Awake!, September 22, 1971

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Awake! — September 22, 1971

Source: jw.org

Contents

Are You Happy with Your Life?

Why I Left a Promising Gymnastics Career

Whose Blood Is It?

Why Are Catholic Schools Closing?

An Interesting Conversation

Diving for a Living

Her Clergyman’s View of the Bible

If Only Your Lungs Could Talk!

Indians of Panama—a Glimpse of the Past

Research in Psychotherapy

Amazing Bark That Serves Man

Sweden Beset by Troubles

‘Happy Those Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake’

Watching the World

Was the Ark Big Enough?

Finding Answers to Your Bible Questions

Are You Happy with Your Life?

Are You Happy with Your Life?

WHAT is your purpose in life? In this time of frustrations and changing values, you may be like many who are seeking to make their lives a worthwhile contribution to mankind’s welfare, toward remedying the world’s ills. Activities of this nature cover a broad field, including health, welfare and educational work, conservation and antipollution efforts, civil-rights programs, peace movements and other endeavors.

On the other hand, you may be among those who concentrate on the things necessary for yourself and family, getting along as best you can without becoming involved in social or political movements.

Whatever the case, does your activity bring you real satisfaction and happiness? Does it work unselfishly for the good and the happiness of others? Is your activity sure to accomplish the desired purposes, unfailingly certain to bring about the results you are hoping for? Is it the very best thing you can do?

The Perfect Activity God Recommends

One may say, Who can be sure? Is there any activity that will do all these things? There is such activity, and it is going on today. It is an activity directed by God. Of all that he does it is said: “Do you attribute greatness to our God! The Rock, perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice.” (Deut. 32:3, 4) All his works, dealings and arrangements are perfect. And he is doing a work in which he invites humans to participate. So it is actually a perfect activity. Of this an apostle of Jesus Christ said: “We are God’s fellow workers.” He further spoke of sharing in God’s activity, saying: “Working together with him, we also entreat you not to accept the undeserved kindness of God and miss its purpose.”​—1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 6:1.

More than a million and a half persons are making God’s recommended activity their way of life, and tens of thousands are entering into this activity each year. These persons, known as Jehovah’s witnesses, are found in all nations. Since they follow the Scriptural pattern of morals and practice, theirs is undoubtedly the largest thoroughly unified activity on earth. Those who show concern for their fellowman and sincerely desire a remedy for mankind’s ills and problems will be very interested in this activity.

Of what does this activity consist? Simply stated, it is looking into the Bible, putting into effect its basic, straight principles, then informing others about it. Those engaging in this activity are living with the view that God’s Messianic kingdom will soon rule the earth, enforcing that kingdom’s righteous laws.

Most persons know of the prayer Christ taught, and many have prayed to God: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10, Douay) A careful examination reveals that this prayer actually asks for God’s kingdom to exercise power and bring about the perfect, righteous, healthful, peaceful conditions on earth that exist in the heavens of God.

To follow the Bible’s recommended way of life is not in itself difficult or complicated. It requires a person to do only the things that God originally created man to do. God says: “He has told you, O earthling man, what is good. And what is Jehovah asking back from you but to exercise justice and to love kindness and to be modest in walking with your God?”​—Mic. 6:8.

This is why Jehovah’s witnesses have taken up the activity God recommends. True, it requires effort, just as any worthwhile pursuit does, but it is most pleasurable. And some time is required to get knowledge of what is to be done, then to put it into effect, for it is not a ‘religion on the side,’ but a way of life. It entails right thinking (Phil. 4:8), cleanness (Ps. 24:4), industriousness (2 Thess. 3:10-12; Titus 3:14), hospitality (Heb. 13:2), concern for others (1 Thess. 2:8), preaching and teaching the truths of the Bible and the good news of the Kingdom to one’s own family and friends, and to others.​—Matt. 28:19, 20; Eph. 6:4.

Benefits of the Perfect Activity

Why can this course be truly called a ‘perfect activity’? Consider a few of its effects and results.

It gives the individual a purpose in life. From a study of the Bible he realizes that God has a place for him in His purposes, that he can help others, and that there is a future for humankind under God’s kingdom. This hope is also a fine comfort, for it assures a resurrection for those who have died.​—2 Cor. 1:3, 4; 1 Thess. 4:13.

It enables one to be a respectable, self-supporting member of society. The one who learns of God’s activity recognizes that he must work, taking care of himself and family to the extent that he is able, not relying on “welfare” if he can make his own way. He has incentive. (Eph. 4:28) Moreover, he can count on God to help, for the scripture says: “I have not seen anyone righteous left entirely, nor his offspring looking for bread.” (Ps. 37:25; compare Jesus’ words at Matthew 6:25-33.) Applying Bible principles, he does his secular work or any other task “as to Jehovah,” with conscientious effort to imitate and please God, whose activity is perfect.​—Col. 3:23, 24; Eph. 5:1; Rom. 12:17.

It protects from involvement in hurtful things. The person who acts in harmony with accurate knowledge of God’s kingdom is shielded from entanglement in political or radical involvements. The Bible says, very pointedly: “My son, fear Jehovah and the king. With those who are for a change, do not intermeddle. For their disaster will arise so suddenly, that who is aware of the extinction of those who are for a change?” (Prov. 24:21, 22; John 18:36; Jas. 4:4) Following the Bible’s principles keeps the individual in a neutral course with respect to arguments and controversies between others. (Rom. 12:18; Prov. 26:17) He is no lawbreaker or disrespecter of authority; thus he avoids suffering as an evildoer. (1 Pet. 4:15) He is safeguarded from questionable business practices and get-rich-quick schemes. (Heb. 13:18) Knowing that “God is not partial,” he is freed from prejudices of race or nationality. (Acts 10:34, 35; 17:26, 27; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11) Such a person engages in the upbuilding activity of helping those who desire to know about God, but he refuses to enter into wrangling and angry disputes over matters of religion.​—Acts 24:12; 1 Pet. 3:15.

