Awake!, January 8, 1970

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Awake! — January 8, 1970

Source: jw.org

Contents

“A Good Word for the Witnesses”

Look Beyond the Wedding Day

Mexico City’s New Subway

A Good Buy

How the Chinese Welcome the New Year

The Bible School That Really Helps You

Taming of the Niger

Denizens of the Mountains

Determined to Learn

An Ancient Liquid Serves a Modern World

Bus Trip Through the Jungle to Brasília

How Moths Fool Bats

Whose Proverbs Are They?

Watching the World

“All Sorts of Men . . .”

Notice

“A Good Word for the Witnesses”

THE preaching activity of Jehovah’s witnesses is growing very rapidly. This has required a large expansion of facilities at their international headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.

The expansion is arousing much comment in the community, even prompting a sermon at the Plymouth Church (Congregational), located just two blocks away. More than a century ago, the church’s first minister, Henry Ward Beecher, lived on property that is now part of the Watchtower Society’s headquarters complex.

The sermon was delivered by Dr. Harry H. Kruener and was entitled “A Good Word for the Witnesses.” At the outset he declared: “I have to say that they are wrong, wrong in so many of the beliefs I count essential to true religion.”

However, he then commented: “But I can still secretly admire them and this is my theme of the morning.” He said:

I admire the Witnesses for talking about their religion. . . . We [in his church] indulge in a conspiracy of silence. Religion is the one thing we never talk about. . . .

“I know I myself seldom mention I am a minister because it tends to put an awful damper on the conversation. . . . The other day I saw a bulletin board outside a church which caught my eye. it read: ‘If you were on trial for being a Christian would they have enough evidence to convict you?’ . . .

“Most of us have seen to it that there would be mighty little they could pin on us. The Witnesses give evidence, verbal evidence every day of their faith. They speak out.”

What does the Bible say that true Christians should do? The apostle Paul stated: “With the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation.” (Rom. 10:10) And Jesus Christ foretold of our day: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:14) If you belong to a church, are the members of your church doing this?

What about Jehovah’s witnesses? Last year, 1,336,112 of them were actively preaching in 203 lands, devoting over 239 million hours to this work free of charge. These are all Bible teachers who talk to others about God and his purposes. They conduct Bible studies with interested persons in their homes. Last year alone more than 120,000 new Bible teachers were baptized and joined their ranks.

Dr. Kruener went on to comment to another point, saying:

“I admire the Witnesses for the interracial quality of their fellowship. . . . They have found their ‘equality in the Lord,’ which is what many of our churches, over a hundred or more years, have not been able to do. They [Jehovah’s witnesses] are color-blind. They are brothers. . . .

“They have a fellowship, a brotherhood, we might well envy. They accept each other, black and white, rich and poor, as human beings.”

Is that important to true Christianity? Jesus said: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) And the apostle Peter said: “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) What is your church, if you belong to one, producing in this regard?

In his sermon, the minister noted this additional point:

“I admire their discipline. They not only talk about their religion, not only support it, not only are amazingly brotherly; they train themselves, they keep themselves in trim, to be Witnesses. They study the Scriptures, . . . They even seem to me to jog to their meetings. By contrast, the Catholics step along trying to make early Mass, and the Protestants saunter, usually looking at the trees and the flowers in our patio as they pass. But the Witnesses, they march. I might say that they are the ‘happy joggers’ in the army of the Lord.”

The disciplined “joggers” of the first century—who were they? They were those who had the true religion, the followers of Jesus. They were not the scribes, the Pharisees, or their followers. Are the members of your church being disciplined, trained, actively engaged in Bible study and service to God?

On a point of disagreement, Dr. Kruener claimed that the message of Jehovah’s witnesses is one of “a heartless God.” However, those who have studied the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses know that they highlight the fact that “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) Read this for yourself in their widely distributed Bible-study aid The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life. See how it highlights the blessings of God’s kingdom, under which God will create a paradisaic new order on earth. In that new order God “will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more.”—Rev. 21:4.

The minister also declared that Jehovah’s witnesses “get hung up on the end of the world, the apocalyptic sections of Scripture, which are barely ten percent of the total.” He said: “To them God is a bloody avenger on the day of Armageddon and this is a denial I believe of all that Jesus came to teach.”

But Jesus himself took the lead in teaching about the end of this wicked system of things! You can read this at Matthew chapter 24, Luke chapter 21 and Mark chapter 13. And ‘Armageddon,’ mentioned at Revelation 16:14-16, is described in many Bible passages, such as Revelation 19:11-21. Yes, the Bible clearly teaches that “the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.”—1 John 2:17.

Is such “apocalyptic” teaching unimportant because it is only “ten percent of the total”? Jesus did not think so. Neither did the Bible writers. Indeed, if the last 10 percent of a bridge was washed out, would you still drive on it if someone called this fact to your attention? The Bible shows that these are the “last days” of this wicked system, that it is nearing its finish. (2 Tim. 3:1-5) The greatest service anybody can now perform is to call this to your attention, because your eternal welfare is involved.—Ezek. 3:18-21.

Jesus, likening men of religious systems to trees, declared: “Every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit.” He then warned: “Every tree not producing fine fruit gets cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matt. 7:16-19) Examine the religious ‘trees’ with which you associate. Are they producing the kind of fruit God requires?

Look Beyond the Wedding Day

Are You Really Ready for the Big Step?

PICTURE in your mind the home of a teen-age bride-to-be. Yes, there is plenty of excitement and concern. The parents, while concerned about the cost, work hard to make the eventful day a success. The girl may be, by turns, depressed and exhilarated. She knows that a big change in her life is at hand. But does she really know how big the change is going to be?

And then there is the young man. He, too, is a teen-ager, and also excited about the big day. Plans have been made to set up a new household soon after the wedding. But at this point all attention is fastened on the wedding day. Both boy and girl have attended weddings and have been caught up in the thrill and glamour of such occasions. They can already see the wedding guests crowding around offering congratulations and bringing gifts.

