Awake!, August 8, 1968
Download: PDF — Awake!, August 8, 1968
What to Do When You Are Surrounded with Violence
Why Is the Dollar in Trouble?
Missionary Work in Saigon
The Olympic Games Come to Mexico
AUGUST 8,1968
THE REASON FOR THIS MAGAZINE
News sources that are able to keep you awake to the vital issues of our times must be unfettered by censorship and selfish interests. "Awake!" has no fetters. It recognizes facts, faces facts, is free to publish facts. It is not bound by political ties; it is unhampered by traditional creeds. This magazine keeps itself free, that it may speak freely to you. But it does not abuse its freedom. It maintains integrity to truth.
The viewpoint of "Awake!" is not narrow, but is international. "Awake!" has its own correspondents in scores of nations. Its articles are read in many lands, in many languages, by millions of persons.
In every issue "Awake!" presents vital topics on which you should be informed. It features penetrating articles on social conditions and offers sound counsel for meeting the problems of everyday life. Current news from every continent passes in quick review. Attention is focused on activities in the fields of government and commerce about which you should know. Straightforward discussions of religious issues alert you to matters of vital concern. Customs and people in many lands, the marvels of creation, practical sciences and points of human interest are all embraced in its coverage. "Awake!" provides whalesome, 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.
Get acquainted with "Awake!" Keep awake by reading "Awake!"
PUBLISHED SIMULADEQUOIU IN THE UNITED STATES BY THE
WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC
117 Adams Street Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201, U.S.A.
Average printing each issue: 5,100,000
London N.W. 7, England
GRANT SUITE, Secretary
QFees
Yearly subscription rates
for semichannel editors
America U.S., 127 Adams Street, St. Louis, N.W. 2150
Australia, 11 Browning Ed., St. Armand, N.W. 2150
$1 Canada, 11 Browning Ed., Toronto, 19 U.S. 101
$1 The Ridgeway, London N.W. 7
8/8 New Zealand, 621 New N.W. Ed., Amsterland 3
8/8 South Africa, 621 New N.W. Ed., Amsterland 3
(Notably柔软奏点 half the above rates)
Rentitations for subscriptions should be sent to the office in your country and send your reservation in Brooklyn, N.Y. in post at least two inches before subscription expires.
Now published In 26 languages
Semi-English—Articles, Cetuan, Danish, Dutch, English,
Florida, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese,
Mexico, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Teguar, Zulu.
Meditary—Chinese, Chyanu, Hillgervann, Malaysian, Polish,
Tswil, Ukrainian.
CHANGES OF ADDRESS should reach us thirty days before your named date. Give us your age and new Watch Tower, Watch Tower House, The Bridgeway, London M.W. 7, England.
Entered as second-class matter at Brooklyn, N.Y.
Printed in England
The Bible translation regularly used in "Anakai" Is the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1961 edition. When other translations are used, this is clearly marked.
[ ] [ ] [ ]
CONTENTS
What to Do When You Are Surrounded
with Violence 3
The Amazing Amazon River 7
Why Is the Dollar in Trouble? 8
Absorbing Paganism 11
Missionary Work in Saigon 12
The World's Wondrous Waterfalls 16
The Apple Tree's Bid for Kingship 20
The Olympic Games Come to Mexico 24
The Young Driver 26
"Your Word Is Truth"
Is God a Trinity? 27
Watching the World 29
WHAT TO DO
WHEN YOU ARE
SURROUNDED
WITH
VIOLENCE
How can you protect yourself? What precautions are wise to take?
DURING 1967 over 3,750,000 major crimes were committed in the United States, which is one every eight and a half seconds!
Just since 1960 major crimes have increased 88 percent, while the population has grown only 10 percent. That means crime is rising nearly nine times as fast as the population! Many other countries are experiencing similar rises in crime. Truly, we are surrounded by violence.
Without doubt this is the time of which the inspired Bible prophecy foretold: "But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here." (2 Tim. 3:1) In some places it is so critical that it is unsafe to walk the streets alone, even in broad daylight.
How can you protect yourself and your property in these dangerous times? What
can you do when surrounded by violence? Really, the wisest, most practical counsel is found in a source few persons have thought to consult—the Bible. Yes, the Bible outlines many principles which, if applied in one's life, will serve as a protection in these critical times.
Self-Control, Mildness
For example, the Bible urges persons to apply the fruiture of God's spirit in
their lives, including "mildness, self-control." (Gal. 5:22, 23) Also, the principle is given in the Bible: "An answer, when mild, turns away rage, but a word causing pain makes anger to come up." —Prov. 15:1.
Not only will your relations with others improve by applying such Bible principles, but you can also safeguard yourself from violence. To illustrate: In Newark, New Jersey, not long ago, a man was forced to brake his car to a sudden halt at North Sixth Street and Delavan Avenue when an oncoming driver cut in front of him. The man did not conceal his irritation, but shouted: "Road hog!" This he followed with an obscenity. He exercised no self-control; his answer to the inconsiderate act was anything but mild. And what was the result?
His pain-causing word did indeed cause anger to come up, just as the Bible said it would. The newspaper account says: "The roadhog answered the shouts with one blast from a shotgun, hitting [the driver] on the left side of the face and killing him instantly." How much wiser it would have been to apply the Bible counsel to control oneself, to answer mildly!
In this tension-filled world many people are like a high explosive. All they need is a spark to set them off. But mildness will serve to calm them down, and prevent them from becoming enraged and perhaps hurting you.
It may be that you are jostled on a crowded bus or subway, or another person accuses you of bumping him. The first inclination may be to reply harshly, or even shove back. Often this is what people do. But it is not the wise response. It does not create goodwill, nor does it contribute to your safety.
To the contrary, it can provoke latent violence, as in the recent case when two men jostled each other on a New York City subway train. A quarrel erupted, and one man pulled a knife and slashed it across the other's face. In retaliation, the injured man drew a gun and fired into the other man's stomach. How tragic! Especially since the trouble could so easily have been avoided if one of the men would have answered mildly.