It broadens the individual by accentuating his concern for others, gives him wider association as he speaks about the Kingdom to others. It assists his family in broadening their relationships, gaining new friends. In congregational Bible study meetings and in participating in the preaching work together, a close bond of love and unity is formed. As Jesus promised, one gets “a hundredfold now in this period of time, houses [of friends where one is welcome] and [spiritual] brothers and sisters.” (Mark 10:29, 30) Hospitality and human kindness are promoted.​—Heb. 13:2.

The ability to converse is enhanced. In speaking to others about God’s purposes, one is kept alert, alive to the thinking and experiences of others. He ‘cleans up’ his language in line with the Scriptural command: “Let a rotten saying not proceed out of your mouth.” (Eph. 4:29) At the congregational meetings he learns to express himself, improving the quality and effectiveness of his conversation.

It affords education of the highest order. A knowledge of God and his principles is the most valuable education. The world has gone ahead rapidly in technological wisdom, but has failed in the field of human relations. The development of love, respect and consideration has suffered. Activity in the service of the Creator restores this most important quality. Jesus said that love for one another would be an identifying mark of his disciples, and commanded love for one’s enemies also, saying: “You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”​—Matt. 5:43-48; John 13:35.

The family is protected from immorality. As the Bible’s laws regarding the respective responsibilities of husband, wife and children are clearly seen and love is expressed, the family unity is maintained. Each member of the family is respected; each one’s voice is heard when family problems arise, though the parents make final decisions. Thus there is mutual trust. Because enjoyment is found in family association, none feel forced to seek pleasures outside that may entail bad associations and moral delinquency.​—Heb. 13:4; Prov. 5:15-18.

Mental and physical health are favored. One engaged in the activity of God’s ministry has peace of mind. He is secure. He knows that, if faithful, he has the recognition of others​—of God and of Christian associates. He has a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment as he helps others. He is relieved of many fears. All this tends toward spiritual and mental health, with accompanying beneficial effects toward physical soundness. (2 Tim. 1:7) By engaging in the activity of calling on persons at their homes with the good news of the Kingdom, he not only exercises his mind in a refreshing occupation; he also gets physical exercise and a change of surroundings that promote one’s general well-being. The principle is expressed in the Proverbs: “A calm heart is the life of the fleshly organism,” and “a heart that is joyful does good as a curer.”​—Prov. 14:30; 17:22.

The apostle Paul said to the young man Timothy: “Bodily training is beneficial for a little; but godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come.” (1 Tim. 4:8) On the apostle’s statement, Bible scholar Albert Barnes comments: “[It is beneficial] in every respect. There is not an interest of man, in reference to this life, or to the life to come, which it would not promote. It is favourable to health of body, by promoting temperance, industry, and frugality; to cleanness and vigour of intellect, by giving just views of truth, and of the relative value of objects; to peace of conscience, by leading to the faithful performance of duty; . . . it furnishes the promise of whatever is really necessary for us in this life.”

King Solomon, who had the gift of wisdom from God, tried many pursuits and observed all the activities of mankind. After years of such observation and experience, he wrote: “The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man.” (Eccl. 12:13) Only by this activity can you be fully happy with your life.​—John 13:15-17.

Why I Left a Promising Gymnastics Career

Why I Left a Promising Gymnastics Career

I WAS a real enthusiast for gymnastics. It all started when I was fifteen years old. Night after night would find me at the local sports club. I made rapid progress and soon won national prizes in junior championships. My speciality, as a girl, was floor exercises and the balance beam. Within two years I went into senior competition, and my training became more intensified. I was chosen to be part of the National Gymnastic Team to represent Portugal in international competitions and exhibitions.

This was the opportunity for which I had been waiting. I seized it with youthful zeal. Now I could travel, gain wide experience and later establish a career in physical education. I traveled to a number of countries, including Brazil and Spain. Early in 1966 I went to France to receive specialized training for two months. If I excelled, then I was to participate both in the European championships and later in the Olympic Games in Mexico.

I returned home from France more enthusiastic than ever but was soon aware that there had been a big change in our family. My mother and sister had begun studying the Bible. They knew that they had found the truth and they wanted to share it with me. They were tactful but persistent. During the few hours I was at home, at mealtimes, they explained to me the thrilling things they were learning in the Bible. I found myself becoming interested.

After two months I was convinced that the Christian witnesses of Jehovah were teaching the truth of God’s Word. This was not just another religion​—but a way of life, as Christianity should be.

Sticking to My Decision

I knew that very shortly I would have to make a big decision. That very summer international competitions were scheduled, and here I was in the midst of national eliminatory competitions. After the compulsory exercises on the first day, I was rated far in the lead in my group. This meant that even with a mediocre exhibition in the optional exercises on the second day I would be in first place.

That night I could not sleep. My mind kept thinking about the future. If I continued I would obligate myself for the next several years to pursue the objectives of the team. Is that what I really wanted? Would this sports career permit me fully to serve God? Would I not find it all the more difficult to desist, the more I advanced and assumed obligations? I weighed the future prospects and made my decision, praying to Jehovah God for strength to adhere to it.

The next morning I went to the competition, but not to participate! I told the managers about my decision to give up gymnastics. Nobody believed me. They thought I was joking. Soon, however, they realized differently. My fellow team members tried hard to convince me to continue. During the days that followed, the telephone at home rang almost constantly. Well-meaning friends tried to persuade me to reconsider and change my mind. Two managers of the club visited our home to speak to my mother in an endeavor to convince me that I was throwing away a golden opportunity. ‘This young girl, in the prime of her life, with more than a score of medals and trophies, is making too drastic a decision,’ they said.

But my decision was made. I had dedicated my life to Jehovah God and within a month I was baptized in symbol of that dedication.

Realism About Sports and Godly Devotion

Physical education had appealed to me because high esteem is placed on proper body care, nutrition, maintaining good health and body functions. Many advantages are presented to encourage participation in sports, such as the thrills of cooperative team effort, acquiring the ability to win honorably and with humility, as well as to lose with grace. Good sportsmanship is said to contribute highly to social poise.

