loose bolts, nuts, and so forth, as well as carefully listening while the machine is operating for any irregular sounds. It means keeping the machines clean and properly adjusted and having replacements on hand for parts likely to break or to wear out soon. It also means training operators so that they understand their machines and, among other things, at what speed the machine should run to get maximum service with minimum wear.
One of the most consistent users of preventive maintenance most likely is the aviation industry, for with them it means saving not only time and money but also lives. Thus at one airline there are preflight inspections, inspections of landing gear, tires and suchlike every 14.5 hours, other inspections at longer periods, and complete overhaul of jet engines every 3,500 flying hours.
this can be applied to the very care we give our bodies. The Creator has seen to it that our bodies are well made, in fact, wonderfully made. But we must do our part if we would have them remain in a state of maximum efficiency. By doing what? By seeing to it that we get fresh air, sunshine, proper food and drink, enough physical exercise, rest and sleep. Then when sudden demands are made upon our bodies, such as exposures to inclement weather, or deprivation of food or rest, they will be able to weather the storm, as it were.
Of course, all this requires the exercise of self-control. We may not begrudge the time and self-denials that are involved in this personal physical preventive maintenance if we would enjoy the best possible physical health. Recognizing this principle of physical preventive maintenance, certain corporations hire doctors, who regularly provide checkups and give treatments to their employees, as a result of which there is much less absenteeism due to illness, and efficiency is greatly increased.
Preventive maintenance is something we can also apply with profit on the intellectual and emotional level, to our dealings with others. Every human relationship, regardless of what it may be, runs the risk of misunderstandings, friction and crossing of wills because we are imperfect, or it may be due to the vicissitudes of life. However, we can successfully weather such periods of stress if prior thereto we have shown kindness, thoughtfulness, loyalty and consideration in our dealings with others.
veritable mountain that might well result in an explosion. No doubt much of the rebelliousness of youth seen in family circles and on college campuses, as well as many a strike in industry, could have been prevented had those having the oversight used empathy and dealt with grievances while they were still few and small.
By using empathy we can avoid little things that might be misunderstood or that might work hardship to our neighbor, and we can rectify slight grievances so that they do not pile up to become a
This kind of preventive maintenance can also keep a marriage from going on the rocks. How so? In that it will keep little problems from becoming big ones. By daily exercising care to keep relations smooth, by being quick to make amends where one has erred in being thoughtless, selfish or careless, the marital relationship can continue to be a happy one.
Of course, this principle of preventive maintenance also applies to the Christian minister in his relations with his Maker. He must be on guard against letting little things come between him and his service to God. A little love of ease, a little materialism, a little indiscretion such as a flirtation, if not checked in time can soon grow to such proportions that it will strain, if not break, one's good relations with his God. A great help in this regard is personal Bible study and association with fellow Christians at the congregational meetings. These will help us to see what our weaknesses are and will aid us in overcoming them, disciplining ourselves in little things. Being faithful in little things will help us to be faithful in big things. —Luke 16:10.
No question about it, giving thought to personal preventive maintenance is wise. It is as profitable as industrial preventive maintenance if not more so, for it can mean better physical health and, more important, smoother relations with our fellowman and with our Creator, Jehovah God.
RELIEF FROM FRUSTRATIONS CERTAIN
KING Solomon of ancient Israel was the wisest as well as one of the richest rulers that ever lived. He denied himself no material good thing in his quest for happiness. Yet after all this he was compelled to exclaim: "Everything is vanity!" Yes, his quest for happiness by acquiring material things resulted in frustration, for frustration means to be checked, thwarted, defeated or balked in an
How will God end frustrations?
What must man himself do to get free?
endeavor or purpose; being prevented from realizing one's goal.—Eccl. 1:2.
How often is frustration the lot of man! It all began, as the Bible shows, with the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve. Today, after almost six thousand years, it may well be said that frustration is more widespread than ever before. Thus, regarding the situation in the United States, one of its leading magazines editorially stated: "Disunity, frustration, suspicion and fear permeate the nation."—The Saturday Evening Post, November 5, 1966.
Typical is the frustration in certain religious circles, even as the press reports: "Nothing like it had ever happened before in Chicago Catholicism. Nothing like it, for that matter, had ever happened in Chicago or in Catholicism. Thirteen hundred priests, all of them responsible and faithful pastors, met October 24, to form an 'Association of Chicago Priests.'" And why had they met? Because of "frustration and restlessness," reports The Christian Century, November 9, 1966.