Significantly, studies have revealed that a major number of crimes are provoked in some way by the victim, or at least could have been prevented by a mild response. As one writer, who reviewed scores of crimes, put it: "What people have to fear most from crime is in themselves."
a sign of weakness to be mild, as many persons seem to think. Rather, to control yourself under provocation, as the Bible urges, reveals real inner strength. It can safeguard your life.
Truly, then, the Bible gives the wisest, most practical counsel on how to protect yourself in these critical times. It is not
Humbly Settle Grievances
The Bible also states the principle: "Pride is before a crash." (Prov. 16:18) It simply is unwise to be proud, refusing to acknowledge that you may be in error. Especially can it be dangerous today when there are so many quick-tempered people.
Even if you feel you are in the right, it certainly is not amiss to say humbly that you are sorry, and that you will try to be more careful next time. Usually the other person right away will calm down. Thus, the matter generally can quickly be settled peacefully, thereby avoiding an eruption of violence.
This certainly is illustrated by what happened to a young woman who bumped into another woman on a Bronx, New York, sidewalk one summer night. The older woman demanded an apology, but the young woman refused to give it. Pride impaired good judgment. And so a quarrel developed. Eventually the older woman pulled out an automatic pistol and shot the young woman fatally in the chest.
If only she would have humbly apologized—if she would have sought quickly to settle the complaint against her—she would not have been the victim of violence. But she was too proud to apologize. It meant sudden death for her.
It should not be concluded that these are unusual incidents. To the contrary, in a recent year the New York City Police Department revealed that the most common cause of murder was quarrels or angry disputes. Furthermore, 147 of the murders, or more than one in five, were of persons who got into heated arguments with their relatives. Arguments, especially between husbands and wives, led to violence, twenty-seven men being indicted for killing their wives during quarrels and sixteen women for murdering their husbands.
And this in just one city, in one year!
Just think of the violence that could have been prevented if this Bible counsel were heeded: "Let a rotten saying not proceed out of your mouth, but whatever saying is good for building up as the need may be, that it may impart what is favorable to the hearers. Let all malicious bitterness and anger and wrath and screaming and abusive speech be taken away from you along with all injuriousness. But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave you."—Eph. 4:29, 31, 32.
Stay Away from Trouble
Additional Bible principles that can safeguard your life deal with precautions to take to avoid trouble. For example, the Bible says: "The shrewd one considers his steps." (Prov. 14:15) Also, it encourages: "Before the quarrel has burst forth, take your leave."—Prov. 17:14.
To consider your steps shrewdly will involve avoiding places where danger is likely. For instance, use well-lighted, well-traveled streets, rather than poorly lit and infrequently traveled ones. Also, avoid bands of youths loitering on street corners, perhaps crossing over to the other side of the street a block before coming to them. Do not go to parks, 'lovers' lanes,' or other lonely spots after dark, even avoiding such places during daylight hours if they are not well traveled. Nor is it shrewd to display money publicly, or to wear costly clothing or jewelry if you are in a high-crime-rate area.
For violating Bible principles, either knowingly or unknowingly, many have paid with their lives. For example, when
a youth was noisily making insulting remarks on a New York subway train recently, a man ordered the noisy one off the train. However, the youth returned through another door and plunged a knife into the man, killing him. How much better if the man had 'taken his leave,' perhaps going to another car, rather than allowing this fatal quarrel to burst forth.
A similar Bible principle that can safeguard your life advises: "As one grabbing hold of the ears of a dog is anyone passing by that is becoming furious at the quarrel that is not his." (Prov. 26:17) Just as grabbing the ears of a dog can cause the dog to turn on you and bite you, so becoming involved in the quarrel of others can be dangerous.
Not long age, for example, three girls and two young men in a New York City bus station were arguing. A middle-aged man interfered, telling the men to leave the girls alone, though he did not really know what had started the quarrel. He became involved in a quarrel not his. Angered, the young men turned on him, and fatally stabbed him with a knife.
How beneficial it would have been for the man to have followed the Bible principle! But what if another person is in real trouble? Rather than taking sides, and so judging the situation without knowing the facts, it would be wise to call the police.—Prov. 18:13.
If riots or shootings flare in or near your neighborhood, will you take to the streets to become involved, or go out to see what is going on? The Bible advises not to 'grab hold of it,' not to become involved. The wisdom of this advice is emphasized by the incident of the crazed gunman who climbed atop the tower on a Texas campus and began shooting people. A newspaper reported: "Incredibly some people rushed out for a look. A boy and a girl did . . . She was fatally shot. Her boy friend leaned over to help.
He was shot dead."—The National Observer, August 8, 1966.
What an unnecessary tragedy! Ignoring Bible advice was disastrous. These youths revealed themselves to be inexperienced, unwise, as the Bible proverb explains: "Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty."—Prov. 22:3.
Your Life or Your Possessions?
Yet another Bible principle that may save your life was given by Jesus Christ, when he said: A person's "life does not result from the things he possesses." —Luke 12:15.
With the increase of crime, there is the ever greater possibility of being confronted at gunpoint or knifepoint by a person demanding your money. Will you resist? Will you fight to save your money, and perhaps lose your life? Your life is of so much more value than material possessions. It is not worth risking it.
A case reported in the New York Times early this spring emphasizes this fact. "A member of a Bronx Elk's Club was stabbed to death early yesterday while returning home from a weekly meeting," the report said. "The victim's wallet and watch had not been taken, but the police believe he was stabbed fighting off a mugger." But of what value are wallet and watch when you are dead?
It simply is poor judgment to grapple with an armed criminal, who often is trained in the use of weapons. The criminal is likely to become infuriated by your resistance, and brutally beat or kill you. The New York Daily News reported such an incident recently: "The two bandits entered the store and produced a pistol, but [the storekeeper] refused to cooperate. Slugged on the head with the gun, he fought back . . . However, the man with the pistol turned and fired one shot, hitting [the storekeeper] in the stomach." How much better it would have been for the man to have heeded the Bible principle!
