[page 2] CONSOLATION "And in His name shall the nations hope." — Matthew 12:21, A.R.V. Volume XXI Brooklyn, N.Y., Wednesday, November 15, 1939 Number 52. The Pope's Responsibility for the New War (In Three Parts — Part 3) The Devil's Real Objective richt ett, October 24, 1938, Walter Vogel wrote of his experiences on June 17, 1922, sixteen --- Appetizers Some Schoolboy Howlers Hysterics are sloping letters. Catarrh is a musical instrument, especially in Spain. A cuckoo lays other birds' eggs in its own nest and viva voce. In Venice people travel in gorgonzolas. Ali Baba means being away when the crime was committed. A spa is where people drink bath water. A casserole is a garment worn chiefly by curates. A cypher is a bottle that squirts. Coup de grâce — a lawn mower. Corps diplomatique — shamming dead. Belle is the feminine of gong. The British Constitution is a sound one, but on account of its insolent position it suffers from fogs. A sculptor is a man who makes faces and busts. Q. What are rabies and what would you do for them? A. Rabies are Jewish priests. I would do nothing for them. Name of the Mule A PCA official in lower South Carolina was visited by a Negro farmer who wished to borrow some money to make a crop. "How many mules have you?" asked the official as he began filling in the application blank. "Fas' yassah, I'se got fo'," the old durky replied. "What are their names?" asked the official. "Baptis, Meth'dis, Presbyterin an' Piseopalium," said the Negro. "Why, that's a new idea," said the official; "why did you give them those names?" "Well, suh, it's dis way: Dat Baptis' mule he jcs' likes to get in de creek an' wade 'roun', but when he gets out of de water, he won't do nothin'. Dat Meth'dis mule, all he does is ter holler an' holler, an' den he don't do nothin'. De Presbyterium mule, he's so sot in his ways he never do nothin' till he wants to anyway. An' dat Piseopalium mule, he allus hold his haid an' tail high, but he ain't wurth er darn." — Taken from a Farm Magazine. For Papa's Birthday Wife: "It's your birthday, George. I must run out and buy you something." Husband: "Well, take this half dollar. It's all I can afford." --- [page 2] CONSOLATION Contents The Pope's Responsibility for the New War (Part 3) — 3 Conspiracy Against the Lord — 4 "Even to the Shedding of Blood" — 5 Seventh World-Power Must Go Down — 6 Turning the Tables in South Wales — 8 Assault at Blantyre, Scotland — 8 To All Publishers in Britain — 9 Catholic-Fascist Menace in Britain — 10 Catholic-Fascist Action in S. Wales — 11 Will Chief Matthews Ever Learn? — 13 The Negro Woman Worker — 14 New York State — 15 Counsel by J. F. Rutherford: Jews — 16 Natural Phenomena — 18 Home and Health — 19 New Government: A Tale of Two Dominies — 20 Another Boy-Scout Tin-Horn Veteran — 22 India — 24 U.S. Treasury — 25 Invention — 26 The Unbidden Guest — 27 British Comment: Britain at War — 28 Germany and Russia — 30 League of Nations Comforted Aggressors — 31 Published every other Wednesday by WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY, INC. 117 Adams St., Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.A. Editor: Clayton J. Woodworth Business Manager: Nathan H. Knorr Five Cents a Copy $1 a year in the United States $1.25 to Canada and all other countries NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS Remittances. For your own safety, remit by postal or express money order. When coin or currency is lost in the ordinary mails, there is no redress. Remittances from countries other than those named below may be made to the Brooklyn office, but only by international postal money order. Receipt of a new or renewal subscription will be acknowledged only when requested. Notice of Expiration is sent with the journal one month before subscription expires. Please renew promptly to avoid loss of copies. Send change of address direct to us rather than to the post office. Your request should reach us at least two weeks before the date of issue with which it is to take effect. Send your old as well as the new address. Copies will not be forwarded by the post office to your new address unless extra postage is provided by you. Published also in Afrikaans, Bohemian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian; also special Australian edition in English. OFFICES FOR OTHER COUNTRIES England: 34 Craven Terrace, London, W.2 Canada: 40 Irwin Avenue, Toronto 5, Ontario Australia: 7 Beresford Road, Strathfield, N.S.W. South Africa: 623 Boston House, Cape Town Entered as second-class matter at Brooklyn, N.Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879. [page 3] THE entire point of all that is occurring in Europe and elsewhere in the world is lost unless one sees the truth, which is that the Devil is frantic to stop the work of the Kingdom of God in the earth, the Theocracy. One must see the truth regarding Jehovah's purposes, as that truth has been made known by the Father, through the Son, and as now proclaimed by the WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY and the faithful men and women, Jehovah's witnesses and their companions, the Jonadabs, in every part of the earth. There is nothing the Devil so much fears as truth. He has RELIGION to hide it, churchmen to misrepresent it, and governments to persecute it. He has done that in Germany since the advent of Hitler to power. To be sure, at the moment, some of Jehovah's witnesses have been withdrawn from prisons and concentration camps to work on roads or perform other heavy labor in the present shortage of man-power in the Reich, but they are hated none the less by the Devil, who seeks nothing short of their destruction. This can best be accomplished by the seizure of the entire world, and the placing of it under the control of the racket operating out of Vatican City. By the way, of the 741 inhabitants of Vatican City 566 are Italians, 117 are Swiss, 31 were born on the premises, 11 are French, 11 are Germans, and there is 1 each from Belgium, Norway, Holland, Spain and Hungary. The Italians see to it that the care of this racket is kept closely in Italian hands. None should get the idea that Hitler knew nothing about Jehovah's witnesses until he and his gang muscled in and seized control of Germany. In the Wiener Neueste Nachrichten, years previous. He is reminiscing of Hitler, and what he knew of him eleven years before he took the reins of government from the faltering hands of old Mr. Hindenburg. He says : I was privileged to sit with Adolph Hitler, after the meeting in the Sophiensaal, in the café (Cafe Rebhuhn). Afterwards I accompanied the Fuehrer to the Hotel Hamerand in the 8th district, Florienig asse ; of course, we walked, and I told him of our struggle in Vienna, of a broken-up meeting of the Bible Students and of other experiences during the time of struggle. The Light That Never Flickers It is good sometimes to read the opinions of men in far-off lands as to what is taking place in "Christendom". Read, therefore, the kindly words of B. Stuart, published in the Natal (South Africa) Daily News of July 15, 1939. Mr. Stuart is speaking of the terrible sufferings of Jehovah's witnesses in Germany, and of the witness they have given to the honor of God's name in a dark age, a dark land and a dark hour. He says to the editor of the News : In the Natal Daily News of Thursday you publish an item dated from Berlin giving news of a "suppression without mercy" trial of several members of the "International Bible Searchers" movement. It might interest you to know that the correct English rendering of the name by which these German Christians are known is "The International Bible Students Association", and that this association is the German branch of the world-wide "Watchtower" Bible and Tract Society. It is not generally known that the "Bibelforschers" constitute the sole obstacle within the old Reich which Hitler has not been able to sweep from his path. Communists, Socialists, Left, Right and Center parties have vanished like morning mists before a summer sun. Organized religion is a puppet of the State, and its ministers "heil" and goose-step with the fervency of conviction. STEADFAST But, like a light that never flickers, this little body of Christian men and women stand steadfast in their faith, a thorn in the side of the monarch of "unity" and a living testimony to his mortality. They have endured six years of the Hitlerian Hell. They have been killed. Two thousand of them have been consigned to a living death from which they have no hope in this world of returning. They have died at the triangle and on the rack of deliberate physical torture. Their tenacity and courage, and, above all, their sublime faith in the Bible and its author, have become proverbial throughout Germany. The reasons for their persecution are threefold : They refuse to Heil Hitler. They refuse to take up arms. They insist on preaching the good news of the approach of the Kingdom of Christ and its righteousness, before which the strivings of the war-lords become the crowing of a cockerel on a dung-heap. Conspiracy Against the Lord The conspiracy in Germany and power that the Catholic church has never protested against the persecution of political opponents and against certain, now abolished, excesses of National Socialism, which were condemned in the whole world ; that the Pope and Mussolini agree well together and that the pope is supporting Franco financially and morally. World-wide Opposition to Witnesses Says H. E. Coffey, of Texas : There is evidently a deliberate plan or conspiracy among leaders and religionists throughout the world not to recognize Jehovah's witnesses as being Christians. World Outlook, a Methodist organ published at Nashville, Tenn., in its May (1939) number carries an editorial, "The Christian Church in a Hostile World," which laments the spineless character of leaders and members of Protestant churches. In one paragraph is the following statement : To be sure, at least one man — Pastor Niemöller — has preferred the concentration camp to prostitution of mind and spirit. But it is alarming that there has been only one. Other Christians have