But are these two young people ready for the big step? Do they really know each other? Speaking of those early days of teen-age love, one authority declares:

“Each partner forms in the beginning an idealized picture of the other. If marriage occurs during the first glow of enthusiasm, both are likely to have a rude awakening later on.” How can they be sure that theirs is not merely juvenile infatuation that could wear thin in a few months’ time?

Perhaps you are a teen-ager, and you have not yet committed yourself to marriage. You may be contemplating it, though. How wise you are if you face the facts now, refraining from rushing into marriage without due preparation or preadjustment! Married life can bring joy, peace, an atmosphere of stability and contentment. But there are failures, too. And you want to avoid that.

Food for Thought

What is it that makes thoughtful, advance consideration of all the pitfalls in marriage desirable? It is the fact that one is entering into a permanent partnership when one enters the bonds of Christian marriage. Before God there can be no excusing the breaking of those bonds for anything short of marital unfaithfulness on the part of one of the mates. ‘Till death do us part’ is the solemn vow that marriage partners make.—Matt. 5:31, 32.

So the glamour of the wedding day should not divert one’s mind from the vital questions that concern those days, months and years that lie beyond the marriage ceremony. Each one contemplating marriage should ask very soberly, Am I adequately equipped for this new role in life, ready to discharge its responsibilities? Young unmarried people can surely note what parents have to do. They can observe that a husband supports his household financially and that he cares for maintenance of equipment in the house. They can see that the role of the wife is that of homemaker—cooking, cleaning, mending and caring for the children. But what can they do to prepare themselves?

If a young man does not know a trade or does not have a job that is adequate to care for himself and his wife-to-be, and perhaps a child before long, can it be said that he is well prepared for marriage? Also, has he worked with his father in caring for practical things around the house? A young woman, too, needs to share in all the household duties with her mother, becoming proficient and always having in mind the excellent qualities of a “capable wife” outlined in the Bible book of Proverbs, chapter 31. Has she really done these things? Successful marriage is not a prolonged honeymoon. Rather, it is a settled, deeply satisfying partnership, with each one contributing generously toward the success of the undertaking.

Religion is a vital consideration when it comes to preparing for a successful marriage. Unless the partners in the marriage can see eye to eye on the subject of God’s requirements for his worshipers, how can they expect success? How can they collaborate to teach their children what is right and true? The Bible wisely counsels: “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers,” that is, those who do not accept the truth of the Bible teachings that you rely on as a guide in life.—2 Cor. 6:14, 15.

It is not enough that one of the prospective mates tolerates the religious views of the other. No, because issues may arise that can shatter such toleration—the matter of who has the deciding voice on vital questions affecting the family, for example. Can the girl see in the young man she plans to marry someone she can accept as her “head,” someone for whom she will always have “deep respect”? (Eph. 5:23, 33) Does the man see in his prospective wife one who will always be submissive, not a competitor for the place of leadership in the household?—1 Pet. 3:1.

Many are the disillusionments of premature marriage. According to some authorities in the field of marriage counseling, “two out of three teen-age marriages end on the rocks.” Too late, young mates find that theirs was purely a childish infatuation. Too late, they find themselves mismatched. Too late, they wish they had looked beyond the wedding day and prepared themselves for the roles of husband and wife. Their passions led them into rash action.

What About the Sex Drive?

Yet it is often believed that the sex drive implanted within us should determine when to take a mate. That may be true of animals, but man is superior to the animals, or should be. Intelligent humans well know that the sex urge should never be permitted to take the wheel and direct one’s course in life. Feelings, it is true, are an essential element in our lives, but the mind should supervise, control, yes, even overrule the feelings when necessary to our welfare. If people did everything they felt like doing, this world would be in a sorrier mess than it is in today.

The sex drive is a factor to be considered in marriage. (1 Cor. 7:9) But there are other factors, which, if ignored, can rob a marriage of success. Good judgment, for example, may be cast aside. Consider what happens when someone buys an item without checking as to its quality. On the outside it may appear quite good, but when tested as to quality it may prove to be inferior. Such a discovery as to one’s marriage mate after the wedding day is too late, such as when one finds oneself married to a chronic complainer. Now is the time to think of such possibilities.

‘But this sex drive is too powerful,’ some have been known to claim. But why? Is it because they are reading books and watching films that glorify sex and elevate it to a position it does not deserve? Is it because they have become over-familiar with those of the opposite sex, whipping up their passions to a dangerous degree? That is how boys and girls often become obsessed with the idea that they must marry right away.

The Better Way

How much better, how much wiser it is not to be rushed into any such far-reaching decision as that involved in your choice of a marriage mate! First, it is beneficial to have had the experience of standing alone as an individual after passing the adolescent stage, depending on one’s own resources, physical, mental and spiritual. Teen-agers who pass immediately from parental care into the married state miss this opportunity. They never get to know the reality of single life. All they know is dependence on a marriage mate or a parent for protection and happiness.

Then there is the extreme seriousness of the vow they must make to accept someone in wedlock ‘for better or for worse.’ A vow made in haste, without full consideration of everything involved, holds very little of promise, for in Proverbs 29:20 we read: “Have you beheld a man hasty with his words? There is more hope for someone stupid than for him.”

A prospective marriage mate needs to be observed under unfavorable as well as favorable conditions. And that takes time. Also, it helps if one can become acquainted with the parents of an intended mate. One marriage counselor, a doctor, observed that ‘seeing her fiancé’s mother serve a meal, seeing the father and mother with each other, is one way a girl can get some idea of what her future husband is likely to expect of her.’ Likewise a young man may get some idea of the kind of wife his fiancée will turn out to be, by observing her mother over a period of time.