In Boston, Massachusetts, there was "the most explosive confrontation ever to take place in a United States Roman Catholic seminary." Why? Because of "frustrated" seminarians. Among other things, "some 125 frustrated students suddenly marched under the seminary library window to protest" Cardinal Cushing's unconcern about their complaints.—Newsweek, April 18, 1966.
Frustration also appears to be the lot of many nuns today. Thus Time, January 13, 1967, told that resignations by nuns have more than doubled in the last five years and that what worries church officials is that many of these resigning are not novices but nuns who have spent from ten to twenty years in convents.
Priests find it very difficult to leave their 'vocations,' and so their frustrations often lead to bad fruits, as noted by Peter Servetnyk, a Canadian Roman Catholic priest for seventeen years who quit and married. Why? He found himself becoming a homosexual because of frustration. In a radio interview, among other things, he said: "I can say that many priests have become drug addicts, alcoholics or have mistresses in private. . . It is the curse of celibacy." Apparently world conditions, the increase of knowledge and the stress on freedom are causing many in positions of religious subjection to become impatient with their lot.—Toronto Daily Star, January 11, 1967.
There are also the many frustrations due to chance. No matter how carefully we may plan, often things just do not work out, because of circumstances over which we have no control. Married couples may remain childless, even as repeatedly noted in the Bible. Yes, time and again we may be denied our heart's desire simply because of chance. As wise King Solomon once observed: "Time and unforeseen occurrence befall them all."—Eccl. 9:11.
Another common cause of frustration is our being unable to measure up to our ideals and principles. As the learned apostle Paul confessed: "The good that I wish I do not do, but the bad that I do not wish is what I practice. . . . when I wish to do what is right, what is bad is present with me. . . . Miserable man that I am." Surely every noble-minded person who tries to overcome his fallings feels this frustration, even as the apostle Paul did.—Rom. 7: 19-24.
Common also are the frustrations caused by the weaknesses of others with whom persons have to put up, as within the bonds of matrimony, contributing to the ever-increasing number of separations and divorces. How often do immature persons use poor judgment in choosing a mate or marry with romantic notions of an ideal marriage while themselves lacking in the qualities of unselfishness and self-control, so necessary to make a marriage work!
Among still other frustrations of a personal nature that might be mentioned are those resulting from bodily ills or physical handicaps. Such often cause frustration because of limiting what their victims can enjoy or work at, resulting in bitterness.
A Basic Cause of Frustration
A basic cause of frustrations today is extreme selfishness, leading to lawless acts. Such is really a course of folly, for it is tantamount to rebelling against God, one's Creator, even as we read: "It is the foolishness of an earthling man that distorts his way, and so his heart becomes enraged against Jehovah himself."—Prov. 19:3.
Showing the direct relationship between extreme selfishness and frustrations are the inspired words of the disciple James: "You desire, and yet you do not have. You go on murdering and coveting, and yet you are not able to obtain. You go on fighting and waging war. You do not have because of your not asking. You do ask, and yet you do not receive, because you are asking for a wrong purpose, that you may expend it upon your cravings for sensual pleasure." Bad seed, extreme selfishness, is bound to produce bad fruit, lawless deeds.—Jas. 4:2, 3.
Just how true this is the Bible repeatedly shows. The wife of the Egyptian court official Potiphar had become infatuated with the handsome Hebrew slave Joseph. Because he refused to yield to her advances, she became so frustrated that she charged him with having tried to violate her, causing Joseph to be cast into prison. (Gen. 39:7-20) Then there was Israel's King Ahab, frustrated because Naboth would not sell him his vineyard. To get that vineyard he had Naboth murdered on the false charge of blasphemy, at his wicked wife Jezebel's suggestion. That such frustrations today play no small part in the rise of crime is recognized by those who have made a study of such things.—1 Ki. 21:1-26.
Coping with Frustrations Now
Before considering how God will bring relief from frustrations, it seems well to note that one can even now take much of the sting out of frustrations by learning to cope with them.
Often frustrations can be eased simply by not being impatient. Much of today's agitation for civil rights in many parts of the world is sparked by impatience. Wisely the Bible counsels: "Do not show yourself heated up because of the evildoers. . . . Let anger alone and leave rage . . . For evildoers themselves will be cut off," in God's due time, "but those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth." Meekness and humility will help one to be patient under such conditions.—Ps. 37:1, 8, 9.