Protecting Your Virtue
One of the most shocking aspects of the increase in crime is the rise in forcible rapes. In 1967 more than 27,000 were reported in the United States, for an increase of over 60 percent since 1960. However, according to authorities, only about one in three or one in four is actually reported. Therefore, the real total may be close to 100,000 rapes a year. Think of that. A forcible rape about every five or six minutes in just one country! How can a woman protect herself?
The Bible again has some very pertinent and valuable counsel. It advises "women to adorn themselves in well-arranged dress, with modesty." (1 Tim. 2:9) Also, it emphasizes that when a woman is confronted by a rapist she should scream. Deut. 22:23-27.
Certain modern styles of dress are without doubt an important factor in the shocking increase in forcible rape. A woman who wears suggestive attire is only inviting trouble, whether she realizes it or not. Many men accept such immodest dress as an invitation to sexual advances. And, really, is not that one of its purposes? Commenting in this connection, Newsweek of November 13, 1967, said:
"Fashion designer Mary Quant, mother of the minskirt, tells it as it is, or at least the way she sees it: 'Am I the only woman who has ever wanted to go to bed with a man in the afternoon? Any law-abiding female, it used to be thought, waits until dark. Well, there are lots of girls who don't want to wait. Mini-clothes are symbolic of them. So are cosmetics that seem natural and stay on right into bed and out agam, because that's the point.
All this decoration is put on in order to seduce a man to bed.'
So even the designer of the miniskirt notes that one reason for wearing these clothes is to seduce a man to bed. And it is a fact that watching women who wear immodest clothes has often drawn a man into lustful action. Thus, heeding the Bible principle to dress "with modesty" will serve as a genuine protection to a woman.
At the same time, too, a woman should be careful that she does not unwittingly invite an attack by carelessly leaving the shades or curtains open while she undresses for bed. The same danger is present if she makes it a habit, when she can be seen from the outside, to run around the house or yard scantily attired.
But what if, despite the precautions taken, you are confronted by a rapist? What will you do? Submit to him? The Bible counsel in this instance is to resist—to scream. Authorities recognize this as the wisest thing to do. Paul Boesch, author of the book Lady Protect Yourself, pointed to the horrible consequences to women who failed to do so, writing:
"If a man is vicious enough to commit rape, how do you know just how far his twisted mind is out of focus? If you could read some of the unprintable, unspeakable things I have read, or visit the homicide office of your police department, you would know there is only one answer—to resist with everything that's in you...
"You can scream, and by all means do so. Some women fear that screams will only madden the attacker. But face the facts. How do you know he won't kill you if you don't scream? He may say, 'Don't scream or
I'll kill you, but you can't bargain with an attacker."
Yes, what has proved the soundest advice is that contained in the. Bible—for a woman to scream for all she is worth if she is attacked by a rapist.
Heed Bible Principles
Thus the key to protecting yourself successfully from criminal violence is to heed Bible principles. In them is found divine wisdom, yes, the wisdom of the grand Creator. He alone can provide the guidance needed to cope with these critical "last days." (2 Tim. 3:1) Therefore, the thing to do is to become acquainted with His Word the Bible, and to put your trust in its teachings.—Prov. 3:5, 6.
That same Word of God provides bright hope for the future. It assures us that God's kingdom will soon bring in a new system of things free from lawlessness. Yes, what man has proved incapable of bringing about, Jehovah will soon provide for the blessing of all His law-abiding servants.
Therefore, learn God's will. Abide by his laws. By so doing you will enjoy the peace of a grand new era when not a lawbreaker will be left on earth. The Bible prophecy gives this very assurance, promising: "The wicked one will be no more; and you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace."—Ps. 37:9-11.
The Amazing Amazon River
\diamond This principal river in South America contains more water than the Egyptian Nile River, the American Mississippi River and the Chinese Yangtze River put together. It drains an area that is two-thirds as large as the United States. At its mouth it is about 90 miles wide. In some of its upstream locations it is more than 350 feet deep.
Is the DOLLAR in Trouble?
LONG regarded as being as good as gold, the American dollar is now in serious trouble. This was clearly shown by the frenzied buying of gold on the European gold markets early this year.
What does this mean for the housewife when she goes to buy groceries and clothing for the family?
What does it mean for the man of the house who earns the family income? What does it mean for the country as a whole?
One of the circumstances that have led up to this trouble has been affecting families for many years, and that is inflation. Are you aware of how much you have been hurt by it and how it has been undermining confidence in the dollar?
Since 1939 the dollar, on a nationwide average, has lost 60 percent of its purchasing power because of inflation. With many things that a family buys, however, the increase in prices has been much more than 60 percent.
In 1939 the New York Times sold for 3 cents a copy and the Sunday edition for 10 cents, but now the price is 10 cents for the daily edition and 50 cents for the Sunday edition. A quart of milk cost the housewife 12 cents in 1939, but now she may pay about 32 cents for it. Butter was 32 cents a pound; now it is around 83 cents a pound. Bread was 8 cents a pound;
now it is around 30 cents. Round steak was 36 cents a pound; now it is about 1.00 a pound. A man's lightweight suit cost16; now it is $60 and more. Prices, of course, vary somewhat from place to place in the country. But, generally, inflation has made itself felt on the budget of every American family.
Cause of Dollar's Trouble
Inflation has been one of the chief causes of the trouble that the dollar is now in. It has elevated the price of American goods so high in world markets that they are beginning to have difficulty in competing with cheaper foreign-made goods. Even within the United States many foreign products are underselling domestically made goods. In the steel industry, for example, there is grave concern about the rapidly rising amount of foreign steel coming into the country. Selling at a lower price, it is beginning to hurt the American steel industry.
Inflation is causing a gradual decline in exports for the United States. Imports, on the other hand, have been rising. Thus inflation is contributing to the steadily worsening deficit in the country's international payments. This deficit means that more money is going out of the country than is coming into it. Falling exports and excessive government spending abroad as well as spending by tourists are the chief reasons for it.
To raise exports the obvious course is to reduce prices on American-made goods, but this can hardly be done if the cost of raw materials and labor keeps rising. So, some family wage earners may eventually find themselves without jobs or receiving lower than expected earnings when companies begin trimming production costs and the nation's economy begins to de-
have confidence in the value of any future promissory notes from the family, and it would have lost its credit standing. The United States would be in the same situation if it devalued the dollar to make its gold reserves stretch farther.