It takes time also for the respective parents to get to know the one their son or daughter is contemplating marrying. ‘That is unimportant,’ some may say. But then, if the marriage does run into trouble, to whom are the newlyweds going to turn for a sympathetic ear or some assistance and counsel with a view to patching up their differences? It is true that parents may not select mates for their children as in earlier times, but from their fund of experience they can offer helpful advice, especially so if they are well versed in the Bible’s fine principles.

Of course, if one sees the benefits from a waiting period before plunging into matrimony, then he or she must understand that intimate association with the opposite sex or reading books and watching movies having sex as their theme is not for them. Upbuilding reading habits and associations must be substituted.

Following the better way will produce many benefits. A greater stability will come to your life. You will be able to think more calmly and lucidly on vital questions including love and marriage. You will look well beyond the wedding day, preparing in advance for your role as husband or wife. You are more likely to enjoy a lastingly happy married life with God’s rich blessings.

Mexico City’s New Subway

By “Awake!” correspondent in Mexico

ON September 4, 1969, Mexico’s president Gustavo Díaz Ordaz inaugurated Line 1, an eight-mile section of Mexico City’s new subway. When the entire underground transit system is finished around November 1970 it is to consist of three lines and cover more than twenty-six miles.

Line 1 will accommodate 350,000 persons daily, and when the whole subway is completed it should take care of 3,600,000 passengers a day. This will provide some relief to residents who now get trapped in mammoth traffic jams. Mexico City has a population of over seven million.

Work on this project began in June 1967. It marked the thirty-fourth metropolitan area in the world to build such a transit system. London was the first; its subway system being inaugurated 106 years ago. But probably none before had such obstacles to overcome.

The difficulty is that Mexico City rests upon a reclaimed lake, and buildings often slowly sink into the spongy soil. One structure completed in 1934 has dropped nine feet! But even buildings in the same block will settle at differing speeds. Thus, special engineering techniques were needed to build an underground transit system under such conditions.

It was necessary to remove precisely the right weight of soil and water without undermining buildings alongside the subway’s right-of-way. Then a concrete, box-shaped tunnel was constructed; the subway being encased within it. In fact, Mexicans have called the subway “el Cajón” (the Box). Actually this box tunnel floats like a ship on the subsoil, which is 80 percent water. The special construction required for this project increased the expense. It is estimated that it will cost, when completed, 4,000 million pesos, which is over $300 million.

Inside, the stations are beautiful, made of marble floors and with Aztec designs on the columns. Especially noteworthy is the Pino Suárez station, built around the Aztec pyramid “God of the Wind,” which was unearthed during excavations.

Each orange-colored, French-built subway train is made up of six cars, and can carry over a thousand passengers. They run at about three-minute intervals, moving along noiselessly at a reasonable speed. There is hardly any noticeable vibration. The trains run on rubber tires, but each tire has a steel wheel that can be used if the tire loses its pressure. Computers are used to direct the trains, and a rheostat brings them to a stop. So the conductor’s main duty is simply to watch.

It was reported in August 1969 that during excavations more than 1,500 valuable archaeological pieces had already been found, the most outstanding of which was the pyramid of the “God of the Wind.” However, archaeologists are particularly interested in the findings during the excavations in the Zócalo (Main Square).

The Zócalo has been the main center of the city for centuries, and still is. Now located here is the National Palace, the city government buildings, the supreme court and many other old and interesting buildings. Archaeologists hope to find here the Piedra Pintada (Painted Stone), an Aztec calendar said to be as large and even more beautiful than the one called Piedra del Sol (Sun Stone), which is now in the National Museum.

The new subway is indeed a fine provision. Not only is it a beautiful, unique structure, but its transportation service is economical. One can buy five or ten tickets for eight cents (U.S.) each, or an individual ticket for one peso and twenty centavos, 9.6 American cents. Said one world traveler who has ridden in subways in many cities: “To ride this Metro is a dream.”

A Good Buy

● Florida was purchased from Spain by the United States for $5,000,000 in 1819. Now more than 14,000,000 persons visit the state yearly, and spend about $2,522,000,000. Each year in Florida factories produce about 116,000,000 gallons of frozen, concentrated orange juice.

How the Chinese Welcome the New Year

By “Awake!” correspondent in Hong Kong

GENERALLY speaking, every nation has some festival that they consider more important than others. To the Chinese, the lunar New Year is such a festival. For thousands of years the Chinese have considered the New Year the most festive season on their calendar.

Though the Chinese officially adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1912, the solar new year on January 1 is by no means as popular as the lunar new year. For instance, on the solar new year most firms and offices have only one day off, but during the lunar New Year festival they are closed for three or four days, some even up to a week. The Chinese lunar new year falls on the first new moon after the sun enters the zodiacal house of Aquarius, which may be anytime from January 21 to February 19.

Preparations for the Festival

The Chinese enthusiasm for this celebration exceeds even that displayed by Westerners toward Christmas. People begin to prepare for it a month in advance. Even families of small means spend much money to make purchases that are considered necessary for the celebration. Since the emphasis is on newness, people like to buy new clothes. In Hong Kong people have the custom of buying new shoes, and all the shoe shops do a roaring trade during the week before the new year.

An important preparatory date for the celebration is December 24 of the lunar calendar. Many Chinese believe that on this day the Kitchen God goes back to heaven to render a report to the Jade Emperor, who is believed responsible for rewards and punishment. Since the god in charge of the kitchen is believed to be an envoy from the Jade Emperor, people want to get on his good side, hoping he will hide their bad deeds and only speak about the good deeds when he makes his report. So, in order to get his favor, they clean his shrine over the stove thoroughly and offer him cakes and candies. Some even burn paper money to help the Kitchen God with his traveling expense or burn a paper horse for him to ride on. Others go a step farther. Feeling that it is not safe enough just to bribe the Kitchen God, they try to get the god drunk to make sure he does not give a bad report on them. They do this by dipping a portrait of the Kitchen God in wine. At midnight they send him off with a burst of firecrackers. They desire that he “send a good report to heaven and herald peace to the earth.”