Another great aid in coping with frustrations is to cultivate the qualities of godly devotion and self-sufficiency. As the apostle Paul counsels: "To be sure, it is a means of great gain, this godly devotion along with self-sufficiency. For we have brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out. So, having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things." Godly devotion includes study of God's Word and prayer. To the extent that one leads a full Christian life, to that extent he will be able to cope with frustrating situations. —1 Tim. 6:6-8.
Then, again, learning to view things philosophically will help one to cope with such frustrations as may happen to be his lot. As a poet once expressed it, 'there is compensation in the lot of high and low.' "Never a treasure without a following shade of care; never a power without the lurk of a subtle snare. Never the exquisite pain, then never the exquisite bliss; for the heart that is dull to that can never be strung to this." Along a similar line King Solomon once noted: "When good things become many, those eating them certainly become many. And what advantage is there to the grand owner of them, except
looking at them with his eyes?"—Eccl. 5:
11.
Still another aid that might be mentioned that can blunt the edge of frustrations is that of taking on other interests. In this regard a good and useful hobby may be of help. Thus a young wife who suffered a measure of frustration because of being denied children took the edge off this frustration by investing in tropical fish and house plants. And ever so many Christians have found that activity in the Christian ministry has compensated for the frustrations that came their way because of "time and unforeseen occurrence."
When King Solomon said that all is vanity, clearly he was speaking of his pursuing the everyday mundane things in a quest for happiness. He did not mean that his worship of Jehovah God was coupled with frustration. His building of the costly and glorious temple for Jehovah at Jerusalem brought Solomon, not frustration, but immense satisfaction, as can be seen from both the great dedication festivities and his prayer to Jehovah God on that occasion.—1 Ki. 8:1-66.
God's Kingdom to Bring Relief from Frustrations
The great Creator of man, Jehovah God, our loving Father in the heavens, did not originally purpose for any of his earthly creatures to be victims of frustration. It was only because of man's disobedience that his lot became one of frustration. As the apostle Paul tells us: "The creation was subjected to futility [or frustration], not by its own will but through him that subjected it, on the basis of hope that the creation itself also will be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God." Yes, God has promised freedom from futility or frustration.—Rom. 8:20, 21.
How will He accomplish this? By means of his Kingdom rule over the earth, and it will do this in what might be termed three basic ways. In the first place, all frustrations caused by unjust, inequitable conditions will be done away with, and how many have suffered frustrations because of injustices, including the victims of racial, religious and national prejudice! Concerning the King of God's kingdom we read: "He will not judge by any mere
and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away." This will include the selfish sinful tendencies that often cause persons to become frustrated, because Jesus Christ is "the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." Yes, 'when Jehovah's judgments are in the earth, its inhabitants will learn righteousness.'—Rev. 21:4; John 1:29; Isa. 26:9.
appearance to his eyes, nor reprove simply according to the thing heard by his
ears. And with righteousness he must judge the lowly ones, and with uprightness he must give reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth. . . . And righteousness must prove to be the belt of his
hips."—Isa. 11:3-5.
And thirdly, relief from frustration is certain by means of God's kingdom, for
COMING IN THE NEXT ISSUE
Serve the God Who Remembers.
Confessed Criminals on the Streets.
Oil-by the Square Nile!
"Which Cut, Please?"
The Strange Cult of Marla Lionza.
Nor will there be any economic injustices then, for we are assured that 'they
it will make an end of all the incorrigibly wicked. All who willfully remain selfish, who would frustrate others or stubbornly insist on a self-frustrating course,
will be wiped out. "The transgressors themselves will certainly be annihilated together; the future of wicked people will indoors, he cut off."
does then, for we are assured that they will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage . . . They will not toll for nothing." Then men "will actually sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and there will be no one making them tremble; for . . . Jehovah of armies has spoken it."—Isa. 65; 21-23; Mic. 4:4.
Secondly, by means of God's kingdom all causes for frustration within our bodies will be done away with. Today many a person is more or less frustrated because
inced be cut off. - Ps. 37:38.
As a faithful minister of God well described that time:
"Close your eyes for a moment to the scenes of misery and woe . . . that yet prevail on account of sin, and picture before your mental vision the glory of the perfect earth. Not a stain of sin mars the harmony and peace of a perfect society; not a bitter thought, not an unkind look or word; love, welling up from every heart, meets a kindred response in every other heart, and benevolence marks every act. There sickness will be no more; not
of the loss of one of his senses, such as sight or hearing. Then, again, a person otherwise healthy may feel frustrated because an attack of polio has left him lame in one leg. But all these frustrations will be done away with, for God has promised freedom from all bodily aches and pains leading to death, even as we read: “[God] will wipe out every tear from their eyes,
an ache or a pain, not any evidence of decay—not even the fear of such things."