The American dollar is, in a sense, a promissory note to pay a foreign government, upon demand, its value in gold. Whenever foreign governments want gold for the dollars that they hold they can turn the dollars in to the United States
and the nation's economy begins to flate.
In a general way we might compare the situation of the United States with that of a family that buys merchandise from a number of stores over a period of time using promissory notes. The family spends more than it earns, and has in the bank only one-third of the money needed to redeem its notes. The day will come when its creditors will lose patience and will demand payment. Being unable to pay all the notes, the family will likely go into bankruptcy.
Treasury and receive gold in return at the specified rate of $35 per ounce. This American guarantee has given the dollar its stability of value in other countries.
For almost eighteen years dollars have been piling up in foreign countries. They now amount to $33,000,000,000, but the United States has less than one-third of the gold needed to redeem them. It is like the family with more promissory notes in the hands of creditors than money in the bank to cover them. Because the United States has put off taking the corporation
bankruptcy.
Now, suppose the family could declare that their promissory notes were worth only one-third their face value. It could then pay off its creditors with the funds it has. But the creditors would no longer
States has put on taking the corrective measures that many economists say are necessary to eliminate the deficit, it has lost more than 50 percent of its gold reserve in the space of ten years. People in other countries are beginning to lose confidence in the dollar. Now the situation is so serious that the American government is being forced to do something to correct the situation.
Strengthening the Dollar
Economic experts say that confidence in the dollar can be renewed if steps are taken to slow inflation and to reduce greatly the outflow of dollars to other countries. This involves sub-
stantial cutbacks in government spending.
We might compare these corrective measures with those that a farm family would have to take if it had been increasing its purchases and the prices of its products while its sales were declining. It would have to reduce its purchases so as to cut down on the outflow of money. It would also have to reduce the prices of its goods so they would be more attractive to buyers and more could be sold. This would increase its income. The wages of the workers would also have to be reduced to lower the cost of producing the products. This is what some persons believe the United States must do in order to reduce its deficit in international payments.
Raising taxes is another necessary move, economists say, as that will help to put the brakes on inflation. Higher taxes
in international payments by lowering imports.
The situation is so serious that President Johnson emphasized that "the fabric of international cooperation upon which the world's postwar prosperity has been built is now threatened." He went on to point out that if that fabric is "torn apart" the consequences will not be "confined to foreign countries but will touch every American."
How People Are Affected
Any corrective measures for strengthening the dollar by eliminating the deficit in international payments are certain to
and a reduction in government spending within the United States will reduce the government's huge domestic deficit, which is a major cause of inflation.
With higher taxes taking more money out of the pockets of the people they will have less to spend, and that should lower the demand for goods. This is supposed to slow the rise in prices, perhaps even reversing the trend somewhat. The demand for foreign goods by Americans should also lessen, helping the American deficit
hurt individual Americans. But if these steps are not taken they will be hurt much more seriously.
Higher taxes mean less money for a family to spend. The man of the house will have to contend, not only with higher Federal taxes, but also with higher state and city taxes. So the housewife will need to exercise greater selectivity when she shops, passing up unnecessary luxuries and looking for the best prices. In fact, a family may have to forgo buying many of the things it may have wanted.
Higher interest rates on loans, another corrective measure for fighting inflation and strengthening the dollar, may mean that a family will not be able to afford to finance a new home or a new car.
In fact, it may not even be able to get a loan because of a shortage in lendable funds and more stringent credit requirements. Some families were confronted with this situation in 1966, when credit was especially tight.
If the man of the house succeeds in getting a mortgage he will likely have to pay interest of more than 7 percent, and that rate may go higher in the months ahead. For a 20-year mortgage on 20,000 he will pay out18,448 in interest if the rate is 7.5 percent. High interest rates can cause a slowdown in home construction, as was experienced in 1966. This can mean less work for carpenters, bricklayers, electricians and other people in the construction business. Many families may feel the effects of higher interest rates by having to pay higher rents.
Thus in a variety of ways families are being affected by the circumstances that have brought the dollar into trouble, and
they can expect to feel more and more the results of the corrective measures that financial experts say are necessary to strengthen it. If these corrective measures fail or are too severe, a serious situation can develop for the entire country. The American economy might collapse into a recession or a shocking and painful depression. That could mean widespread unemployment, a big drop in wages, and economic hardships for a great many families. Economists are hoping that this will not happen.
The situation is without doubt a very grave one, and it was with good reason that William McChesney Martin, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, recently warned that America is "in the midst of the worst financial crisis since 1931." In the months to come people in other countries will be watching intently as the United States struggles with its payments deficit and strives to shore up its wobbly dollar.
ABSORBING PAGANISM
IN MIDSUMMER each year Roman Catholics in Argentina celebrate St. John's Day. A second birthday party is held for everyone named John, though it is supposed to commemorate the birthday of John the Baptist. Trees are pruned and the branches are used for bonfires, lighted on almost every corner on the evening before St. John's Day. Tradition has it that anyone passing through the fire at midnight will not be burned.
At the same time of year the ancient Druids celebrated with blazing fires, and the custom is still perpetuated in certain parts of France, Switzerland, Ireland and Scotland, areas where Catholicism has long predominated. In Ireland it is still considered beneficial to jump over the fires when the embers have burned low.
A Roman Catholic monsignor was asked why priests lend their presence and blessing to such pagan celebrations for which there
is no basis in the Holy Scriptures. Replied Monsignor Winsauer of Posadas, Misiones Province, Argentina: "It is easy. The day of St. John and the birthday of our Lord coincided with the two solstices. In ancient times, these dates were cause for pagan celebrations. When they [the pagans] were Christianized it was difficult to pull off the old practices, and the Church preferred to absorb the pagan fiestas into its own and not abolish them."—Confirmado (Confirmed, weekly news magazine), Buenos Aires, July 9, 1965.