no cause to be proud that they have escaped the rod of the unspeakable Hitler. Can it be that this editor is ignorant of the fact that thousands of sincere Christians have been and [page 4] throughout "Christendom" is a conspiracy against the King of kings and against the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. It is because Jehovah's witnesses are so faithful to both God and His Word that Hitler so hates them and has so abused them. Jehovah's people, since the advent of this man to power, did what they could to encourage the people to turn to God and to His Word. Even this form of service was too much for Hitler and his "spiritual" guides, and they caused an order to be issued that Bibles may be placed on display only in religious book stores (get that word — "religious"), of which there are but few in Germany, and in all other book stores may be sold only when specifically ordered. See the terror of truth, how it strikes home to the heart of all tyrants. Hitler is afraid of the humble messengers of God's kingdom. The religionists welcome any king or any ruler except the Lord himself. In the Basle (Switzerland) Nazional Zeitung of April 1, 1937, their Berlin correspondent states the truth on this subject very well, though he certainly had no such intent: One must not forget that the Protestant and the Catholic church have never opposed dictatorship as a form of government. On the contrary: must one be reminded that the Protestant clergy blessed swastika flags a long time before the seizure of power. Hitler tells the world that there is "freedom of religion" in Germany. The Commonwealth, a monthly published at Osprey, Fla., by W. F. Burrows, M.D., gives an excerpt from the address of Adolph Hitler to the Reichstag on January 30, 1939, from which I quote: "... Among the outrages against Germany raised soon in so-called (sic) democracies is the assertion that National-Socialist Germany is an anti-religious state. Jehovah's witnesses, though, fully understand that it is religious. I therefore wish to make the following solemn declaration to the whole German nation: "(1) No one in Germany has been persecuted for his religious views, nor will anyone be persecuted on that account." "But: The National Socialist State will ruthlessly make clear to those clergy who, instead of being God's ministers, regard it as their mission to speak insultingly of our present Reich, its organisation, or its leaders; that no one will tolerate (sic) the destruction of this State, and that clergy who place themselves beyond the pale of the law will be called to account before the law like any other German citizen." In the same speech Hitler explains that "pederasty and sexual offences against children" will be punished by the civil authorities, but he says: "It is no concern of ours if priests break their vows such as chastity." Then he adds: "This State has only once interfered in the inner organisation of the churches. This happened in 1933, when I myself attempted to unite the hopelessly disrupted Protestant Regional Churches in Germany into one large and powerful Evangelical Reich Church. The attempt failed owing to the opposition of some of the Regional bishops. In consequence, no further efforts were made; after all, it is not our task to defend the Protestant Church or even to strengthen it by forceful means." Indeed, Hitler's entire plan is to strengthen only the Roman Catholic Church in Germany. Another article in The Commonwealth, "The Church in the New Germany," a reprint from "News from Germany", shows how this is being done. Every encouragement is being given that organization, and a marked growth in membership and influence of the Catholic Church in Germany is the result. The German Government now taxes the people to support the churches. Hitler claims this is entirely a voluntary arrangement. He tells the people that at any time that the churches (he doubtless refers to the Catholic Church) request it, he is willing to do away with this arrangement and separate the churches from any connection with the state. Skilfully disguised, propaganda is now being circulated and published in magazines and the press of America to bring American people around to the Nazi viewpoint. World Affairs for June, a quarterly published by the American Peace Society in Washington, D.C., has an editorial by its editor, Arthur Deerin Call, which is caveat to the thoughtful observers of world affairs. This pronouncement, "In Behalf of Good Will," circulated under the auspices of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and drafted by Professor A. H. Compton of the University of Chicago, Carlton Hays of Columbia University, and Roger W. Strauss, is an appeal to Americans to oppose all who are anti-Catholic, anti-Jew, anti-Communist, anti-Nazi, etc. In simple words, this declaration means that no one should think or speak against the fundamental teachings or the activities of any of the enemies of Jehovah God who are running amuck in the world today. The effect would be to keep the people in ignorance and allow these foul