Yes, such will be the conditions on earth when, by means of God's kingdom, Paradise has been regained by humankind! Frustrations will be a thing of the past! Best of all, fulfillment of Bible prophecy shows that that time is right at the door!
Portugal's Supreme Court Agrees to Conviction of Innocent Christians!
IN AN action reminiscent of the days of Hitler and Stalin, the Supreme Court of Portugal has upheld a lower court's conviction to jail terms for forty-nine Godfearing Christians, Jehovah's witnesses. What was their crime? They met together to study the Bible!
What does this decision by the Supreme Court of Portugal mean? It means that in some cases entire families—husbands, wives and older children—will be sent to jail. In other cases families will be broken up, as both husband and wife will be jailed, and their children must be cared for by other persons. In still other cases husbands who are the sole support for a wife and children will be sent to jail.
Of the forty-nine convicted, thirty-five are women. Among these are two expectant mothers who will no doubt give birth while they are in prison. Another mother has a baby that is still breast feeding, but she has been sentenced to jail. And several are nearly seventy years old.
Such court action is almost beyond belief. How can any government, particularly one claiming to be among those nations that are more enlightened, stoop to such a course of action?
Decent people all over the world rightly condemned Hitler and Stalin when their governments broke up families and sent people to prison when their only "crime" was that they were of another nationality or of a religion that the Nazis and Communists disapproved. Then what should be said of the regime in Portugal, whose highest court makes it possible to tear children, even babies, away from parents, and sentences elderly women, pregnant women, and even nursing mothers to jail simply for believing and endeavoring to live in harmony with the Bible?
Background of the Case
The case, which was reviewed by Portugal's Supreme Court, began as a result of police intervention involving meetings of Jehovah's witnesses in Portugal. On June 10, 1965, about seventy members of
Forty-nine Christians condemned by Portuguese Supreme Court, here shown with their children. Found "guilty" because they met together to study the Bible the Feijo Congregation were meeting in a private home in a Lisbon suburb to study the Bible.
But this weekly Bible meeting was broken up by police action, and forty-nine men and women were arrested.
Of what were they accused? The State charged that they were guilty of a "crime against the security of the State, of instigation to collective disobedience . . . they constitute a political movement, coming from various countries with aims of disobedience, agitation and subversion of the popular masses."
Anyone familiar with the behavior and teachings of Jehovah's witnesses knows that such charges are absolutely false and absurd. Jehovah's witnesses in all countries show respect for the government under which they live. They are peaceful, law abiding, and are not found in jails as a result of criminal activities.
Nevertheless, these false charges were hurled against them in a lower Portuguese court. However, legal counsel for the accused presented ample proof as to the exemplary Christian conduct of Jehovah's witnesses in Portugal. It was also explained that Jehovah's witnesses do not advise or encourage anyone to break a law of any government. Their publications explain that it would be wrong for a Christian to instruct another to refuse military service or to refuse to salute the flag.
Disregarding these facts, the entire trial proceeded in the atmosphere of a "dark ages" inquisition. The judges did not behave like impartial arbiters, but performed like prosecutors, inquisitors.
made by him. Actually, he presented no argument of any kind! Not a single piece of evidence was submitted to prove that Jehovah's witnesses were guilty of any crime!
During the three-day trial, the public prosecutor did not produce one witness to substantiate his charges! The State submitted absolutely no evidence to prove the Witnesses guilty of any crime! Furthermore, the prosecutor made no attempt to cross-examine any of the defendants or witnesses for the defense. No rebuttal was
The only fact proved in the entire proceeding was that the accused were gathered together to study the Bible. It is no wonder that even Portuguese lawyers called the trial "a mockery," "a sham" and a "miscarriage of justice."
Why Such Persecution?
Who is principally responsible for such persecution? It is the Roman Catholic Church. They have instigated the authorities in Portugal to persecute Christians who do not share their beliefs.
For years the Roman Catholic Church in Portugal has spread vicious propaganda against Jehovah's witnesses. For example, in the summer of 1963 a priest presented a series of TV programs in Lisbon misrepresenting Jehovah's witnesses. Later he published a book that did the same. Police raids on Jehovah's witnesses followed almost immediately.
Other countries recognize the church's responsibility. Last November 27 a commentator on the Danish radio said: "In Portugal as well as In Spain Jehovah's witnesses have for a long time been persecuted because the Catholic Church does not approve of the activity of the sect."