During the few days before the new year, the markets are more crowded than usual as everyone is buying extra food for the special meal and for the New Year holidays, during which time the markets are closed. People also like to buy flowers for the festive season. It is the time for the narcissus to bloom, so you will see many hawkers selling narcissus bulbs in the market. Peach blossoms and miniature mandarin trees are also very popular. The color seen most at this time of the year is bright red, which is considered a happy color.

The Festival

At midnight firecrackers are set off everywhere, welcoming in the new year. During the following days the sound of firecrackers is almost constant. However, in 1968 the people in Hong Kong enjoyed probably their first quiet New Year. The government banned firecrackers, since the local communists had been using the gunpowder in firecrackers to make bombs.

Besides being a time for family reunions, New Year is also a time to visit friends and relatives. On the first and second days of the new year, whole families can be seen going from place to place visiting. In addition to gifts, they carry a generous supply of red packets with varying amounts of money in them to distribute to children. Understandably, these red packets are very popular with children, as this provides them with a little money to buy candies and toys. In theory, any unmarried person is entitled to receive red packets, but in practice very few single grown-ups accept them.

When visitors arrive they are offered sweetmeats and melon seeds. Sometimes they are also invited to drink some sweet juice and have some New Year cakes. Though such hospitality is greatly enjoyed by children, the grown-ups often view it with less enthusiasm. After feasting on such an abundance of rich food for a few days, people frequently suffer from indigestion.

According to custom, people avoid visiting on the third day of the new year, for they believe that doing so will cause them to quarrel with their friends throughout the year. Though many no longer believe this, most still abide by the custom, for it gives them a chance to rest a bit after two busy days of visiting.

The seventh day of the new year is considered an important day. It is called “Everybody’s Birthday.” According to ancient custom, the first day of the new year is considered the rooster’s birthday, the second day the dog’s, followed by the birthday of the pigs, goats, cattle, horses, with the seventh day assigned to humans.

The Cantonese customarily gather together for another family meal on this seventh day. Thus ends the first phase of the New Year celebration. Though in the past the celebration would go on till the fifteenth day, the busy life people lead nowadays seldom allows them to continue it that long. In fact, many shops are open for business on the fourth day.

In addition to assigning a general birthday to each of the above-mentioned animals, the Chinese also use twelve different animals to represent their years. These are the rats, cattle, tigers, rabbits, dragons, snakes, horses, rams, monkeys, roosters, dogs and pigs. What year it is is determined by the coupling of two sets of Chinese numerals, one consisting of twelve figures, the other ten. According to this calculation, 1969 was the year of the roosters and 1970 is the year of the dogs.

Fortune-tellers like to make conjectures according to these various animals as to whether blessings or evil will befall a certain year. The year 1967 was the year of the rams and was supposed to be a very propitious year, yet that year Hong Kong experienced the worst riots in its history.

Emphasis on Money and Good Fortune

Here in Hong Kong the most popular New Year greeting is “Kung hei fat choy,” meaning “May you have good fortune and riches.” It seems that people in general consider material riches the greatest success and most desired goal in life. In fact, in many communities in China the fifth day of the new year is considered the day of the Money God. On that day people receive the Money God into their houses with offerings of incense and sacrifices, hoping that this will bring them prosperity in the new year. Years ago, in the city of Shanghai, people used to stay up all night on the eve of the Money God’s return to set off firecrackers to show their welcome.

As one might expect from the popular greeting, many of the New Year customs are closely related to fortune. Some religious persons offer incense at the temples in an effort to obtain good fortune in the year to come. They also offer food there, and then take the food home and give it to the children to eat, believing that this will bring them good fortune. Also, many avoid using any sharp instruments, such as knives and scissors during the New Year festival, thinking that these might cut off their good fortune. Many put up good-luck posters over their doors.

Since the Chinese are so concerned about good fortune during the new year, some religions have taken advantage of the situation. One may see in some houses lanterns hanging over the door and inside of the house. On the lanterns are written various sayings, such as “Be prosperous in all things.” These are bought from Taoist temples or Buddhist shrines. In fact, many temples in Hong Kong hold an auction of lanterns and raise enough funds to support themselves for the rest of the year. Since the lanterns are sold to the highest bidders, some persons pay over a hundred dollars for one, hoping to receive the blessings promised by the sayings on the lantern.

There are also certain taboos during the New Year festival that are closely related to fortune. For example, many persons will not sweep the floor during this festival, since they fear they may sweep good fortune out of their homes. All sweeping is done before New Year’s Eve. Not only that, any who do sweep up dirt are careful in the way they do it; it must be swept inward, lest good fortune be swept from the house. So, from the welcoming of the Money God, to the traditional New Year greeting, and even to the sweeping of the floors, it can be seen that the desire to get rich figures prominently in the Chinese New Year celebration.

A Wrong Implication

There is nothing wrong with one’s hoping that the coming year will bring greater happiness. However, does happiness come with riches? The emphasis of the Chinese New Year festival on money and fortune implies this. But the evidence clearly shows that this is not necessarily the case. In fact, while riches are not evil in themselves, the desire to become rich is very harmful. As the reliable Holy Bible points out: “The love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.”—1 Tim. 6:10.

Thus, the Chinese New Year festival does not direct a person to the true source of happiness. For this source is not money or fortune, but it is the true God in heaven, Jehovah.

The Bible School That Really Helps You

WOULD you like to increase your knowledge and understanding of the Word of God, the Bible? Do you have questions on the Bible that you would like to have answered? Would you like to improve your ability to communicate with others? If so, then you are to be commended.

To satisfy your desire for understanding of the Scriptures, you may have attended a church Bible school. But perhaps it was short-lived, lasting only a few weeks, as has been the case with many such classes. Or it may be that you are currently studying the Bible with one of Jehovah’s witnesses in your own home but have never attended their Kingdom Hall meetings. In either case you would greatly benefit from attending the Theocratic Ministry School. What is it?