institutions to spread and, finally, enslave the people. Under the guise of good will and noble ethical intentions, the pronouncement is a leader to put the people in an attitude and frame of mind which will cause them to submit the course of events to enslavement. A one-sided liberty is no liberty at all. "Even to Shedding of Blood" The statement of the "Most Reverend" J. C. McGuigan to Enrico Cardinal Gasparri, at Midland, Ontario — Come what may, we will preserve the faith, even to the shedding of blood, for our children and our children's children — may have been a reference to the act of fellow Catholics firing on Jehovah's witnesses at St. Laurent, on the island of Orleans, Wednesday, June 28, forty days previous. This willingness to preserve one's own "faith" by murdering somebody else is an act of religion that Gasparri ought to know about. Of course, it is contrary to everything in the Bible, but neither McGuigan nor Gasparri accepts the Bible as authority for human conduct. They accept the teachings of the "Church". The only liberty in Quebec is the liberty to pay money to lying priests for misinformation about a place that does not exist — "Purgatory". The Montreal Standard has a column and a half about the trip of the Kingdom II down the St. Lawrence river, from Montreal. Residents of the island of Orleans fired on the vessel. At L'Islet the witnesses were forbidden to land. Other reports follow: Three reports covering the voyage of Witnesses, which read like a log of the fruitless journey of the "Kingdom II", would imply that the evangelists were having just as difficult a trip as did the first missionaries who sailed up the same broad river several centuries ago. These reports were wired to the British United Press by correspondents down the river. The first, dated June 14, from Quebec, reads: Three members of Jehovah's witnesses traveling on the schooner "Kingdom II" tried vainly to disembark at Quebec today. Police seized 50 records and a phonograph which was placed on the bank of the St. Charles river. Before arriving here the party was [page 1] Consolation 15 novembre 1939 --- LA GUERRE ET LES NEUTRES La guerre qui sévit en Europe depuis le 3 septembre 1939 met les nations neutres dans une situation difficile. Elles sont tiraillées entre des obligations contradictoires et exposées à des pressions de toutes sortes. Certaines d'entre elles ont déjà subi des violations de leur neutralité. D'autres craignent d'être entraînées dans le conflit malgré elles. La question des neutres est d'une importance capitale dans toute guerre moderne. Les belligérants cherchent à utiliser les neutres à leur avantage, soit en leur imposant des restrictions commerciales, soit en exerçant sur eux des pressions diplomatiques, soit même en violant leur territoire. Les neutres, de leur côté, s'efforcent de maintenir leur indépendance et de protéger leurs intérêts. Ils proclament leur neutralité, ils renforcent leurs armées, ils concluent des pactes de non-agression. Mais tout cela est souvent insuffisant pour les protéger contre la violence des grandes puissances. La situation actuelle rappelle celle de la guerre de 1914-1918. A cette époque, de nombreux pays neutres avaient été entraînés dans le conflit malgré leurs efforts pour rester en dehors de la mêlée. La Belgique, les Pays-Bas, le Danemark, la Norvège, la Grèce avaient subi l'invasion allemande. Les États-Unis, après avoir longtemps maintenu leur neutralité, avaient finalement dû entrer en guerre. Aujourd'hui, l'histoire semble vouloir se répéter. Les petites nations neutres sont de nouveau menacées. Leur sort dépend en grande partie de l'issue du conflit entre les grandes puissances. Mais il est une neutralité d'un autre ordre, celle que les Témoins de Jéhovah s'efforcent de maintenir à l'égard de tous les conflits humains. Cette neutralité n'est pas fondée sur des considérations politiques ou nationales, mais sur des principes religieux et moraux. Les Témoins de Jéhovah croient que leur devoir envers Dieu passe avant tout devoir envers les gouvernements humains. Ils refusent de prendre les armes, non par lâcheté, mais parce qu'ils croient que la guerre est contraire à la volonté de Dieu. Cette position leur vaut des persécutions dans de nombreux pays. En Allemagne, en France, en Belgique, des Témoins de Jéhovah ont été emprisonnés, condamnés aux travaux forcés, voire fusillés pour avoir refusé de servir dans l'armée. Mais ils maintiennent leur position, convaincus qu'ils obéissent à une loi supérieure à celle des hommes. [page 5] What is the difference between the dictators and the democracies in Europe when questions touching international affairs are being considered; however it would, how could the United States distinguish in foreign affairs between the dictators and so-called democracies? For illustration, what was the difference in policy between the dictators and democracies at Munich? Wherein did they differ in their foreign policy or principle? And we are not concerned with their internal policy. When the hour came for the dictators and the