But, from personal experience I also saw the other side of the picture. The more I shared in competitions the more it became evident that fierce competition brought to the fore jealousy, and this even among fellow team members. At times offensive remarks were made to slight the one who excelled or won first prize. When physical attributes of the body itself had developed to a remarkable degree, excessive pride and conceit were reflected by some. Constant training and hours of exercise are required to keep in form. When preparing for international competitions the demand on one’s time becomes almost total.

To many, the joy itself of participating in healthful sports activity becomes eclipsed by the passion to win. If one does win, the prize is personal fame and a name for oneself. But is this not passing glory? Are not the records of today forgotten tomorrow when the new champions are acclaimed? How true I found the words recorded in the Bible at 1 Timothy 4:8: “For bodily training is beneficial for a little; but godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come”!

How rewarding have been the past two years! I suffer no lack of daily exercise. The Christian ministry of visiting the homes of people to talk to them about God’s wonderful purposes not only provides plenty of exercise but also gives one a splendid opportunity to develop Christian qualities of self-control, perseverance and humility.

It is true one gains satisfaction in excelling and winning a prize. Do I miss that feeling of striving for a prize and being rewarded? Not at all! By sharing in the ministry I am meeting the greatest challenge possible, reaching out for the prize of life everlasting.​—1 John 2:25.

And joys come often in my new career. For example, several months ago I was happy when a woman asked me to begin a home Bible study with her. She made rapid progress. Previously she had been subject to violent demonic attacks, and on such occasions neighbors would run to her home bringing rosaries and various “saints” in attempts to exorcise the evil spirits. One day she told me she had disposed of more than twenty such rosaries as well as a two-foot image of “Our Lady of Fatima.” Noticing the beneficial change in his wife, the husband requested a Bible study. Husband and wife are now proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom.

Yes, I am very happy that I chose to become a full-time proclaimer of God’s kingdom. This has given me a satisfaction I never knew before. During the past two years I have had the greatest joy imaginable in helping twenty persons to become proclaimers of God’s kingdom. I feel I am using my life in the most worthwhile way possible​—the pursuit of praise, not for oneself, but for our Grand Creator.​—Contributed.

Whose Blood Is It?

Whose Blood Is It?

● Today there are numerous uses to which animal and human blood is put. In addition to being used in transfusions, it is used by some commercial firms for making certain adhesives or food products. But when blood is removed from an animal or human, to whom does the blood belong? The owner of the animal? The human from whom the blood was taken? What do you think?

A three-year-old girl in Bolivia knew the answer. Her Christian parents, in studying the Bible with her, had pointed out that Jehovah God viewed blood as representing life. When blood was removed from a body it was not to be eaten or sold but was to be poured out on the ground. Thus the blood was, in effect, returned to God as the one with whom life originates.​—Lev. 17:11-14.

The young girl’s mother explains what happened one day: “I have some neighbors that share the same patio and who were never interested in hearing me speak about the Bible. One holiday they brought home a sheep to slaughter and feast upon. As the animal was slaughtered, my three-year-old daughter happened to be nearby and she saw the blood flow from the animal. She shouted, ‘The blood belongs to Jehovah! The blood belongs to Jehovah!’ The neighbors never heard such a thing, and they did not know who Jehovah was, so they were left speechless. Hearing my girl’s shouts, I hurried to the patio to see what was the matter. There she was among the grown-ups saying, ‘Don’t touch. Don’t touch. It belongs to Jehovah.’ The neighbors wanted an explanation. I hurried to the house and got my Bible to show them that what my daughter was saying was based upon God’s Word. Now my neighbors are regularly studying the Bible with me and hope soon to be baptized ministers of Jehovah.”

Does your view and do your actions regarding blood reflect the accurate knowledge and respect for it that this young girl had?

Why Are Catholic Schools Closing?

Why Are Catholic Schools Closing?

“CRISIS” is the word that most often appears in describing the condition of Roman Catholic schools in the United States. Authorities inside and outside the Church are convinced that this school system is now in grave trouble.

Their concern is understandable, for the problem is immense. The Church’s network of schools in the United States is by far the largest private church-connected school system in the world. About four and a half million students are enrolled in its elementary and secondary schools.

During just three years ending in 1970 a total of 877 (7 percent) of these Catholic schools shut down. And the situation shows no sign of letting up. Press reports such as the following regularly appear:

“Detroit Archdiocese to Shut 56 Schools.”

“Diocese in Colorado to Close 12 Schools.”

“Buffalo Diocese Will Close 10 Schools.”

More than Catholics are affected by these actions. Large numbers of extra students​—over 500,000 in two recent years alone—​have poured into public schools. To care for this, more tax money is needed.

So, non-Catholic education and civic officials, as well as average taxpayers, are asking, Why are the Catholic schools closing? To help answer that question, some background information is necessary.

How the Catholic School System Works

There are basically two school systems in the United States. One is a public, tax-supported system. Alongside it, private schools, both religious (often called parochial) and otherwise, have been allowed to operate. Why this separate system?

It has largely been motivated by religious fears. In the last century the public-school system was considered Protestant-oriented. Officially the United States has never allowed any state religion to be taught in its public schools, as is done in some countries. However, it was thought that Catholic children, a minority, had to confront forces within the public schools that were contrary to their faith. Therefore, the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884 decreed that a parochial school was to be constructed near every parish as a way of withstanding the “noxious influences of popularized religion.”

Today, most of the curriculum in Catholic schools is virtually a carbon copy of that found in public schools. Nevertheless, the New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967) admits that one of the things “basic to this curriculum at all times [has] been instruction in the truths of faith.”

Through most of its history the system has had careful religious oversight. A Catholic bishop is head of all schools in his diocese; he appoints a superintendent to work closely with him. Immediate supervision of each school, however, is delegated to the parish pastor and to a principal, generally a member of the school’s staff who belongs to a religious order. Similarly, members of such religious orders, “brothers” and nuns, have done most of the teaching. But why, after almost a century of operation, is the system in trouble?

Primary Cause of the Closings

To most observers there is one immediate problem: money. Basically each school has always been financed by local parish funds and by tuition. But now, according to Time magazine, “the Roman Catholic school system in the U.S. is in serious, even desperate financial trouble.”​—March 28, 1969.