The monsignor added that "there is nothing wrong in Catholic priests' promoting these fiestas"; however, in this he is not in agreement with the apostle Paul, who rejected the idea of absorbing any paganism, asking: "What fellowship does light have with darkness?"—2 Cor. 6:1417.
SAIGON, as you know, is the capital of a war-torn land, and the tide of war recently swept right into the city itself, yet Watch Tower missionaries continue to discharge their duties, bearing to the people from God's Word comfort and hope. But how, you may ask, can they possibly carry on under those conditions of uncertainty and danger?
Normal conditions in Saigon for many months now have been quite different from the situation called "normal" in other lands. Lying in bed at night, the missionary must listen to the familiar sounds of bomb explosions and small-arms fire. Once in a while the bedroom window lights up from the flash of a flare illuminating the sky. Even the girls here, who are graduates of the Watchtower Bible School for missionaries, have learned to distinguish the caliber of weapons by the sound of the firing.
But the missionary does get to sleep, for he has had a busy day, and before he knows it, it is morning. A bell in the missionary home sounds at 6:30 a.m.-the signal that breakfast will soon be ready. But who is the cook? Why, one of the missionaries, for each one, male and female, has his turn in the kitchen. Where did they learn to cook? Some of them right there in the kitchen. And, of course, a good cookbook always helps.
Now another bell sounds. That tells all occupants of the missionary home that it is 6:55, with only five minutes to go before breakfast is due to begin. After a brief consideration of a text from the Bible and
prayer, a wholesome breakfast is served and then—a full day's schedule of activity.
Scope of the Work
But is it dangerous to go out of doors? Where will the missionaries go? It is said that the Viet Cong have agents all over the city, but what big city is not somewhat dangerous these days? And, of course, missionaries who are sincere about discharging their obligations to God and Christ put their faith in God for their protection.
In Salgon, with its over two million inhabitants, the missionary of the true God, Jehovah, recalls the compelling words of Jesus: "Yes, the harvest is great, but the workers are few." (Matt. 9:37) And just as it takes regular meals of rice to keep the Vietnamese healthy, the spiritual food from God's Word, the Bible, is vital if they are to grow strong and stay strong spiritually. So, the few workers in this southeast Asian field must keep at their God-given work consistently, without let-up. Each missionary here has been assigned a section of Saigon, and it is his or her job to reach all people in that section.
The store owners have to be contacted, as well as the teeming population of the winding back alleys. Houses may be occupied by from two to fifteen persons, depending on the size or the means of the householder. And far and wide, on busy streets, on back roads, on tiny little lanes that are almost imperceptible, people are learning that there are missionaries for Jehovah in Saigon.
Despite the vast population, it is remarkable how people can remember names. Said one missionary: "The Vietnamese love to remember names. They will write yours down carefully, and you are sure they will forget it. But, when you visit the neighborhood again several months later, they will greet you at their doors using your name." It is certainly a very friendly custom.
The Language Barrier
But, since not many people know English, how do the missionaries make out talking with the people? That is a good question. However, it must be remembered that a true missionary goes to the people, does not make them come to him. This means he must learn their ways, their customs, and, yes, their language, be it ever so difficult to grasp at first. It has many tones, and if the wrong emphasis or tone is placed on a syllable, it may alter the entire meaning of the word. So at the beginning the missionary must spend many hours daily at language study.
For the first few weeks he does not worry about vocabulary. He just concentrates on tones, and here his biggest help is his door-to-door ministry. He starts with short, memorized sermons and listens carefully to the idiomatic expressions used by householders. Reported one missionary: "At the start we would write the sermon down on paper, and we would try
to read it to the person coming to the door. But they could not understand our words and would grab the paper from us and read it for themselves, and then not even return it to us. So we soon realized it was best to get the sermon into one's head instead of on a piece of paper."
In the missionary home, as a help, twenty new words in Vietnamese are discussed daily at the dinner table. Then each one endeavors to use these words in the house-to-house ministry. The townspeople are very patient and listen closely, seldom ever criticizing the many mistakes of the beginner. But errors have to be detected and corrected, for they can be quite embarrassing. "When I was new in the language," another missionary reports, "I got in the habit of answering Yes to anything I did not understand. One day, when I was working with a local Vietnamese Witness we were invited to stop and talk to three young Vietnamese women. My companion later told me that I had answered Yes to such questions as: Do you have a wife? Do you have more than one wife? Would you like to have some more wives? Rest assured I no longer answer Yes to anything I cannot understand."
The Rainy Season
Weather in Saigon presents quite a challenge to the missionary. There are six months of dry season, and then six months of rain, and does it ever rain! And local people can be noted taking advantage of the heavy rains. Many children in their "birthday suits" will run up and down in the rain to get themselves a good bath. Older people, when the rain pauses for a few moments, will run to the curb and bathe their feet in the water surging down the gutters. Car owners and motorcycle owners take advantage of this plentiful supply of water to wash their vehicles.
drainage, so much so that the missionary may find himself pedaling his cycle with water up to his knees in order to reach some homes. Or, if conducting a Bible study in some house when the rain starts, he may note the water gradually invading the house and swirling about his feet. While the study continues, the household members may be lifting furniture to higher places, and by the time the study session concludes all may be sitting with their feet and legs in water over a foot deep. At this point a missionary girl is hoping she does not lose her shoes when she rises to go, and upon departing she is sure to see other people's shoes floating down the alley.
To offset these discomforts, there is the warm hospitality of the people, and particularly during the rainy season. One cool, rainy day when two missionaries made a visit, they were invited in to sit down. A towel was brought so they could dry off. Then one of the girls was furnished with a fur coat to keep the chill off; the other was loaned a sweater. Finally, last but not least, comb and mirror were supplied. Said one of the girls later: "That was the first time I ever conducted a Bible study in a fur coat!"
At times the missionary may come to a house where there is only one chair available, and it will be offered to the visitor while the family, regardless of age, stand around. What to do under these circumstances? One missionary found it best just to place her literature bag on the chair and carry on the visit on a friendly level with the people.
wife and children for the sake or the Kingdom and its interests.