In English-speaking lands this school has been in operation for more than twenty-five years, and at present it provides regular sessions in more than 25,000 congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the world. It is a school in which anyone who attends, male or female, can enroll free of charge. Uniquely its students never graduate, nor do they want to graduate. They thoroughly enjoy the school program and, being progressive in outlook, they appreciate the need to keep on learning and improving their skills.

The Teaching Program

Each year a new teaching schedule is prepared. The schedule for 1970 presents the most interesting and helpful program ever arranged.

All who attend the school will be reading the Christian Greek Scriptures (“New Testament”) using a modern-language translation that helps them to get acquainted with the sense of the Greek Bible text. In the left-hand column of the Bible being used, there is the best Greek text available, that of Westcott and Hort, in the koineʹ Greek in which these Scriptures were originally written. Under each Greek word there appears the basic meaning of the word in English. Then in the right-hand column there is a modern-English translation. Thus each reader, even without any prior knowledge of Greek, can get to know for himself the flavor and force of that original Bible tongue. Each week three to seven chapters of this Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures will be considered.

There will also be short talks given each week to acquaint those present with enlightening and fascinating background information about persons, places, plants, animals and many significant events mentioned in the Bible. These presentations will help to make the Bible accounts come to life for those who hear them. The purpose of the talks, however, is not only to increase one’s Bible knowledge and understanding, but also to enlarge one’s heart appreciation for the Bible’s Author, Jehovah God.

Very helpful also will be the talks based on the theme ‘The Bible really is the Word of God.’ How many persons would like to have proof for that! Each week there will be a talk on this general theme. Among the subjects to be discussed will be “Genesis Account of Creation—Fact or Fiction?”, “Was There an Earth-wide Flood?” and “Is the Bible Practical for Our Day?” How strengthening to your faith in the Bible as the Word of God the answers to such questions will prove to be!

The program of the school includes a five-minute review on the previous week’s main talk, followed by a fifteen-minute main talk on some basic Bible subject, delivered by a well-qualified Christian minister. This is then followed by four student talks based on material of the type described above.

By attending and paying close attention you will gain much accurate knowledge based on the Bible and find answers to ever so many questions about the Bible that you may have wondered about. Of course, you will get much more out of the school if you prepare in advance by going over the assignments at home, in particular being certain to read the assigned Bible chapters each week.

So that you will better remember what you have learned, every four or five weeks there will be an evening set aside for written review. This will enable you to keep check on what you have learned. You need not hesitate to take this review because of fear of a poor mark, for you will be correcting your own paper and will not be asked to turn it in. So others will not know just how well you did unless you choose to tell them.

Benefits Derived from the School

Many are the benefits that you and your family will derive from attending this school. For example, the New York Times, September 28, 1969, called attention to the seriousness of the reading situation in the United States. It reported that, according to James E. Allen, Jr., the new United States Commissioner of Education, one-third of the schoolchildren in the United States read below their grade level. But does this situation exist among the Witnesses? No, it does not. Why not? Primarily because of the Bible-reading program of their Theocratic Ministry School. Thus a mother in Ottumwa, Iowa, told that her fourth-grade child had a second-grade reading ability until he took part in the Theocratic Ministry School’s Bible-reading program as carried out at home. Then within three months he advanced to fourth-grade reading ability, to the amazement of his schoolteacher.

In the Theocratic Ministry School, in addition to learning to read well, students also learn to communicate clearly with others. Time and again its youthful students have been highly commended by their secular schoolteachers because of their ability to present interesting material in an effective manner. Thus a schoolteacher in the Caribbean island of Grenada asked a young Witness if he had ever heard his voice on a tape recorder. When the youth replied that he had not, the teacher asked him to do some talking. The youth gave a sermon on the subject “Life in God’s New Order.” The teacher was visibly impressed. “You surprise me, young man! You speak so meaningfully and coherently for your age. You will make a good speaker in the future.” The youth credited his ability to the training he received in the Theocratic Ministry School.

Likewise testifying to the value of this school is the incident that took place in a Luzon town in the Philippines. There the school officials asked local religious leaders to supply a speaker for an anniversary program. They declined because of not having received notice far enough ahead of time to prepare properly. Finally, on the very day of the celebration the school officials decided to ask the Witnesses to supply a speaker, and a young Witness minister responded. As the program had already begun, he at once changed from his work clothes and accompanied them. He spoke for forty minutes on the subject “Meeting the Problems of Today’s Youth.” Later, when the main guest speaker, the chief school official of the entire province, got up to speak, he complimented the young Witness and said: “If I gave the speech I had prepared I would only be repeating what this young man said, and I would probably not do as well.”

The wondering school faculty later asked how this Witness, an ordinary workingman, could speak so well before a distinguished audience. Yes, it was because of his attending the Theocratic Ministry School at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As the apostles had learned from Jesus, he had learned at this school.—Acts 4:13.

Enrolling as a Student

Of course, if you enroll as a student and give talks regularly you will benefit most. This you are invited to do if you are a regular attender at these meetings. By preparing and giving talks not only will you gain much Bible information but you will also receive training in composition and in speaking before others.

Thus, after you have prepared and delivered your talk, the one in charge of the school or his assistant will kindly counsel you on your talk. He will discuss such aspects as the manner in which you covered the subject and whether it was logically and coherently developed. Also, did you have an appropriate introduction, and a fitting conclusion? Did you make good use of your time, neither running short nor running overtime?

You will also receive fine counsel on your manner of speaking. This will cover such factors as enthusiasm, modulation in pitch, pace and volume, sense stress and pronunciation. In a kind and upbuilding way you will be shown how you can improve.

Should you want help in preparing your talks, feel free to ask for it. This you can receive right at the Kingdom Hall at the close of the meetings or at your own home, if you prefer, at a convenient time. This aid is free, in keeping with Jesus’ command: “You received free, give free.”—Matt. 10:8.