Expenses are skyrocketing. All schools, including the public systems, are confronted by mounting costs for new buildings, equipment and training aids. Teachers’ salaries greatly expanded during the last decade. However, the rising expenses have hit the Catholic schools with even greater impact. How?

Here is the core of the matter:

“The vanishing nun is the central cause of the financial crisis faced today by the Catholic school system.

“Costs are soaring in all school systems, but the Catholics also are losing the backbone of their system​—the dedicated sisters and brothers of religious orders who work for next to nothing.”​—Burlingame (California) Advance-Star, December 19, 1970.

The ranks of these low-pay religious teachers are steadily thinning. All together, there was a 12-percent drop in their number between 1967 and 1970. Many have quit to marry; some have turned to new fields of endeavor. At the same time, fewer persons are becoming teaching nuns and priests.

In other cases, states have stiffened the requirements for nuns to teach. Also, it appears that religious orders, seeing church schools weakening, have assigned more of their personnel elsewhere. Each of these moves has meant fewer low-pay teachers. How is this gap filled?

With lay teachers. But they must be hired at three or more times the salary paid to a nun or priest. And just supplying replacements has not been enough in recent years, as more teachers have been needed.

Since the Russians launched Sputnik in 1957, bringing increased emphasis on science in U.S. schools, more science teachers have been required. These have needed costly laboratories. Modern education methods break large classes into small ones​—more classes mean more teachers. All factors considered, in just two years the average cost to educate a Catholic elementary-school pupil has risen over one-third. Secondary-school costs have risen over one-fourth. This sudden crushing burden on school budgets has forced many to close their doors.

Can Each Parish Supply More Money?

It is reported that parish moneys from fund-raising campaigns and donations cannot handle the rising expenses. In 1970, parish funds reportedly covered only about one-half of the elementary- and one-fourth of secondary-school costs. But in the last five years, for every sixteen cents that parish income is said to have increased, school costs have soared seventy cents.

Nor can parents constantly be asked to pay higher tuition. Increasingly, the well-to-do pull their children out of city parochial schools and move to the suburbs. When tuition is elevated, the poorer people are left behind to pay the increases. Tuition is therefore higher in some low-income parishes than in wealthier ones! Schools then shut down as poorer parents are compelled to move their children to public schools.

As Catholic education authorities C. A. Koob and R. Shaw put it:

“Tuition and fees, along with donations, place the burden on a particular group of Catholics who in the nature of things are least able to bear it.”​—S.O.S. for Catholic Schools, 1970, p. 66.

Understandably, churchmen are viewing the whole parochial financial structure with suspicion. Says one:

“The present system of financing Catholic school education is unbelievably archaic, obsolete, and inefficient.”​—Catholic Education Faces Its Future, Neil G. McCluskey, S.J., 1969, p. 264.

More than Money Involved

However, the problem goes deeper than finances. Other factors intensify the money situation.

First, there is not the strong support for the Church that once existed. The disputes after the Second Vatican Council have made some wary of the Church and its schools. Consequently, many parents no longer send their children to those schools.

Additionally, the very reason for the schools’ existence seems to be gone. Anti-Catholic feelings may have been strong in previous years, but in 1960 a Catholic, John F. Kennedy, was elected president of the United States. Much prejudice had obviously vanished. So, parents reason, why bear the double expense of sending children to parochial schools while being taxed for public ones?

Also, there is lack of clear leadership for the schools. As Koob and Shaw confess:

“Not all the problems of Catholic education would magically vanish if large additional sums of money became suddenly available. Money would . . . [not] do away with the question of goals and priorities.”​—P. 61.

In other words, if money were available, Who would spend it? How would it be spent? Would the Catholic school stress serving the cities’ poor and undoing racial imbalance? Or, would it move out into the suburbs? Who would decide curriculum?

There are efforts to solve such matters; but there is little unity. Thus these churchmen also say:

“Despite lingering notions that the Church is a monolith, a whole chorus of voices today ‘speak’ for Catholic education, and often each one seems to be saying something different.”​—P. 26.

Among those “voices” are the bishops and pastors, who, though in charge of the schools, often lack training in the field of education.

Also, in recent years “boards of education” have been speaking in behalf of Catholic education. These boards basically seek to draw on experienced laymen in the parish or diocese to work with the pastor or bishop. But this union has not produced decisive leadership. Concerning these boards the Catholic Commonweal magazine of April 3, 1970, said:

“One senses that the much-talked-about school boards have been largely ineffectual in basically altering priorities. School boards proliferate; policy initiatives seem as inscrutable as ever. The boards really do not have much authority.”

These factors aggravate the money crisis. However, some argue that the schools’ problems are not as serious as press reports would indicate.

Are the Shutdowns Only Consolidations?

Shutdowns, some are saying, are simply consolidations, a merging of schools. After ten schools in Buffalo, New York, closed, a spokesman said: “We are closing buildings, not schools. It is a consolidation. Other Catholic schools will be able to accommodate all of the students.” In some cases this is true, but not in most. Consider, for instance, Pueblo, Colorado.

There were no mergers in Pueblo when all twelve Catholic schools closed and over 2,600 pupils were expected to turn to the public system. Consolidation is the exception, not the rule.

What About the Future?

Money remains the immediate problem. Where will future funds come from?

Largely, from federal and state governments, churchmen have been hoping. These have already supplied some assistance. Federal government legislation, The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, allowed for funds to help both public- and private-school children from low-income families.

Various states have provided such things as free bus transportation, secular textbooks and some salary subsidies for parochial schools. However, the United States Supreme Court ruled on June 28, 1971, that many such state provisions were unconstitutional. Only further legal proceedings will determine if any state programs may be allowed to stand.

In any event, the closing of Catholic schools is more than a financial problem. Rather, it is one more indication of the growing lack of interest many Catholics have in their church and its institutions.