The Vietnamese are always interested to learn why a missionary does not have any children. In fact, they become so concerned that they will even go so far as to offer a child for adoption, perhaps twins. It is quite new to them to meet someone who is willing to forgo husband,
Religious Confusion
The missionary in Saigon is soon aware of the various religious factions that fight one another for political advantage. Demonstrations often end up in violent fights between these factions, and then the police have to move in and even use tear gas to suppress them. These situations at times interfere with the peaceful work of the missionary. One missionary told how one day she noticed all at once that everyone was running, some crying because of tear gas in the air. At the same moment she discovered that her bicycle tire had gone flat. A man in a nearby home, seeing her predicament, quickly ran out, pumped up the tire and told her to go at once. Children, too, were imploring her to leave. They wanted no harm to come to her.
On one occasion the religious demonstrators decided to fight it out in front of the missionary home. A tear-gas bomb hit the residence and saturated the front rooms with gas. The missionaries had to hurry into a back room, seal the door and windows, and wait until the air cleared. Another missionary happened to be out in the street when the tear-gas bombs fell. A store owner, noting her plight, Invited her into his store for protection.
Living Apart from the World
Missionary service removes one from the world around one in many ways. One learns to live a life apart from this world, concentrating time and attention on the work of proclaiming a new system of things soon to come, one that will bring deserving ones of all races peace and prosperity. True, as the worldly-minded engage in war all around the missionary, he cannot but be affected somewhat. But how he reacts to those conditions makes all the difference.
How, for example, does he react to attacks such as those made upon Saigon and other cities in South Vietnam recently?
That Viet Cong offensive was full of surprises for Saigon. It started in the early hours of morning, with many points struck simultaneously. Within a few hours most communications were cut off. Electrical and water supplies were cut. Even the foodstuffs coming into the city were halted. Private houses were attacked and burned to the ground. Terrorists were everywhere, it seemed.
A missionary home occupied by nine active missionaries stands right in the middle of Saigon. The radio had given full warning about the attack and its aims. Right there and then the nine missionaries, from Canada, the United States and Australia, assessed their reasons for being there in Vietnam. Who sent them, and why were they there in Saigon? Was it not Jehovah who had sent them to extend life-giving knowledge of His purposes to the truth-hungry population? Then, it was to God they would look for his protection, and not to the strength and weapons of men.—Prov. 18:10.
Their decision meant possibility of great danger, but already they can report on Jehovah's loving provision for their needs. As one of those missionaries wrote: "The local Witnesses have been nothing short of precious gems. During the first days of the attack they would take turns coming by to see us, and this at risk of their lives. They knew the secret places to buy food and would bring it to us. All the markets were closed down, of course."
It is true that the dive-bombers came very close at times, and the missionaries have to be most careful as they leave the
home. But, while things are upset for a time, they restrict their territory for preaching to relatively safe sections nearby. They do not venture into any of the smaller alleys at present, because this is where most of the Viet Cong hide out during the daytime. As soon as circumstances improve, they are all ready to move out into areas farther afield, where they know many of the people are awaiting additional visits.
So, while there are discomforts, inconveniences, yes, even dangers here in Saigon, they are as nothing compared to the satisfaction of seeing the fruitage of missionary labors. How gladdening to see one with whom you have studied the Bible for four or five years finally take his stand for God and Christ and join his missionary teacher in proclaiming the "good news" of the Kingdom to others! The hardships of seeding and watering and cultivating are forgotten in the joys of the harvest. "My joy is indeed complete," exclaimed one missionary in Saigon, "now that this man (with whom he had studied four years) has joined me in the house-to-house preaching." One Vietnamese woman studied for almost five years before joining in the door-to-door ministry; another studied for six years before taking the same step. But they have thoroughly grasped the Bible's message and are eager to inform their neighbors.
So, in spite of all the obstacles, the life of the missionary in Saigon is satisfying. True, the bombs rumble and the rifles bark, but after a busy day talking to the people, not about war, but about peace soon to be everlastingly ushered in by God's kingdom, the missionary can rest and sleep. He is happy in the assignment God has given him.
WATER is forever on the move. It pounds against the shore, it rises as mist, it descends as rain. But the most conspicuous of all moving water is the waterfall. Seething with energy, life and beauty, cascading water fascinates the beholder.
Waterfalls have individual traits. Some are low and voluminous, and speak of great force and strength. These are the most spectacular, for their noise and ferocity seem to dominate the area all around. Others are so high and slender that they appear to be unreal, losing form halfway down and disintegrating into fog and mist. Each kind has its appeal, and can increase one's appreciation of earth's loving Creator.
Most Famous
Probably the most famous of all is Niagara Falls. Its sheer force is awe inspiring. A wall of blue-green water falls at the rate of some 500,000 tons a minute,
plunging into a steep-walled gorge nearly 200 feet below. So powerful and voluminous is it that a cloud of mist rises upward perpetually to water the region nearby. All the colors of the rainbow can be seen as the sunlight strikes the ascending water particles. With good reason this iridescent cascade has become one of the most durable tourist attractions on earth, drawing some two million visitors a year. What a wondrous sight!
Niagara is actually two falls, which are located on the eastern United States-Canadian border. Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side, is the largest, being 186 feet high and 2,950 feet wide. Over it descends the major part of the thirty-four-mile-long Niagara Riv
er, which connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The smaller flow travels around the other side of a small island, and drops about the same distance. This section of the falls is located on the American side and is called American Falls.
To early Indians, the falls were part of their heritage. Legends grew up around them. They called them "thunder of the waters" in their Iroquois language, and it seems that when white men came to the continent, the Indians were not very eager to tell them about the falls. The first white man to report seeing the falls was the French missionary Louis Hennepin, who wrote of his visit in 1678.
At Yosemite Valley in the western United States are a series of perhaps the most famous high waterfalls in the world. At Vernal Falls the Merced River descends for 320 feet in a sheet of jade-green water to foam white among the boulders at its foot. Nevada Falls drops 594 feet, Bridalvell Falls descends 620 feet, the Slender Ribbon Falls makes a straight drop of 1,612 feet, and Yosemite Falls' total descent is nearly half a mile!