So, if you would like to increase your understanding of God’s Word, if you would like to improve your ability to communicate to others what you have learned, if you are conscious of your spiritual need, then attend the Theocratic Ministry School at the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. You will be welcome there, as are all sincere searchers for truth and righteousness.

Taming of the Niger

By “Awake!” correspondent in Nigeria

WATCHING a powerful, wild stallion galloping free as the breeze is an inspiring sight. So also is a powerful river a thing of beauty. But just as a wild stallion is of limited service to man, so too is an untamed river.

Thus, in 1964 Nigeria set out on a bold scheme to tame the Niger, the third largest river on the African continent. The Niger flows through five countries in West Africa. Starting in Guinea, it winds through Mali and the Niger Republic, along the northern border of Dahomey, and flows hundreds of miles down through Nigeria before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.

The principal aim was to harness the river’s potential electrical power, since other sources such as steam and diesel plants could not keep up with Nigeria’s growing demands for power. Therefore, after much investigation, it was decided to construct a dam at Kainji Island on the Niger about 630 miles upstream from the Atlantic coast. On February 20, 1964, the work contract was awarded to Impregilo, an Italian construction firm. They arrived at the site in March 1964, and work started immediately.

Many wondered if the civil war, which started in Nigeria on July 6, 1967, would affect the construction. But since the project was well under way by that time, and all the work was out of the war area, construction continued according to schedule.

The cost for this project was estimated at $221,200,000. Who would pay this big bill? Nigeria was in position to pay more than one-third of the cost. The World Bank agreed to provide almost an equal amount, and Italy, Britain, the United States and the Netherlands agreed to finance the rest. So, the project really turned out to be an international one. Canada provided technical assistance. And machinery and building materials came from Sweden, Austria, Norway, Britain and Italy.

Construction

In time, the force working at the dam numbered 5,700. A camp was established nine miles from the construction site and grew to a population of 20,000, a regular city! It was well equipped with schools, shops, recreational facilities, street lighting, water supply and sewage disposal, as well as a hospital.

The principal section of the dam is the concrete structure. It is 1,800 feet long and 215 feet high above the foundation, about the height of a twenty-story building! Included in this section is the spillway, which has four huge fifty-foot by fifty-foot hydraulically operated gates. These are used to release excess water and to regulate the downstream flow of the river.

At the base of the dam, on the downstream side, is the power plant. Twelve intake tunnels channel water from the reservoir to this plant. Here the water turns huge turbines that each generate 110,000 horsepower. The electrical output is fed via overhead lines to the switchyard situated a short distance downstream from the dam. From there it is sent on its journey to satisfy Nigeria’s need for electrical power.

On each side of the 1,800-foot-long concrete dam are huge rock- and earth-fill dams. The one to the right is 8,000 feet long, and a similar one to the left bank is 4,000 feet long. These complete the main section of the dam. However, beyond the left-bank section is a low saddle dam that has a total length of 2-3/4 miles.

For the main dam, including the spillway, 800,000 cubic yards of cement were used. The power plant required another 175,000 cubic yards. And the fill dams used 9,000,000 cubic yards of material. If this were spread out over an area of one square mile, it would make a mound of earth nearly nine feet high!

The first electrical power was received from the dam on December 22, 1968, and the fourth turbine was installed at the end of February 1969. So, less than five years after the construction started, the dam was officially opened on February 15, 1969. In time a total of twelve turbines will be installed here, and the power produced will more than equal the amount produced in Nigeria before the dam’s construction!

Other Benefits

The 480-square-mile lake created by the dam guarantees a good supply of water for irrigation. Also, land downstream, formerly useless because of flooding, will now be reclaimed for agriculture. Another possible benefit is a fishing industry that is hoped eventually to harvest about 10,000 tons of fish annually.

Kainji Dam, too, will be a boon to the shipping industry. A bypass canal with two locks has been built to permit shipping above the dam. And, too, the dam allows for regulating and improving the flow in the river downstream, thus extending considerably the shipping season. This should make it possible for the various products from northern Nigeria more easily to reach the ocean and be shipped to world markets.

There is also the prospect that tourism will be another benefit of the lake. Inland lakes are few in Africa, and in an area so far distant from the ocean and large bodies of water, the lake will certainly be an attraction.

Future Projects

As the demand for electricity increases, two future projects have been planned, which will be integrated with Kainji Dam.

First is a dam to be located near Jebba, about sixty miles below Kainji Dam. Its hydroelectric capacity will be a little more than half that of the recently opened project. The lake it will produce will extend all the way back to Kainji Dam.

Then there are plans for a dam at Shiroro Gorge on the Kaduna River, upstream from where the Kaduna meets the Niger. It will produce nearly the same electrical output as the proposed Jebba Dam. Once these dams are completed, an ingenious, integrated system is planned that will produce a large, year-round supply of electricity.

Such projects should be a boon to Nigeria’s economy.

Denizens of the Mountains

LOFTY mountains that pierce the clouds and reach to dizzying heights may appear to us humans as coldly majestic, lonely, even forbidding. Yet to a great variety of wildlife they constitute home. Some of these creatures would never think of descending to lower altitudes. And to see them in a zoo, even if they could long survive such a humiliating experience, one could gain no realistic idea of their way of life among peaks and chasms.

Some of these creatures are not very familiar to us, while the names of others have almost become household words. For example, have you heard of the nyala, with its spiral horns measuring up to forty-four inches in length? It was discovered in 1908 at 9,000 feet in the mountains of South Abyssinia. On the other hand, who has not heard of the chinchilla? The mountain variety lives at an altitude of 17,000 feet.

Up at those heights, too, there are birds that soar high and make their nests in unapproachable places. There are birds of great variety, such as hawks, eagles, the black duck, slender-billed chestnut-winged starlings and a host of others.