An Interesting Conversation

An Interesting Conversation

AT A Spanish-language assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses in Miami, Florida, a minister who is a free-lance contractor in his secular work related a conversation he had some months earlier. His report, translated into English, goes basically like this:

“Last October I was in the process of putting the final touches on some offices that I had built for a doctors’ clinic. Some men entered through the front doors, openly carrying on their discussion on how loving the people of Spain are. I offered the comment that I had lived in Madrid, Spain, for six months, and one of them asked:

“‘How did you get along in Madrid?

“I replied: ‘Although I arrived alone, I was immediately taken care of by many brothers.’

“‘How do you mean, by brothers?’ the man inquired.

“‘By Christian brothers,’ I replied. “‘Oh, you are a Christian?’ he asked.

“‘Actually,’ I answered, ‘I’m one of Jehovah’s witnesses.’

“He continued: ‘You don’t say, chico. Well, I’m pleased to meet you. My name is “Father Andres.”’

“After I introduced myself he added, ‘Let me tell you that I am well acquainted with the Witnesses.’

“So I commented, ‘Really? Tell me what you think of them.’

“‘I’ll tell you, I have my own ideas about religion even though I’m a priest. I have the highest opinion of you Jehovah’s witnesses. And I believe, and don’t hide it, that if there is a group on earth today with the zeal of true Christianity, with the characteristics of Christian martyrs, who do the will of God as the Bible says, that group is made up of you Jehovah’s witnesses.’

“Surprised to hear this from a priest, I asked, ‘Then, if you know what we are doing is right, why don’t you do it?’

“He replied: ‘You know how things are, one’s own interests. It isn’t easy to change religion. But I want you to know that I read your magazine.’

“I said, ‘So you read Awake!’

“‘No, not Awake!,’ he answered. ‘The Watchtower is the one I read, or, better stated, the one I study.’

“‘What did you say? That you study it?’

“He answered, ‘Yes, that’s the magazine I use, that is, its articles, to give sermons every Sunday in my church.’

“I then observed, ‘Then that means you like The Watchtower.’

“The priest said, ‘In my opinion, what it offers is the true explanation of the Bible.’

“Realizing the significance of his comments, I offered to help him in a regular study and analyzing of the Bible. Just at that time, though, a call came over the loudspeaker to the effect that the doctor was waiting for this priest. Though I have not had opportunity to meet or speak with the priest again, there is satisfaction in knowing that the clear ring of Bible truth is easily discernible, even by priests.”

Diving for a Living

Diving for a Living

BIRDS make their living in different ways. However, those that dive for a living are probably the most fascinating to watch.

Some birds use the sky seemingly as a giant slide, plunging headlong into the water from great heights to grab their prey. Others skim the surface, picking up their meal as they go. Still others may sink slowly beneath the surface without leaving a ripple, and then pursue fish underwater, overtaking them.

High Divers

High-diving honors should probably go to the three-foot-long gannet. This white thunderbolt with black wingtips plunges on its prospective meal from varying heights, depending on how deep the fish is swimming. He may dive into the water from only a few yards in the air. Or he may streak headlong from a hundred feet, completely closing his six-foot wingspread an instant before hitting the water. The impact is with such force that sometimes spray is sent ten feet into the air. What a thrilling spectacle to behold!

The depth to which the gannet can descend is indicated by the fact that he has been caught in fishermen’s nets ninety feet underwater. But he usually surfaces after a few seconds, and rests on the water just long enough to swallow his catch. Then he rises in pursuit of other game.

The pelican is another high diver, although this may be difficult for one to believe when observing him on land. Trying to walk about on his short, stout legs, the pelican is as awkward as any circus clown. And his gigantic bill, with the large elastic pouch hanging beneath, only adds to his comical appearance. But in the air the picture is entirely different. He is extremely graceful, and at great heights exhibits a power and dignity equaled only by the eagle. His five-foot white body and eight-to-ten-foot wingspan make him indeed a rare beauty in flight!

The brown pelican, somewhat smaller than his white relative, is the diver of the family. When spying fish, often from as high as fifty feet, he folds his wings and hurtles downward at great speed. But despite the force of his dive, he descends no deeper than about two feet because of the buoyancy of his body. Nevertheless, he seldom misses scooping up fish in his pouch.

The pelican comes up with, not only fish in his pouch, but perhaps three or more gallons of water. Frequently gulls or other smaller seabirds are right there waiting. And as the huge pelican opens his bill to let the water out, they perch on his back or head and reach right in and grab the fish. So the pelican’s hard work can go for naught if he is not careful.

Another high diver, the osprey or fish hawk, has a similar problem. After he makes his catch, the bald eagle, if he is in the neighborhood, will use his superior size and power to force him to relinquish it. This does not mean that the osprey is small or is a weakling. He is really a big fellow, having a wingspread that may reach six feet. So his dive is a real spectacle, especially if it is from three hundred feet or more, which is not uncommon.

When spotting a fish near the surface, the osprey will take aim, close his wings, and dive headfirst, but with his feet forward. He hits the water with a great splash, and often goes completely under. Usually he surfaces quickly with a catch firmly grasped in his talons. But he has been known to misjudge.

Once an osprey was observed to sink his talons into a larger fish than he could handle. So instead of coming up, the fish pulled him under. Finally the osprey was able to free his talons and reach the surface before he drowned. But he lay down for ten minutes before recovering sufficiently to fly again.

A considerably smaller diver, but no less daring or graceful, is the kingfisher. He will wait motionless on a dead branch of a tall tree, his sharp eyes scanning the water perhaps fifty or more feet below. When an unwary minnow or other small fish ventures near the surface, he plummets headfirst to seize it with his long bill. The kingfisher can also fly along and, when sighting a meal, halt, hover briefly, and dive like an arrow.

A welcome sight to fishermen is a flock of terns hovering and plunging into the sea. They feed on small fish that often are driven toward the surface by schools of larger ones below, hence the interest of fishermen. These relatives of gulls are so graceful in flight that some people call them sea swallows.

Surface Diver

A truly unique fisher is the skimmer, a black-and-white seabird that resembles the tern in several respects. But unlike all other birds, the skimmer has a vertically flattened, knifelike bill, with the lower half considerably longer than the upper. Thus the nickname “scissorbill.” This unusual bill is employed in a unique fishing style.