Because of this instigation by the Roman Catholic Church, an inquisition-type persecution has taken place throughout Portugal. Homes and meeting places have been invaded, possessions confiscated, and Jehovah's witnesses arrested. Some have been held for days, and even months, without being formally charged. Nor is this persecution lessening. It is gaining force, and in all parts of the country. Recently police invaded a Bible study group of thirteen adults belonging to the Lisbon-Chelas Congregation.
Of this group, six men and three women were taken to prison. After interrogation, which included questions relative to doctrines of the Catholic church, the men were beaten and the women subjected to filthy name-calling. Although released on bail, they were told that they would be prosecuted for attending an illegal meeting.
The Accused
Who are these "dangerous criminals"? Of those from the Feijó Congregation, one is a thirty-two-year-old mother. She has a daughter seven years old and a six-month-old baby who is breast feeding! Her lawyer is requesting permission for her to take the baby with her to prison.
Then there are two elderly women, aged sixty-eight! They also have been sentenced to jail. But in their determination to stick to what they know is right they are willing to serve the prison term.
Another mother, aged thirty-nine, has two children, ages twelve and eight. But she is now pregnant and expects to give birth within the time she will be in prison! Yet, she is expected to serve her prison term. Others will look after her children.
Another couple, a man and wife, have two children, one twelve years old and the other a small baby of fifteen months. Both husband and wife have been convicted to serve the same prison term. Their children will have to be cared for by others.
Another of the accused is forty-five years old, married, and has four children. He is firmly set on serving his jail sentence because he feels strongly against the miscarriage of justice. His family will lose his financial support. However, his spiritual brothers have offered to help.
Why do these Christians remain steadfast in the face of such unjust persecution? Because they know they have committed no crime. They know that in God's
Two sixty-eight-year-old Christians viewed by Portugal as a danger to the "security of the State." Why? Because they talk to other people about God
sight it is not a crime to study His Word, the Bible. It is not a crime to meet with other persons to learn the high standards of God so they can be better Christians, moral and law abiding. They know it is no crime to "love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind" and to "love your neighbor as yourself," as God commands, and to gather together for worship, as Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul taught.—Matt. 22:37-40; 18:20; Heb. 10:24, 25.
Accountable to God
However, those who so unjustly persecute innocent Christians actually oppose God himself. As a prominent Law teacher of the first century, Gamaliel, said to those in authority: "Do not meddle with these men, but let them alone . . . otherwise, you may perhaps be found fighters actually against God."—Acts 5:38, 39.
Those who persecute innocent Christians in Portugal will have to answer to God Almighty himself for their debased actions.
Those who maintain integrity to God despite such persecution gain His favor now, and, continuing faithful to God, they will be rewarded with everlasting life in God's new system.—Matt. 5:11, 12.
STEPS TO EASIER AND BETTER LAUNDERING
"JIMMY, be sure you hang up your school clothes before you go out to play."
Jimmy's mother has just taken an important step toward an easier and better laundry. She knows by experience that her family's clothes are less difficult to clean and look new longer if they are not oversoiled when laundry day comes. Jimmy, too, is learning good habits of caring for his clothes.
When you consider the mammoth task of keeping a family in clean clothes, there is certainly good reason for seeking to improve the operation and make it easier. In an average-size family of five persons, for instance, there may be more than a thousand separate items that require washing each month. But how clean laundry is appreciated! What a treat it is to climb in between freshly laundered sheets, or to put on sparkling clean garments!
An Initial Step
An important first step in simplifying the work of doing the wash is to train members of the family to cooperate. For example, teaching children to change from their school clothes when they are going to romp around outside will preserve these garments from heavy soil, which is difficult to get out. And, as noted at the outset, inculcating within them the habit of always hanging up their clothes will contribute toward keeping wearing apparel neat and clean. The value of such
discipline in making laundering easier can hardly be overemphasized. But more can be done.
If there is a container—a hamper, basket, bin or perhaps a drawer—near the laundry center, every member of the family can be taught to deposit soiled things there. It might even be practical to work out a sorting plan of three or four groupings to be deposited into separate containers. This will help in preparing laundry loads, and will serve to educate the children concerning fabrics and what clothes can safely be washed together.
In addition, family members can be taught to empty their pockets, roll down their sleeves, fasten all hooks and eyes, turn down the cuffs and brush out any accumulation of dirt. Only after doing this should garments be deposited in the soiled-clothes containers. Fathers and teen-age sons can also help by taking the stays out of their shirt collars.