Truly these are beauteous wonder falls. They can indeed increase one's appreciation of earth's marvelous Designer.
As famous Bridalveil descends, it swings and sways and sings in the wind. The spray flying free of the falls fashions its own rainbows of misty beauty, and clothes the column of water in a gauzy veil. Thereby it seems to half fall and half float. On the other hand, Yosemite Falls seems to shoot right out of the sky. Its first bound over the lip of the precipice frees it of earthly bonds for several seconds as it plummets 1,430 feet in one sheer fall. Then it tumbles down through a small gorge to reach another brink from which it hurtles another 320 feet to the valley floor—a total drop of 2,524 feet.
However, one should not conclude that Niagara is the biggest waterfall in the world, or that those falls in Yosemite are the highest. No, there are even larger waterfalls than Niagara, and one that is so high that it dwarfs any of those in Yosemite.
Highest in the World
In the interior regions of northern South America the Indians spoke of a waterfall thousands of feet high. However, white men thought this was just another legend. It was less than thirty-five years ago that it was discovered that such a wondrous waterfall really did exist.
Jimmy Angel was one of those perennial prospectors seeking gold and diamonds. While making an aerial reconnaissance in 1935, he flew his tiny plane into a twisting canyon of Devil's Mountain; at least that was the name given it by the local Indians. It is located in the jungle called the Guinea Highlands in Venezuela.
Suddenly, between the ever-narrowing canyon walls, there appeared a magnificent waterfall gushing out of a rock fissure about two hundred feet below the rim of the rocky height. From the stone lips of this mountain spurred a river that cascaded 3,212 feet into the jungle below. Jimmy Angel guided his plane down perilously close to the jungle floor and made a rough calculation of the fall's width. It was perhaps 500 feet at its base. Here was an amazing waterfall hundreds of feet wide and over seventeen times as high as Niagara! Imagine Jimmy Angel's thrill He was apparently the first white man to see the highest of the world's wondrous waterfalls.
Returning home, Jimmy Angel invited his wife and a business partner to see his unique discovery. Circling the area, he spotted a likely landing site. But as the plane coasted to a halt its wheels became hopelessly mired in the soil. They must have immediately realized the danger of being trapped in unexplored territory. Air search for the missing party proved futile. Two weeks later, when all hope for their survival was about abandoned, they dragged themselves to safety. For this singular discovery and amazing survival, the government of Venezuela honored Jimmy Angel in 1937 by applying his name to the falls, calling it Angel Falls.
Other Wondrous Falls
South America is blessed with waterfalls that are not only very high and picturesque but very powerful and voluminous. For example, the Tequendama Falls on the Bogotá River in Colombia. Here the river narrows into a deep channel and hurtles itself some 650 feet to the depths below.
An early explorer, Alexander von Humboldt, observed: "The cataract forms an assemblage of everything that is sublimely picturesque in beautiful scenery.
It is not one of the highest falls, but there scarcely exists a cataract which, from so lofty a height, precipitates so voluminous a mass of water."
However, Kaieteur Falls in British Guiana is a yet higher waterfall, and carries an even greater volume of water. This magnificent cataract plunges in a single column of dazzling whiteness 741 feet into a basin below; then it makes a further drop of 81 feet—a total fall of 822 feet! The long journey to these falls on the Potaro River is rewarded by a truly wondrous sight. How marvelously the Creator has set in such perfect balance jungle, valley, mountain, sky and cascading waters! An Awake! correspondent describes the scene:
"We emerge from the forest onto a flat stony plateau, where we break into a run toward the booming noise. . . A rock ledge provides an excellent view, and cautiously we crawl to peer over the edge, where our eyes are led into a breathtaking panoramic sight of tropical jungle and twisting valley, cradled by sheer mountain ranges. On another rocky ledge about a quarter of a mile to the left we get another spectacular view, here seeing the full height of the falls in their beautiful setting of low mountains beneath a blue sky."
The Paulo Affonso Falls on the São Francisco River in Brazil is a much larger waterfall, although not as high. It has been described as "motion gone mad." Between canyon walls colored red, bronze, yellow, and black, the racing, turbulent waters gleam an extraordinary white. Then, suddenly, at terrific velocity, the river leaps some 260 feet into the mist and turbulence of the gorge below. This is one of the world's major waterfalls.
But probably the best known and most famous of the South American waterfalls is Iguassu Falls on the boundary of Brazil and Argentina. It is often compared with Niagara Falls. And, although less torrential, its panorama of varied features excels the better known North American falls.
The Iguassu River plunges headlong over a brink some two and a half miles wide, and with a maximum height of 237 feet. Thus, not only are these falls much higher and wider than Niagara, but during floodtime the volume of water is greater. During drought, on the other hand, no fewer than 273 separate waterfalls have been counted along its rugged brink.
Across most of its width the falls are broken into two sections by a ledge halfway down. Thus, the water drops in two stages, each more than a hundred feet in height. Many of the individual falls, in turn, are broken by smaller ledges, producing a fairyland spectacle of jagged rock draped with aquatic veils. At one point, however, the water plunges in an unbroken sheet from the brink to the gorge over 200 feet below.
What is particularly attractive about Iguassu Falls is its setting in a virgin tropical forest, featuring bamboo, palms and orchids. Here, too, are excellent vantage points. On a ledge halfway down in the gorge well-kept paths lead through a natural park of rushing waters and jungle growth to spots that give breathtaking views of the falls. How the heart is moved in appreciation to God for such beautiful sights!
Africa's Wondrous Falls
Africa, too, has wondrous waterfalls. For example, Aughrabies Falls in South Africa. Here the mighty Orange River makes a majestic plunge of 450 feet into a foaming caldron. However, there are falls that excel all others in Africa, and rate among the most spectacular in the world.