democracies to join in an international movement of stupendous moment, that is, to destroy, to literally murder, the one real democracy in Europe, what was the distinction in the principles applied by the dictators and the democracies? When it appeared to be in the interest of the dictators and the democracies to break treaties, to disregard all law, legal, moral or divine, all principles supposed to obtain among honorable and decent communities, what was the distinction? In what respect did they differ? Did the dictators and the democracies disagree as to the fact they were willing to destroy a helpless nation? Did they disagree as to how it was to be done? Was there anything considered, by all or any of them, except purely selfish interests, brutal, criminal, selfish interests? Did not the democracies, even at the suggestion of the dictators, go at midnight and serve notice on the president of the Republic of Czechoslovakia that the time had come for the dismemberment of this republic — a nation denied a hearing, denied the slightest opportunity for defense, to offer up its very existence and to do so in haste, as one of the messenger democracies had other matters which required its attention shortly? Notice of God's Purposes Britain, now involved in another great war, has had due notice of God's purposes. On July 7, 1939, J. Hemery, secretary of Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, sent the following notice to each member of the House of Lords. If they paid any attention to this last-minute warning, there is no record of it here. We beg to call your attention and ask your earnest consideration to the two enclosures, one a copy of Consolation, the other a folder which calls attention to what is most certainly an important factor of our national welfare. The publications call attention to the growing movement of Catholic Action in this country. It is admitted that some alliance obtains with Fascism. This movement is using violence and force to accomplish its ends. Its tactics and policies emanate from a foreign power in Rome and are against the best interests of the British people and their heritage of freedom. During the past few months Jehovah's witnesses, who are law-abiding Christians in CONSOLATION --- Continued from Sorel and Three Rivers. They got in port yesterday on board their schooner and anchored. Police watched them all night and prevented their landing. This morning they found the records and the phonograph, which were to be used for propaganda, on the bank of the St. Charles river, and seized them. No arrests were made. In answer to a query from the British United Press as to where the Witnesses came from and on what grounds police were refusing them permission to land the following reply was wired from Quebec the same day, June 14: Party from Montreal. They were refused permission to land at Sorel last Friday and also at Three Rivers. They then stopped in the middle of the river at Deschaillons, some twenty miles above Quebec, and arrived here yesterday afternoon. Police have no specific charge against them. They just seized the records and phonograph as pernicious literature and if the three men disembark they will be arrested and charged with creating a disorder. This afternoon the party is moving to Beauport and Provincial Police will also prevent them from disembarking there. The third message, dated June 29, tells how the witnesses were received with rifle shots at St. Laurent on the island of Orleans and how they were refused permission to land at l'Isle. It adds they were continuing their troubled but determined way down the river. Seventh World-Power Must Go Down The Seventh World-Power (Britain and America) must come to the disgrace of being swallowed up by the Totalitarian Monstrosity. Both nations deserve it well. The details have been published over and over again — the trips to Rome, the kneeling before the pope, the sending of secret messages and private ambassadors, and the ignoring of the cry of Jehovah's witnesses for justice in "the land of the free and the home of the brave". In the face of 2,000 cases of imprisonment of Jehovah's witnesses for telling the truth of God's Word, the president of the United States not only kowtows to the pope but sends messages of congratulation to his representatives, and tells them to 'go to it; what the nation needs is more religion'. They threaten to murder anybody that disagrees with them, and yet, when a pope dies, the entire Congress of the United States, elected by the people, and paid handsomely for its services, wastes an entire day to grieve over the 'untimely' death, at 81 years of age, of one of the most unprincipled murderers that ever lived. [See pp. 16-17.] United States Senator William E. Borah does not seem to think that either Uncle Sam or John Bull is entitled to much sympathy for what is certainly coming to them. He is on record as saying publicly: [page 6] UNTIMELY DEATH FOR HERETICS New Brunswick (N. J.) Priest Says Catholics Would Thus Stop Spread of "Errors" "I do not doubt, if they were strong enough, that