Members of the family can assist in making the laundry easier by never putting wet clothes in the dirty clothes hamper, as this may result in difficult-to-remove mildew. Also, it can be explained to them that wearing clothes until they are excessively soiled is no help, but only makes laundering harder.
It is better to change clothes more frequently. Further, family members can be encouraged to treat immediately any stains that they get on their clothes, since later these will be much more difficult, or even impossible, to remove. Following these suggestions will go a long way toward making laundering easier. Some families, however, do even more to lighten the task.
As a lesson in cleanliness and responsibility, some children are taught to wash out all their own socks and undergarments. Every night or so they are expected to do this washing before going to bed. One mother of four reports that, as a result of early training, her children have kept on doing this faithfully right on through their teen-age years. As youngsters grow older, they can also be taught to hand-wash their woolen sweaters and other items that require special care. You can be sure that children who are thus trained to help will have a greater appreciation for the job their mother does.
The Laundry Center
Having a convenient, well-equipped laundry center is another step toward making laudering easier. Wherever it is located, the site should be well lighted, well ventilated, easy to clean, cheerful and have at hand plenty of hot water. It is also important that supplies and equipment be arranged for convenience. Studies of washing operations in the home have shown that much time is wasted and much fatigue caused by poor organization in the work. Unnecessary steps, stooping, stretching, lifting and carrying of loaded baskets often make the job harder than it need be.
Therefore, all supplies, such as soaps, detergents, stain removers, bleaches, a measuring cup, spoon, and so forth, should be easily accessible. The washing
machine, if you have one, should also be right at hand, and a nearby deep sink or laundry tub is an important convenience. Also, having easy access to clothes baskets, a cart for transporting clothes, clothespins, and all the other necessary small equipment will speed the laundering job.
Thus, a desirable arrangement is that all soiled clothes be delivered by the family to where the laundering is done. Then, at that laundry center everything needed should be at hand to wash the clothes and return them spotlessly clean to their proper place with the minimum of effort.
Inspection and Pretreatment
A vital step toward a better laundry is to be sure that all belongings and loose soil are removed from the clothes before washing. Members of the family, if well trained, may have already assisted you in this. But even then, it is good to keep alert. An overlooked lipstick or crayon in a pocket can discolor other clothes in the wash. A single tissue handkerchief can deposit lint on a whole load, and some chewing gum may ruin a garment. It is also good to check for rips, tears and seam pullouts. Repairing these before laundering will prevent them from becoming worse in the washing process.
What if clothes are heavily soiled? Should this be ignored and the garments simply handled in the usual way? Not if you are interested in a better laundry. Use a moistened bar of soap or full-strength liquid detergent to treat soiled shirt collars, cuffs, the knees of children's play clothes and other dirty spots. Allow the soap or detergent to remain on the garment for about thirty minutes before laundering. Presoaking heavily soiled garments is a good practice, if the garments are not of a delicate fiber.
A satisfactory method is to agitate them in the washing machine for a few minutes in warm water and a detergent.
Or, soak them in a small container for about fifteen minutes, then swish the clothes around, extract the water, and add them to a normally soiled load of similar fabrics for regular washing. Overnight soaking is seldom advisable, since it gives soil a chance to be redeposited on the clothes.
Removing stains is also an important step to a better laundry. This should be done before the regular washing, because hot water and soap will permanently set many stains. Prompt action is the key. Cold water will remove most fresh stains, except grease, if it is used before the stain has had a chance to set. Of course, when you discover stains while inspecting clothes for washing, they may be several days old. Then what?
First, it is important to be able to identify the stain. Was it caused by fruit, meat juice, salad dressing, milk, blood, egg, cod liver oil, ink, grease? Experience in dealing with stains often will help a person to determine this. If it is of a nongreasy nature, the stain may disappear when sponged with cold water or rubbed with a moistened bar of soap. Greasy or oily stains can be treated with solvents such as carbon tetrachloride, alcohol or turpentine. It is important to remember that protein stains, including blood, meat juice, egg and albumin, are set by hot water. So it is a safe practice never to use soap and hot water on a stain if its cause is unknown.
Before attempting to remove a stain it is also vital to know the nature of the fabric. Some cloth will "water spot," so it might be well to test water on an inconspicuous place, such as an unexposed seam or hem. When using a solvent, a similar test is important in order to make sure the solvent will not cause the dye to run, or in some other way damage the
garment. Be cautious. It is a good practice to be sparing in the use of a stain remover. In fact, if it is a fine garment, it may be best to have the stain handled professionally.