In 1855 David Livingstone paddled down the Zambezi River in southern Africa. Perhaps the most amazing spectacle of all his exploring life awaited him. No white man had seen what he was about to see. Soon his ear caught the sound of a torrential roar; his eyes beheld clouds of white mist boiling up. As he mused on the exciting prospect, he landed on an island and found himself on the brink of truly
magnificent waterfalls. The African aborigines called it "the smoke that thunders" because of the immense columns of spray and thunderous noise.
ther the most famous nor the most beautiful. Volume of water alone is not what impresses most. On the Mekong River, which travels down through Cambodia and Vietnam to empty into the sea, there is a series of waterfalls known as the Khon. Although it averages about double the volume of Niagara and is about eight miles broad, the Khon's total descent is only some seventy feet. However, there is a waterfall yet much larger.
This is the La Guaira or Sete Quedas Falls on the Paraná River between Brazil
ARTICLES IN THE NEXT ISSUE
How Good Are the Ten Commandments?
Schizophrenia—a Mental Alliment That Is Not Hopeless.
Arriba Struggles Anew for Independence.
Bathol's Busy Ministers Preach the Good News.
These wondrous falls are slightly over a mile wide, and they plunge abruptly over the edge into an almost vertical chasm 350 feet deep. This means that they are both higher and wider than Niagara Falls. Islands on the lip of the precipice separate it into four principal falls. The most striking are the main falls, a half-mile sheet of foaming white and green water.
However, Livingstone named it Victoria Falls, after his queen of England.
What is unique about Victoria Falls is that the opposite wall of the chasm stands only about 80 to 240 feet away, thus forming a mile-long trench. The waters rush wildly from each end of this trench, where the abyss is shallowest, toward the middle, seeking escape from the imprisoning walls of the opposing precipices.
The largest waterfalls in the world are comparatively little known. They are nei-
Largest in the World
and Paraguay. It is a series of eighteen separate falls, the height of which is about that of Niagara. However, its volume rises to eight times that of Niagara during the rainy season! The force of the cascading waters is so great that the earth trembles for miles around.
Edward C. Rashleigh, writing in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, says of Sete Quedas Falls: "It exceeds the combined mean volumes of Niagara, Paulo Affonso, the Iguassu Falls, the Grand Falls of Labrador, the Victoria Falls of the Zambezi, and the Kaieteur (of Guiana) rolled into one." But because the eighteen separate falls are spread over an area, there is not an ideal vantage point from which to view them. Thus they are not as spectacular to behold as, for instance, nearby Iguassu Falls.
When a surging river hurls itself over a high precipice it indeed is a wondrous spectacle. Whether the falls are comparatively low and voluminous or are extremely high and slender, they are fascinating to behold. How loving of the Creator to adorn earth with these wondrous sights!
IN THE Bible appears an allegory about the trees of the forest looking for someone to be anointed king over them. (Judg. 9:8-15) We, too, invite you to imagine a gathering of all the fruit trees for the purpose of choosing one of them to be king.
Each tree came prepared to extol its own virtues. Lots were cast, and it so happened that the apple tree was given the opportunity to speak first. His remarks went something like this:
"Fellow citizens of the fruit-tree community: It seems necessary that we first of all establish a basis or criterion by which to judge which of us deserves to be chosen as king. Undoubtedly that basis or criterion is the usefulness of any fruit tree to our owners and masters, the human race, not which tree is the tallest or the most beautiful. Certainly the great Creator did not endow us with the' capacity of bearing luscious fruits merely for our own benefit, that we might appear ornamental and that we might not die out. No, but as his Word states, God said to the first human pair: Here I have given you all vegetation bearing seed which is on the surface of the whole earth and every tree on which there is the fruit of
a tree bearing seed. To you let it serve as food.'—Gen. 1:29.
"This fact is further borne out by the instructions God gave to the nation of Israel in regard to waging warfare; they were never to cut down any fruit trees for military purposes. Yes, we occupy our peculiarly favored position by virtue of the fact that we are able to bear fruit for the benefit of man."Deut. 20:19, 20.
"How can we determine which of us fruit trees has been of the greatest service to man? Well, which one has been the most popular with him? One simple way would be to note which fruit name comes up most frequently in his conversation. Another way is by noting which of us he has cultivated most extensively. Still another is by noting which fruit he prepares in the greatest variety of ways. And, then again, a determining factor could be which fruit serves the greatest variety of needs, in addition to being food. In all these aspects we apple trees feel that we are without peer.
"How often the very name apple appears on the tongue of humans is proof of its popularity. Thus ever so many other things are designated apples. The French call the potato pomme de terre, meaning 'apple of earth, even as do other nationalities.
The tomato was long called 'love apple.' There is the rose apple and the apple rose, neither of which are apples; the same is true of the apple banana, the appleberry and apple mint. The pomegranate is an 'apple having many seeds.' The forbidden fruit, that is, the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and bad in Eden, has been called an apple, although no one actually knows what kind of fruit it was. And men speak of the pupil of the eye as the apple of one's eye, meaning 'something highly cherished.'—Gen. 2:15-17; Ps. 17:8, RS.
"As for the apple itself, by way of introduction let us note that we apple trees belong to the rose family and our closest relatives are the pear and quince, all of which have five small seeds and a core and are known as pomes, literally, apples. Without a doubt we apple trees have been serving humankind from the beginning; archaeologists have found remains of apples going back to most ancient times. In the Bible there are repeated references to the apple and apple tree. Thus some 3,000 years ago King Solomon wrote that 'a word spoken at the right time for it' is 'as apples of gold in silver carvings.' He could have used some other fruit, but wisely he chose the apple to make his comparison. In his book, 'The Song of Solomon,' we read of a Shulammite maiden likening her lover to 'an apple tree among the trees of the forest,' and of her shepherd lover telling her that her fragrance is like the fragrance of apples. Why? Obviously because these expressions were intended to be highly complimentary and therefore show the high esteem in which the apple was held.—Prov. 25:11; Song of Sol. 2:3; 7:8.
Most Widespread
vation of us. No other fruit is grown so widely and so extensively. It is to be found in all six main continents, in North and South America, in Europe and Africa, in Asia and Australia. Only in the greatest extremes of temperature, as in the freezing Arctic and the burning tropics, does one not find one or more of our species. In fact, the apple tree is able to grow where no other fruit tree can survive; the temperature can go as low as 40 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit) without killing an apple tree.
…