The skimmer will fly along the water for perhaps a hundred yards with his lower bill just slicing the surface. This attracts small marine creatures. Then he will return, scooping up these creatures with his lower bill as he skims along the water. The bill closes on contact, so the skimmer resembles a dressmaker at work with her cutting shears.

Deep Divers

One of the most interesting deep divers is the two-to-three-foot-long, powerfully muscled cormorant. His plumage is predominantly dark, often black with a greenish and blue sheen. And his bill is long, and has a hook on the end. He is related to the pelican.

But, unlike the pelican and other high divers, the cormorant dives from the surface or a low perch. While swimming he will spring upward and forward, and enter the water in a graceful curve with wings pressed close to his sides. He may sight his prey before diving, or he may dive first and then look around underwater for fish. Using both wings and feet for propulsion, he pursues and overtakes his prey. Sometimes he dives to great depths, one cormorant being caught off the coast of England in a crab pot 120 feet below the surface!

Taken when young, cormorants have been trained by fishermen to catch fish for them. This practice once was common in England, and it has long been known in the Orient. A band is placed fairly loosely around the cormorant’s neck to keep him from swallowing anything but very small fish.

Among the best divers of all are the grebe and the loon. They both have some of the same characteristics, notably skill in the water and clumsiness on land. Their legs are placed far back on their bodies, excellent for diving and swimming, but making them almost helpless on land. And since the loons are unable to take flight from land, being forced to the ground far from water usually means death for them.

The diving motions of the smaller grebes are fascinating to watch. They sink quietly and quickly from sight, without a sound or ripple. One minute they are perched on top of the water, and the next they are gone. An observer may wonder if he really saw them. And if he waits he may conclude he never did, for they may not appear again. They can stay submerged for a long time, swimming a distance away underwater. Then they will cunningly rise to the surface, just sticking up their bill and eyes so that they are difficult to see.

The loon is larger, about three feet long, and is probably the champion deep diver of all birds. He literally flies underwater, propelled like a bolt from a crossbow by his powerful wings. The loon can overtake the swiftest fish. And he can remain underwater several minutes to pursue his prey to almost unbelievable depths. Loons have been caught in fishnets set at over 160 feet below the surface! And it is believed that they go much deeper.

We may have thought of birds as at home only in the air. And while the tern, the osprey, the pelican and other water birds are among the best of fliers, some are also remarkable divers. A few even rival fish in their underwater mobility! No wonder they are so successful in diving for a living.

Her Clergyman’s View of the Bible

Her Clergyman’s View of the Bible

IN Texas a witness of Jehovah made a return call on a woman who had accepted literature explaining the Bible. The woman had read it and was moved to ask whether Jehovah’s witnesses believe that all of the Holy Bible is inspired of God. When the Witness replied that they do, the woman then went on to say that her Methodist clergyman had told the congregation to which she belonged that he did not believe all the Bible. For example, among other things, he claimed that the flood in Noah’s time, the virgin birth of Jesus Christ and the miracles recorded in the Bible were not true. Yet she noted that he would give a sermon based on a scripture dealing with the flood of Noah’s day.

“How are we to feel about a sermon like that?” she observed. “He is teaching us to believe in something that he has already told us to be untrue!” However, this sincere woman is no longer confused about this matter. She is learning from her Bible study with the Witnesses that “all Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial.”​—2 Tim. 3:16.

Have you heard your minister say that the Bible is not true or is filled with myths? Do you believe this? Why not investigate this matter for yourself? Jehovah’s witnesses will be glad to share with you evidence that the Bible is truthfully the Word of God.

If Only Your Lungs Could Talk!

If Only Your Lungs Could Talk!

WHAT an interesting story your lungs could tell​—if only they could talk! Not only could they give you some startling facts about their size and delicate design, but they could also describe how they function, and the fight they sometimes have to put up to keep you alive. But since your lungs cannot talk, you will have to get their fascinating story from outside investigators.

You can survive without food for weeks. Some have fasted forty or fifty days. And you can get along without water for days, as has been the experience of shipwrecked sailors in the midst of the salty ocean. But you cannot get along for more than a few minutes without breathing. That is how important your lungs are to you.

Most people just take their lungs for granted, and, for ever so many people, they function noiselessly and efficiently most of the time, from the cradle to the grave. In fact, when your lungs do make themselves known you are already in trouble. So you had better give them some thought and good care before it is too late.

Your lungs are two conical or pyramidlike organs that weigh about one and a fourth pounds each in adults. In men they account for one thirty-seventh of the body weight, in women one forty-third. Your right lung consists of three sections or lobes; your left has only two lobes because of the room that the heart takes up in the chest. At birth your lungs are a pinkish white, but with the passing of the years they get to look a mottled and slatey gray, and in old age may even show black spots. Although your two lungs can hold from six to seven quarts of air, this does not mean that they are large hollow, bellowslike organs. Were you to cut them open, you would find that they somewhat resemble foam rubber sponge.

The air you breathe enters your nose and mouth and then flows through the pharynx, larynx and trachea or windpipe. The windpipe branches into two tubes known as the bronchi, which enter the rear of each lung at about the middle. The windpipe and the bronchi are surrounded by heavy rings of cartilage in order that no crushing by external objects can stop air from flowing into the lungs.

The two main branches or bronchi, upon reaching the lungs, divide into four branches, the four into eight, and so on for some twenty more times until there are a million or more of these tiny branches known as bronchioles. The smallest of these is but one hundredth of an inch in diameter. At the end of the bronchioles are air sacs with tiny cup-shaped protrusions known as alveoli. Throughout your lungs there are as many as 300 million of these; some estimates even being as high as 750 million. These tiny alveoli, if spread out, would cover an area of a hundred square yards or more.