Sorting
Proper sorting of clothes into separate wash loads is a particularly vital step to a better laundry. Darker-colored items placed in the same load with white or lighter ones is often a cause of discolored or dingy clothes. Therefore, care must be exercised that garments of similar color and color intensity are washed together. Generally it is safe to assume colorfastness if there is more than one color in a garment. If there is question about an item, it is usually wise to test to see if its color runs. If it does, you will probably want to wash the item separately.
Another consideration is the amount of soil in the clothing. Lighter colors with the least amount of soil should make up the first wash loads, while moderately soiled and heavily soiled items should go into separate loads. Carelessness in this regard can also result in a dingy laundry.
The weight and construction of fabrics also needs to be considered. Understandably, delicate lingerie and summer sheers should not be washed with, or for the same length of time as, heavy dungarees or sturdy sheets. And since the construction of fabrics differs so much today, being able to identify different ones will prevent many laundry problems. For instance, cotton, linens and certain synthetic fabrics such as dacron can stand up to higher water temperatures and stronger detergents than can silk, wool and many manmade fibers. It is necessary to consider this to do a good job of your laundry. It is, therefore, a wise practice to check washing instructions on garments when purchasing them.
Obtaining a Clean, Bright Laundry
After dirty clothes have been inspected, pretreated for stains if necessary and sorted into appropriate loads, they are ready to be washed. The first consideration in the washing process is water hardness. Hard water contains substances that will react with soap and cause a scum that can ruin a laundry. If it is very hard, you might find it advisable to have a water-softening system installed. Or you can purchase a packaged water conditioner that can be added in proper amounts to each batch of wash water. Since modern detergents do not react with hard water as do soaps, they also are valuable in obtaining a clean, bright wash.
Another important consideration in the washing process is water temperature. Generally speaking, the hotter the water the better the cleaning. However, delicate fabrics such as wool, silk and most synthetic fibers should be washed only in warm water, from perhaps 90\circ F to 100\circ F . When cottons and linens are washed in water above 140\circ F , or at the point where it is too hot to touch, their colors tend to lose brightness. White cottons and linens can be washed at higher temperatures, but, then, shrinking may become a problem. For very dirty or contaminated clothing, washing in water up to 160\circ F or more may be advisable. The heat not only will assist in getting the dirt out but will kill most of the germs as well.
Using a proper soap or detergent for the job is also important in obtaining a bright, clean laundry. Keep in mind that a soap advertised for use on delicate fibers is
probably "unbuilt," meaning it has no laundry alkalies added. On the other hand, soaps designed to get really dirty clothes clean need such additives and so are harsher. Soaps are generally less expensive than detergents, but in certain instances, as in the case of hard water, use of the more expensive detergents is advantageous. To determine what is best for your wash, a little experimenting is generally required.
Many persons also use chlorine bleaches to brighten their laundry. But care should be exercised to rinse it all out, since chlorine left in a garment is harmful both to fabric and to the skin. Chlorine bleaches should never be used on wool, silk or most synthetic fibers. Nor should they be used when rust is a problem, for chlorine reacts chemically with rust deposited on clothes, and can weaken the fiber and cause pinholes in the clothing. Therefore, an oxidizing bleach, such as hydrogen peroxide or sodium perborate, would be preferable. Of course, clothes dried outside may receive all the bleaching they need from the sun.
A final major consideration in getting your clothes clean is mechanical action. While this is often underestimated, the fact is that mechanical action is as important as any chemical action produced by the detergent solutions. Thus, persons who still rub and beat their clothes at a nearby stream are employing the fundamental principle in getting clothes clean. So do not underrate good mechanical action. This, coupled with others of the steps suggested above, will do much to help you realize easier and better laundering.
HIGH COST OF BUSINESS LETTERS
The cost of writing business letters varies from country to country, depending on wages for secretaries and typists, and so forth. But recently The Royal Bank of Canada Monthly Letter said that "the estimated cost per letter, for secretarial work, indirect labour, materials and postage, ranges from 2.97 in top management to1.43 when the letter is dictated to a machine and transcribed by a pool typist."
Government of the Bahamas Changes Hands
By "Awake!" correspondent in the Bahamas
N December 1, 1966, the colony of the Bahamas was thrown into a frenzy by the surprise announcement that there would be a general election on January 10. Thousands of people scrambled to register in the few days remaining. Events brought a surprise outcome.
Of the four political parties, the United Bahamian Party is made up essentially of the same group that controlled the government for the past 300 years. The other parties are the opposition Progressive Liberal Party, the National Democratic Party, and the Labor Party. All parties threw their campaign machinery into immediate action.