Can we take a closer look at some of these dwellers in lofty penthouses without risking life and limb? Yes, we can, for others have clambered up to the giddy heights and recorded their firsthand observations for our benefit.

The Mountain Gorilla

Let’s start with the mountain gorilla, the giant ape discovered in the higher levels of the West African forests in 1847. This creature’s reported warlikeness, its tremendous strength and the remoteness of its habitation have stirred man’s imagination and posed something of a mystery, arousing popular and scientific interest.

The African Primate Expedition set out in February 1959 to clear up the mystery. Gaining their objective involved roaming through the forests and climbing mist-shrouded mountains. Finally, in January 1961 they were on the home ground of the mountain gorilla, whose total population is said to be between 5,000 and 15,000. During the 466 hours they spent in full view of these mighty creatures a great deal was learned and recorded.

All together, members of the expedition had opportunity to study them in 314 separate encounters. Imagine being approached to within fifteen feet by one of these huge beasts—with nothing to bar his nearer approach! That was the experience of one member of the visiting group.

These big fellows rise early, about 6 a.m., and retire at about 6 p.m. Breakfast lasts for perhaps a couple of hours, their massive bodies moving from snack to snack. From about 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. they lounge around. Again they resume the search for food—food in much greater variety than any zoo would be likely to provide. A total of 100 food plants were collected in various study areas—by no means a monotonous diet!

The observers noted that these creatures have a total of some twenty-two distinct utterances or vocalizations, eight of them occurring quite frequently. There is the soft grumbling sound—sure sign of the contented ape. A series of abrupt grunts serve to keep the group together. A harsh scream may sound as if murder is being committed. It is most likely merely a quarrel with lots of bluff. A high screech means some infant ape is afraid he is being left behind. Mother will doubtless respond right away.

But what about the gorilla’s notorious chest-beating display? For that you will need patience, for it happens infrequently. But when it does get under way, you are in for a real show! It starts with a series of hoots, following which the animal, hooting at a fast tempo, rises on its hind legs like a mountain of hair, throws some plant into the air, kicks up one leg and at the climax beats its massive chest with cupped hands several times. Then he runs sideways, slapping and tearing at the vegetation, finally thumping the ground with heavy palm. The chest beats have been recorded; his roars of high intensity are probably the most explosive sound in all the animal kingdom!

A closer look at these powerful brutes weighing up to six hundred pounds reveals that in sight, hearing and smell their powers are about the same as those of a human. Almost always they move about on all fours. The farthest any one of them was seen to walk erect was sixty feet. Interestingly, too, during all the hours of observation, not once was a gorilla seen using any kind of tool.

The younger members of the group play a variety of games—King of the Mountain, Follow the Leader, and running, climbing, sliding and swinging games. They lead relatively peaceful lives. Seldom are they heard quarreling. Sunbathing is one of their leading forms of relaxation. They will stretch out on their backs, hairy chests exposed to the warm rays. Whenever rain comes, a tree provides shelter, or they may just sit hunched over in the open, waiting patiently for the storm to pass.

The Mountain Camels

Now, through the records of mountaineer naturalists, let us take a look at the mountain camels, in their own habitat, high up in the South American Andes, in the stony deserts or punas. The vicuna is wild, greatly prized for his fur, while the llama (pronounced lyahʹmah in Spanish) is domesticated, a genuine ship of the desert. They look quite different from the creature we are used to calling “camel,” yet both are true camels.

The llama is primarily a beast of burden, but a unique burden-bearer, for he can carry heavy loads even in the ratified air of mountain heights, often below zero and amid battering winds and howling blizzards. However, he will not accept one ounce more load than he wishes to carry. Llamas grow fat and sleek up on those barren slopes, where not a blade of grass can be seen, and where only bare rock and sand appear.

But how do they survive? Here is where their mountaineering ability comes into play! They seek out delicious morsels (that is, to them) such as reindeer moss, lichen and cacti, getting them on incredibly precipitous pastures.

The llama has some special equipment, too, and he needs it, for some of the great hunters of the animal world stalk him—the mountain lion and the jaguar. Soft, padded, almost clawlike toes permit him to adhere to impossibly steep surfaces as though he had suction cups for feet. The feet themselves, very loosely jointed at the hocks, often appear dislocated as they adjust to every angle and crevice.

A common but amazing sight is a herd of llamas grazing on seemingly bare rock, so steep that even the native Indian cannot find a toehold! Still another thrilling sight is provided when a lone llama is traversing bare ledges or walking across the glass-smooth ice of a glacier a thousand feet above some rushing torrent. One misstep, it would seem, could plunge the creature down into an abysmal canyon.

The vicuna, on the other hand, is not herded. It is noted for its wild, lightning-like movements and prodigious leaps. Three miles above sea level they can dash at such speed that only their dust can be seen, and then stop dead in their tracks. They can leap up fifteen feet, twist about in midair and, at the instant their feet touch ground, dash madly off in an entirely different direction.

An entire herd of fifty or more may be seen at times running around in circles, playing leapfrog, turning backflips or somersaults as if to advertise their freedom. At the least sign of danger, they will vanish in a cloud of dust. Apparently they have no realization of the dangers inherent in their lofty playgrounds however. Often they are injured or killed by falls, in spite of the popular idea that they never make a misstep.

Interestingly, they seem to have a single-track mind. Vicunas will return again and again to the same bedding spot, even when some of their number are killed nightly. So all the hunter has to do, when he locates a bedding place, is wait. He is sure of his quarry. The vicuna will not leap over, push against or cross any barrier, however flimsy. It might only be two fences of light string used by Indians to funnel the animals down to the narrow spoutlike end where they can be killed as they emerge. They do not attempt to break through the light cord barrier!