Each one of these tiny alveoli is covered with a web of capillaries. Through the walls of these tiny capillaries the oxygen comes in contact with the blood so that the body’s cells, in turn, can be supplied with oxygen for the purpose of producing energy. The oxygen is transported to the cells throughout the body by the hemoglobin in the red corpuscles. If laid end to end, these capillaries would extend hundreds of miles. Incidentally, these capillaries are just big enough for one red corpuscle to go through at a time.

Of course, the flow back and forth of oxygen and carbon dioxide through the walls, from alveoli to corpuscles, is over a distance far less than the thinnest paper you ever saw, less than a thousandth of a millimeter!

In a year’s time your lungs inhale from two to five million quarts of air. When filled to capacity, they contain from six to seven quarts of air. Yet, when you exhale, usually two quarts of air remain, although you can exhale purposefully to the point of having but one quart of air remaining. When you are taking it easy, resting on a couch or contour chair, you may be inhaling as little as a pint of air at a time, from ten to fourteen times a minute, or five to seven quarts of air a minute. However, when doing heavy work or engaging in vigorous exercise, you may take in as much as 80 to 120 quarts of air a minute, not so much by breathing faster as by breathing more deeply.

To understand how your lungs serve in supplying you with air, you need to understand another fact about them. Each lung is encased in a ‘skin’ called a “pleura” that is airtight. That is why you can take a freshly removed lung from an animal and blow it up like a balloon or football by pumping air into its windpipe. Not only that, but each of your lungs is housed in an airtight cavity having its own skinlike pleura.

How You Breathe

There are two basic kinds of breathing by which your lungs are filled and emptied: voluntary and involuntary. Your heart and your stomach are limited to involuntary action, you cannot deliberately speed up or slow down their activity. On the other hand, your limbs, your lips and your tongue act more or less according to your will or the habits you form. But your lungs are capable of both voluntary and involuntary actions. In voluntary breathing you cause the rib cage to expand and the diaphragm to lower, thereby drawing more air into your lungs.

Involuntary breathing is controlled by a “respiration center” in the lower part of that section of the brain known as the medulla. It stimulates the diaphragm to contract, causing it to lower and at the same time causing the ribs to move upward and outward. The result is a relative vacuum, a state of lower air pressure in the lungs than on the outside. This causes the air from the outside to be drawn into the lungs. Other nerve centers regularly interrupt this contracting action, allowing the chest muscles to relax and thus forcing the air out of the lungs.

Interestingly, this “respiration center” is not activated by lack of oxygen in the lungs but by the amount of carbon dioxide in your blood. The more carbon dioxide in your blood the more danger you are in and so the “respiration center” steps up the breathing process to keep the carbon dioxide content from reaching the danger point. Usually there is only a fraction of 1 percent of carbon dioxide in the air when it is inhaled. About 21 percent of the air breathed in is oxygen, but when exhaled it still contains about 16 percent. So you see, your lungs remove only about one-fourth of the oxygen in the air. The carbon dioxide increases proportionately, so that the exhaled air contains more than 4 percent carbon dioxide.

Conditioning the Air

It is obvious that, for your lungs to do their part right, the air must also be just right. It must be clean, it must be moist and it must be at the right temperature. And for this the Creator of the human body has supplied it with what men choose to call the “upper respiratory system.” All the passages through which the air flows before it reaches your lungs aid in meeting these three essential conditions. The nose has comparatively long hairs that catch the larger particles of dirt, which may be laden with bacteria. Its passages are also lined with mucous membranes so shaped as to catch the small particles. Still smaller particles are caught by the cilia, mucus-covered hairlike ridges in the windpipe that sway like wheat in a field. This motion causes any particles gradually to move up toward the throat, where they can be swallowed or spit out. White blood cells take care of any tiny bacteria that manage to get through these defenses.

There is also provision by various glands, and by the moist air passages, to give the air the right amount of moisture. This is very important, for the oxygen and carbon dioxide must be moist before they can cross back and forth between the red corpuscles and the tiny alveoli. Then again, the air must also be at the right temperature. For this the air passages are ideally designed so as to heat the air that is too cold, and cool the air that is too hot; either extreme will harm your lungs’ delicate membranes. The prodigious efficiency of the body’s upper respiratory system is apparent when we note that because of it man can survive in the torrid heat of the tropical deserts and in the sub-zero temperatures of Antarctica.

Prevention Better than Cure

Since your lungs make you aware of their presence only when they are in trouble, it is of the utmost wisdom to take care of them before that time. Or, as the saying has it, “A stitch in time saves nine.” Of course, if a person is serious about his health, and the condition of his lungs in particular, he will not be smoking tobacco. To stop smoking is good not only for the lungs but also for the heart and the liver. And if you could choose to live where there is a minimum of air pollution your lungs would appreciate that too.

Among the things you can do to keep your lungs in good shape is to see to it that you get sufficient exercise. Of course, if you are a postman who delivers mail on foot or a construction worker, you may not need to give it much thought, neither if you should happen to be a housewife with a large house and family to look after. But if you are one of the many, many workers who sit all day in an office or at a workbench, then you should give some thought to getting additional physical exercise. Such exercise, to benefit the lungs, should be sufficiently strenuous to cause you to be puffing or breathing deeply, provided, of course, your heart is strong enough to take it. Climbing stairs instead of taking elevators, except when a great number of stairs are involved, is one way to get exercise without involving much extra time. Making it a habit will ensure regularity. To be beneficial, exercise must be regular.

Jogging, a relaxed, unhurried form of running, is another form of exercise that is popular. But activity that also stimulates the mind may be better. Among the less strenuous sports are such kinds as tennis, ping pong or table tennis and swimming. Not to be overlooked is the exercising of your lungs by deep diaphragmatic breathing. Rather than breathing deeply by filling out the chest, breathe deeply by lowering your diaphragm. This will be especially helpful to the lowest alveoli. And particularly helpful is exhaling as thoroughly as you can several times a day. Rightly this has been called a “house-cleaning” for your lungs. Give some thought to deep breathing and forceful exhaling when you rest on a couch or bed when not sleeping. Doing so may even have an added benefit if it will divert your mind from worrying, or dwelling on grievances or other unwholesome thought patterns. Often the deep breathing will make you feel better both physically and emotionally.