Interest in the election ran high, with many groups gathering in public parks, in narrow streets and elsewhere to discuss the probable outcome. Unprecedented campaigning was done by all the candidates.
Three burning issues dominated: Opposition parties charged that ministers of the government were using their positions to enrich themselves by awarding government contracts to their own business firms. Secondly, there was objection to the government's permission of legalized gambling in the islands, on the grounds that it provided a haven for undesirable elements from the United States and elsewhere. Finally, much was said about electoral boundaries' being unfairly distributed on the basis of land area and not on population.
The controlling party made no major attempt to refute the charges, pointing out, instead, that the booming tourist industry had raised living conditions over the past few decades.
Election day was quiet and uneventful. After the polls closed, the streets were almost deserted. People were crowded around radios, listening to the returns. By mid-evening it was becoming obvious that the confident ruling party was not sweeping back into office, as many expected. Instead, it began to dawn that the results would be very close.
At the end of the evening a dilemma developed. The results read: United Bahamian
Party, 18 seats; Progressive Liberal Party, 18 seats; an independent, 1 seat; the Labor Party, 1 seat, and the National Democratic Party, none. A deadlock. Unless something could be done to break it, another election would have to be held; something that neither party wanted for fear of losing seats they had gained. Matters rested in the hands of the independent and Labor members. After a few unious days, they made their decisions. The Labor member decided to throw his lot in with the Progressive Liberal Party and the independent member agreed to become the neutral speaker of the House of Assembly. This meant that the Progressive Liberal Party had a majority of one seat and that, after 300 years, control of the Bahamas had finally changed hands.
The winning party is a Negro party, the population of the Bahamas being, in fact, about 85 percent Negro. Thus the days following witnessed the appointment of thirty-six-year-old Lynden O. Prindling as premier, the first Negro to occupy this high office. Ten of his colleagues subsequently were appointed ministers of the new cabinet, all comparatively young men, the average age being forty-two.
Then came the opening ceremonies of the two legislative bodies, the House of Assembly and Senate. The representatives paraded into the House of Assembly with traditional British pageantry, decked in top hats and tail coats and preceded by the speaker of the house in his official robes and glistening white wig, with a young man carrying the official symbol of regal authority, the mace.
The representatives were summoned to meet the governor in the Senate chambers, where he delivered a speech prepared for him by the majority party. In it he stated that the new government would continue to put great emphasis on the tourist trade. However, it was their aim to do everything possible to encourage small industries and attract investors from outside the colony. The week ended with many official parties and celebrations, and the people settled back to observe just what this change of hands in government would mean to them.
SPAIN Soon Have RELIGIOUS LIBERTY?
ON December 14, 1966, the Spanish electorate, in a referendum, overwhelmingly voted approval of a new constitution that would allow for the modifying of many of Spain's laws, including those dealing with religious liberty. But even prior to the national referendum, the Spanish Supreme Court ruled favorably in several cases involving Jehovah's witnesses and the issue of religious liberty.
One such case raised the
questions: Is it against the law in Spain to gather together in small groups to comment on the Bible? Does the meeting become illegal when the Bible commentary does not agree with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church? Although the case did not come before the Spanish Supreme Court until October 1966, it was actually back in 1963 when it all began.
The Málaga Case
That year police inspectors in the southern resort city of Málaga visited a boardinghouse owned by Francisco Alonso Valle and his wife Esperanza. They were accused of "holding unauthorized meetings with some children and adults in attendance, in which the Bible was interpreted, and the magazine 'La Atalaya' [The Watchtower] was read, for the purpose of making converts on behalf of" Jehovah's witnesses. Their house was searched and their two small children, ages eight and four, were fingerprinted and registered with the police.
Besides those two adults, three others
were involved in the Málaga case. The police charged these three with "being organizers of such meetings," during which "the most questionable paragraphs of the Bible were interpreted by Mr. Fernández." Fernández, a father of two small children, was so harassed by police at the barbershop where he worked that he finally lost his job.
The provincial governor of Málaga then fined four of the accused 500 pesetas each, and José Fernández was fined 2,000 pesetas ($33.33) for being a second offender. (Less than a year before, on April 3, 1962, he was routed from bed after midnight at pistol point in a roundup of Witnesses in Málaga. Along with others, he spent fifteen days in jail in lieu of paying a fine.)
An appeal was made to the Minister of the Interior, but this was rejected. It was charged that the Witnesses had carried on a work of proselytism beyond the limits of private worship allowed in Spain and so had "threatened the spiritual unity of Spain."
…