the Catholic people would hinder, even by death if necessary, the spread of heretical errors among the people, and I say rightly so." This was the statement made by the Rev. Mr. Harney, a Paulist Father in St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, in New Brunswick, N. J., Friday evening. The Paulist Fathers have been conducting a mission for the last three weeks in that church. Last week the services were for the benefit of non-Catholics. A feature of last week's services was a question box, and one of the questions read by Father Harney was: "Does the Catholic Church regard Protestants as heretics, and does it not believe and teach that heretics should be punished, even with death if necessary?" Father Harney's answer was: "In a way, I say yes. Certainly the Church does consider Protestants heretics, in a way. Let me explain. The Church of God has the right to protect itself. Society protects itself against the murderer and the man who proves a traitor to the government. So the Church of God has the right to protect itself. The Catholic Church never dreamed of punishing one who is materially a heretic — one who believes things to be true that are not true — and has no ill intention. The formal heretic is one who knows the truth and refuses to accept it. The history of the church has been a history of tolerance. Catholics have proved more tolerant than the Protestants." In an interview last night, Father Harney stated that his remarks on Friday evening, as above quoted, were correct. He said they expressed his personal convictions and were in the spirit of the Catholic Church. — *New York Herald*, May 7, 1901 --- House of Representatives of the United States of America February 13, 1939 Resolution of Condolence upon the Death of Pope Pius XI, Supreme Spiritual Sovereign of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of the State of Vatican City. Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the United States has learned with the profoundest of sorrow and shock of the death of HIS HOLINESS POPE PIUS XI, supreme spiritual sovereign of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of the State of Vatican City. It sympathizes with the millions of Roman Catholics throughout the world on the loss of this outstanding leader of Catholicism who effected superlative gains in his own religious endeavors, who exerted the most challenging and sincere efforts for world peace, who manifested the broadest tolerance toward all nations and creeds, and who pleaded for the protection of oppressed minorities; and be it further Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to communicate this expression of sentiment to the Secretary of State at the Vatican, and that, as a mark of further respect to the memory of Pope Pius, the House do now adjourn. Attest: *Clerk* [page 7] Coaxing for re-establishment of the Inquisition-and sure to get it, too. this and every country, have been the objects of a Catholic-Fascist oppression amounting to personal assault, damage to property, and breaking up of public Bible meetings, and by use of threats and boycotting it has forced cinema managers and others to deny Jehovah's witnesses the right of the freedom of assembly. A brochure, Fascism or Freedom, is also submitted for your attention: it is the lecture the Catholic organization has taken upon itself to censor. Jehovah's witnesses, who comprise the above Society, are not participants in any political movement, but are solely servants of the Most High God, Jehovah, and are seeking to advance the interests of Christ's Kingdom. Respectfully yours, There now follow six documents of public interest and importance showing the treatment Jehovah's witnesses were receiving in Britain just prior to the outbreak of hostilities. While these liberty-lovers were really helping Britishers to maintain British democracy, the friends of Hitler and of the pope were doing all possible to close their mouths. No one can foresee the outcome, but it is a thrilling situation, and now is the time to seek the SALVATION which cometh from Jehovah alone. The night seems to be settling down. Turning the Tables in South Wales On Sunday May 21, Catholic Action himself was not a Catholic, saying that he had his home life to look after and also that his living was involved. He succumbed to Catholic pressure in spite of his previous boast of fairness and tolerance. This flagrant violation of covenant was immediately placed in the hands of the Society's London solicitors for quick legal action. The solicitors gave him until June the 8th to change his mind, but he still refused. Thus it [page 8] Assault in the Ebbw Valley in South Wales, under the leadership of one "Rev. Father" George McDonagh, thought they scored a victory by forcing the superintendent of the "Celynen Ambulance Hall" to break his word and cancel the public meeting scheduled there by Jehovah's witnesses. This whole affair was a high-handed dictatorial undertaking complete with threats of Catholic boycott in the typical Hierarchy manner. Having been denied the