Their valuable fur made the vicunas a special target for huntsmen. A vicuna coat is so fine and light that a robe six feet square may be folded and pressed into a bundle measuring nine by fourteen inches, and not more than four inches thick—a bundle weighing less than four pounds. Eventually the Peruvian and Bolivian governments had to pass strict laws in order to curb the wanton slaughter of these freedom-loving creatures.

Other Intrepid Mountaineers

The scene shifts now to the mountains of America’s Northwest. Here is the abode of the yellow-eyed mountain goat—in reality an antelope. His white beard waving serenely in the wind, he reminds onlookers of an old professor. However, no professor could follow this most surefooted of creatures. Clad in warm underwear of wool three to four inches thick, he lives a tough, hard life above the timberline. His overcoat is long and shaggy, also of pure wool. But naturalists are not quite sure how, even with such equipment, he manages to survive the Arctic conditions of the northern Rockies. At times this animal will shed wool so abundantly that Indians are able to rake up several bushels in an area of a few square yards.

This goat’s sureness of step is truly phenomenal. Rarely will he proceed until he is sure of what lies ahead. However, if a lofty trail peters out he does not panic. He may back up until it is safe to turn, or he may rear up on hind legs, with thousands of feet of sheer emptiness below, press hard against the cliff, turn inward and around, dropping again on all fours as easily as you would step up on the curb. But that is not the extent of his daring. He may choose instead to defy the yawning chasm below, simply reaching up to grab a tiny rock shelf and pulling himself to a still higher level.

Like the llama, these mountain goats have their own special footgear. The sole of each toe is concave and acts as a suction cup. The clefts between the two toes open toward the front so that when the animal is descending a smooth rocky slope its weight spreads the toes wider for firmer grip. These creatures are very curious about men, who once in a while poke curiously into their mountain habitat.

And then there is the bighorn, also born into a world of soaring peaks. This creature is really a sheep, but a sheep without the traditional wool. He, too, is agile and nimble of foot. One old ram in the Sierra Diablo of West Texas was observed going down a near vertical fifty-foot cliff. Another made a leap that spanned nearly seventeen feet. The bighorns move around mostly in flocks. Mother animals watch gravely while lambs make merry, playing tag, follow the leader, jump the rock, run around pinnacles, and indulge in petty butting matches.

Another neighbor in this northern mountain area is the mountain beaver. This name is really a misnomer, for he is no true beaver. He has no tail, and does not have the reputation of the real beaver for industriousness. Why, his tunnel roof is often so thin that it collapses. If the debris bothers him, he just scoops it up and shoves it out. All winter he may be seen following his daily routine, for he is not a hibernating creature.

Finally, let’s look in on the hyrax in his normal home area, Mount Kenya of Africa’s alpine zone. Tailless, about the size of a rabbit, this oddity is said to be akin to the elephant and the rhinoceros. His dung is unique, for it contains the hyraceum used in elegant perfumes. Less sophisticated and less mobile than some of his mountaineer neighbors, the hyrax lives in burrows slightly above freezing temperature. He is equipped with a two-inch-thick brown fur coat. His cousins live in the lowland savannas where it is warmer, so their coats are only half an inch thick.

So, wherever there are mountain heights all around the earth there are interesting creatures that call those mountains home. Inaccessibility to these creatures means mainly safety from human predators. There are large ones and small ones. They include great variety: the powerful gorilla, the laughably free vicuna, the dignified mountain goat, the stolid pack-bearing llama and the scurrying beaver of the mountains. If you ever see one of these in a zoo, just picture in your mind the clean, airy world of peaks and chasms that they call home.

Determined to Learn

During a time when there was a scarcity of copies of the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, a witness of Jehovah in Ohio began studying the Bible with her neighbor. The Witness had only her copy of the Truth book to use. So she would lend the book to this interested neighbor in order for her to prepare her lessons. This went on for some time. Finally the neighbor borrowed the book for several days. When the Witness came to her home to conduct the study, she was amazed to find that this woman had hand copied much of the Truth book along with the questions so she could have her own book to study until copies would once again be available. Truly, she was determined to learn God’s truth.

An Ancient Liquid Serves a Modern World

By “Awake!” correspondent in Canada

A LIQUID for packaging and architecture, engineering and art! Essential to automobiles, radio, television and satellites, it is indispensable in hospitals, factories and homes. It can be as strong as steel, hard as gems, heavy as iron; or fragile as eggshells, soft as silk, light as cork. Supplied in abundance surpassed by few other materials, it is the liquid of antiquity—glass.

“Glass—a liquid?” you may ask in disbelief. Yes, when glass is formed from a white-hot mixture of molten ingredients its atoms and molecules retain the random pattern of a liquid even though it becomes as rigid as ordinary solids. A liquid that looks, feels and behaves like a solid seems fantastic, but the peculiar properties of its unique state make glass one of your most versatile and valuable servants.

Glassmaking is one of the most ancient industries. It is also very modern. Man has used glass for more than thirty-five centuries, but he barely “scratched the surface” of its versatility until about seventy-five years ago. In fact, it was not until 1903 that a glass bottle was produced entirely by automation, and a machine for flat-drawing window glass was not a commercial reality until about 1916. Since then increased knowledge and better means to utilize this amazing liquid have allowed mass production to transform glass from a treasured luxury to a servant in myriads of forms.

Continuous Production

The basic ingredients of glass have remained unchanged for thousands of years. Silica sand, lime and soda still make about 90 percent of the world’s glass, but the production scale has been considerably increased to meet modern demands. Today’s glassmakers scrupulously select tons of pure raw materials, weigh them to the ounce, thoroughly mix them and then feed the mixture, or batch, to gigantic tank furnaces that can hold more than 1,000 tons of molten glass. Although added cullet, or scrap glass of the same formula to be manufactured, speeds the melting process, the furnace must be heated to about 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit! So corrosive is molten glass at this temperature that the process has been compared to melting a block of ice in a container of sugar. The heat-resistant furnace walls must usually be replaced every two to four years.

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Awake!, January 8, 1970