When Something Goes Wrong

There are a number of things that can go wrong with your lungs. There is bronchitis, an inflammation of your bronchial tubes. Pleurisy develops when the pleural lining of the chest cavity or the pleura surrounding the lungs becomes inflamed. There are said to be many kinds of pneumonia, differentiated from one another by what is involved or the nature of the infection. Economic conditions and environment may make one more susceptible to tuberculosis. It seems that, even as cancer of the lungs is on the increase, so is emphysema. What is emphysema? It is the end result of a number of respiratory afflictions, such as asthma, in which the tiny alveoli become dilated so that their function is impaired. The patient with emphysema has difficulty in expelling the air he has inhaled. The common cold, hay fever, asthma and sinusitis are also maladies affecting your lungs.

There are many remedies for these various kinds of ailments, both orthodox and unorthodox, medically speaking, and it seems best to view these with an open mind, as no one system appears to have all the answers. But as has been noted before, prevention is the best course. Give some thought to wise living habits while you are still enjoying good health and before your lungs make you painfully aware of their presence. If possible, choose a wholesome environment in which to work and live, one with the least air pollution. Do not smoke tobacco; do not overindulge in alcoholic beverages. Avoid extremes, whether eating, working or pleasure-seeking. Learn to be moderate in all things and to be content with having the necessary things​—food, clothing and shelter. Yes, “it is a means of great gain, this godly devotion along with self-sufficiency. For we have brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out.”​—1 Tim. 6:6-8.

[Diagram on page 17]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

Your right lung has three sections or lobes, your left has two. The inside of your lungs is like foam rubber sponge with millions of tiny air sacs, covered with capillaries. This permits an exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide through the wall of the air sacs

A​—Blood from the heart with carbon dioxide

B​—Blood to the heart with oxygen

C​—Air sacs covered with capillaries

Indians of Panama—a Glimpse of the Past

Indians of Panama​—a Glimpse of the Past

By “Awake!” correspondent in Panama

IT HAS been over 450 years since Christopher Columbus, Vasco de Balboa and other white men first set foot on this narrow neck of land adjoining the South American continent. Here they came in contact with bronze-skinned natives living in a picturesque tropical setting.

From the very beginning the Indians of Panama resisted the white man’s rule, treasuring their independence and simple life-style. The remote and often almost impenetrable jungle regions of Panama have afforded the Indians the isolation they desire. But now, instead of being the sole inhabitants of the land, they are far outnumbered by the newcomers. Of Panama’s nearly million and a half population, the Indians make up no more than 5 percent, or perhaps around sixty thousand.

In order really to get to know these Indians one needs to visit them in their natural habitats. I have had several opportunities to do this while serving as a minister of Jehovah’s witnesses. Let me tell you about some of these visits.

The Choco Indians

The Choco Indians have long inhabited the trackless rain forest of Panama’s southernmost province, Darien. A colony was established in Darien on the Atlantic side around 1510, and the explorer Balboa became its governor. Hearing from the Indians about a “sea” across the narrow neck of land, he and about two hundred men hacked their way through the dense growth of this territory, sighting the Pacific Ocean on September 25, 1513.

The principal location of the Chocos is now the town of Garachine on the Pacific side. My wife and I went there a number of years ago to visit a minister of Jehovah’s witnesses. We stayed several days, and shared in preaching to the Chocos there and in the surrounding territory. It was an unforgettable experience. It is amazing that even though we were only some 150 miles from the modern metropolis of Panama City we could meet people living much as they did in Balboa’s time.

The Chocos are not a big people, but the men are well-built and can appear rather fierce. Although those living in the far interior have been known to resist intrusion, doing so with blowguns and poisoned darts, those we met did not receive us in that way. We even placed Bible literature with some of them.

The homes of the Chocos are generally elevated four or five feet above the ground on poles. Frequently they are built near a beach, the roofs made of thatched palm leaves and the floors of cane. The sides are open all around. A few low benches are about the only furniture. Cooking is done in black iron pots placed on stones above a wood fire. We noted that fish, rice and plantain seemed to form the principal part of the Choco diet.

Their style of dress is simplicity itself​—somewhat disconcerting when one is not used to it. The Choco women wear nothing but a few yards of cloth wrapped around the lower part of their bodies, reaching from just below the navel to the knees. The men wear even less​—only a simple loincloth.

They bathe in the ocean or a river, as they have always done. As the women enter the water, their cloth skirt is gradually raised until finally, with the water to the waist, it is removed. It is rolled up and placed on the head until the bath is finished. Then, going out of the water, the process is reversed, the women eventually stepping, bathed and dressed, onto the white sand!

The Cuna Indians

Also in southern Panama, but on the Atlantic side, live the Cuna Indians. Although some live on the mainland, the majority inhabit the archipelago of San Blas. These islands stretch for about a hundred miles along the coast, almost all the way to Colombia. The local saying is, “They are more numerous than the days of the year.” And it is true, for there are some four hundred of them.

Many of the islands are only a mile or so from the mainland. They are of similar elevation, rising barely enough from the blue-green ocean to escape inundation by the breakers. Their white beaches decorated by graceful coconut palms can indeed be inviting! Some of the islands are very small, no larger than a hundred square yards. But even small islands may have hundreds of Indians living on them.

The Cunas here are much a nation unto themselves, fiercely holding their independence and racial purity. The women seldom travel to the cities of the mainland, and then only when chaperoned by their fathers or husbands. It has been the practice to restrict strangers from staying on the islands after sundown. However, a Cuna Witness has done preaching on the islands, and some Indians have accepted the Bible truth.

A gentleman living nearby on the mainland, who knows some of the village chiefs, kindly agreed to accompany me to some of the islands. It was indeed interesting to see firsthand how these people live.

The Cunas are small, the men rarely being taller than five feet four inches, and the women are even shorter. Their size seems appropriate due to the limited space on their island homes. From the sea they get much of their food. But the main source of sustenance is the coconut palm. It provides not only currency for trading, but also food, drink, shelter, fuel and other essentials. No wonder it is considered a tree of life!

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