privilege of having their Bible meeting in the Newbridge hall Jehovah's witnesses began to visit other halls in this town, and everyone of them refused because of Catholic pressure. Not to be outdone, efforts were made to engage a hall in several of the other mining towns in this Ebbw Valley adjoining to Newbridge. Finally they succeeded in contracting for the Empire Cinema in Crumlin. The meeting was to be held on Sunday June 11, where Judge Rutherford's famous anti-Fascist lecture was to be given for the benefit of the people. The manager of this theater was very agreeable. It was suggested to him that there would be a possibility of some Catholics' putting pressure on him, and he replied, "I've no time for the Catholics. I know a lot about them and no one will influence me against this meeting. I rent you the theater for £3, and it's immaterial what you say in the meeting. If you can get the consent of the Monmouthshire County Council to hold it, it's O.K. with me. My word is my bond." With this agreement and the proper application to the Monmouthshire County Council, permission was granted Jehovah's witnesses to have this cinema opened for the Sunday. On Tuesday June 6, six days before the lecture, A. Whitaker, the manager of the Cinema, in excited rage informed representatives of Jehovah's witnesses that he was breaking the contract. Catholic Action had paid him a visit and had spoken. He was in a fearful condition and refused to discuss the matter. He was giving into the Catholics even though it has become necessary to take legal steps against Mr. Whitaker for breach of contract, which may make him regret his bowing to the "old lady". Jehovah's witnesses were already undertaking the advertising of this important meeting when this frustration occurred. Not to be outdone by these Catholic-Fascists, arrangements were made for all Jehovah's witnesses from the neighboring companies in this Ebbw Valley to join together in a special attack on Crumlin on Saturday and Sunday of the scheduled meeting. Large placards in their "information marches" informed the people of the underhanded efforts of the Hierarchy in canceling this meeting. Announcement was made that this lecture would be held in the open air near to the Empire Cinema so that all the people could hear this important lecture which the Catholics were afraid of. The whole population in Crumlin and the neighboring small mining towns was thoroughly aroused. Eight hundred Welsh people turned out Sunday night and it took three sound-cars to pump "Fascism or Freedom" out to these hungering people. The original theater could have seated only 200, but, with Catholic Action effectively assisting in advertising the issue, the tables were turned on them, and the people were told the truth. Assault at Blantyre, Scotland On Sunday April 23, pioneer Albert Bacon was witnessing to the people in miners' row of houses in Stonefield Rd., Blantyre, and was accompanied by a young boy six years of age. The people were very courteous and appreciated our calling on them with the Kingdom message. They accepted the invitation to hear the reproduction of Judge Rutherford's lecture "Fascism or Freedom", which was being widely advertised in the neighbourhood of Blantyre. When Albert reached house No. 51 on Stonefield Rd., the following happened, and is described in his own words: "When the incident happened I was standing in the doorway inviting the gentleman of the house to come to hear the lecture, which invitation he accepted. At this precise moment I noticed from the corner of my eye a man coming across the road from the new housing scheme (I had not seen this man before). He stood at the door for about a minute; I thought it was his intention to go into the house; my back was turned on the man (Thomas Murphy, of 48 Stonefield Rd.). However, he grabbed me by the back of my coat and pulled me out from the doorway, and in his so doing I knocked the young boy down. His words were to the effect that I must stop the work which Jehovah commands must be done. The Bible literature which was in my hands was knocked away, and it was his intention to punch or do bodily injury to me, and in preventing him from so doing I was justified. His wife came out and coaxed him away with almost unsuccessful tactics." The names and addresses of five witnesses were quickly taken and the matter was reported to the police. On May 11 Thomas Murphy's case came up for trial, and with the abundance of evidence he was quickly found guilty and fined 15/-. This will certainly teach zealous followers of Catholic priests to think twice before committing assault against Jehovah's witnesses in the Blantyre district. To All Publishers in Britain In view of the continued opposition from the Catholic Hierarchy in the forms of assaults, mob violence, and breaking up of public meetings, Judge Rutherford's advice has been sought. Following is his advice which has just been received from Brooklyn on the matter of Catholic violence: (Quote) We should expect these things now, because the truth is stirring up the Devil's crowd, and the witnesses should be encouraged to go straight forward in the work without hesitancy, knowing that it is the time when the testimony must be given and, when given, will certainly stir up strife on the part of the enemy. My advice is that when you are going into a community where you expect trouble you first notify the police officers that you are coming and request that they have an officer near by to witness any attempted assaults and make arrests of the persons who do attempt to assault. The person who gives the witness might carry a strong walking stick and another publisher walk near him, he also carrying a strong walking stick. If an attempt is made to interfere, let one of them say to the disturbers: "Stand back; if you assault this man, who has done nothing to you, I will take a hand and use this cane to good advantage, and I will not hesitate to use it under such circumstances." The idea that we have to stand mute, and refuse to protect ourselves when assaulted by a wrongdoer, is entirely un-Scriptural. If the police want to do their duty they will have somebody present and break up these mobs. Otherwise mark some in such a way that they can be identified. Get the witnesses and take them into court and have a test case and determine whether or not there is any further freedom in Britain to proclaim the message of God's kingdom. Thus Judge Rutherford has plainly set forth our right as Christians to defend ourselves and the Kingdom interests against attacks from Jehovah's enemies. See Exodus 22: 2, 3. Note the action Jesus took to safeguard the Kingdom interests, at John 2: 15, Matthew 21: 12, 13, and Mark 11: 15, 16. On May 20 the zone servant for Glasgow and three other publishers were served with a complaint by the police wherein they were charged by two priests of Clydebank with having 'caused a crowd of people to collect and did commit a breach of the peace on the Sunday of March 5'. This interesting case came to trial on Wednesday June 7. The Society engaged a well-known lawyer in Glasgow to make the defense. On the same day the trial of Patrick McGrory, leader of a mob against Jehovah's people on February 5, came before the judge for hearing. Enclosed find a brief report from the zone servant on these two trials. This afternoon, after a trial lasting two hours, witnesses Bacon, Brown, Whiteford and myself were found "not guilty" by Judge Burns on the charge of disturbing the peace brought against us by the priests McEwan and Duffin of Clydebank. Two priests appeared in court, one of which was the "Rev. Father" Dr. McEwan. Our solicitor endeavored to pave the way for us to give witness to our message, but the judge immediately stopped this, saying the charge involved an annoyance by sound. However, little bits came out which were in themselves a witness. It was interesting and almost comical when our solicitor in cross-examining Dr. McEwan produced the Catholic Bellarmine Society's report titled "Judge Rutherford and the Witnesses of Jehovah" and asked the said "rev." gentleman to read aloud the last paragraph where it gives advice as to how to treat Jehovah's witnesses to 'prevent them from becoming a nuisance'. "Finally, if the 'witnesses' refuse to go when told to do so, householders should report the matter to the police. If numerous complaints are lodged, the police will take measure to prevent the nuisance." [page 9] Poor old priest! You should have seen his face while reading that last paragraph. Out of his own mouth he was condemned. Our witnesses, in comparison with the Catholic witnesses, gave a good account of themselves; none contradicted the other. The priests had poor witnesses for their side, and once the prosecutor said to a Catholic witness, "Is that what you were told to say?" At another point the police sergeant made a statement and this was contradicted immediately after by his superior, the inspector. The prosecutor pounced on this and made much of the point. Thus after two hours the judge found us not guilty. The court was crowded out, principally by Jehovah's witnesses; and what a showing! One hundred and twenty publishers attended. Then the second case came up, when McGrory was brought forward, found guilty of assailing Jehovah's servants, and fined 30/- or 10 days in jail. And so the battle we have been fighting for the last five months came to an end with a victory which the Lord has given us. All the British witnesses rejoice with the Glasgow publishers in these preliminary victories over Jehovah's enemies and pray the Lord will strengthen them to keep pressing forward the Kingdom fight. — Rescript of information to Jehovah's Kingdom publishers of Britain, issued from London office of WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY. Catholic-Fascist Menace in Britain FOSTERS VIOLENCE — DENIES FREEDOM OF SPEECH At the start let this fact be clearly borne in mind: that this is not a cry for Jehovah's witnesses, who have been the object of Catholic-Fascist violence and reproach during the past several months. Jehovah's witnesses are neither Communists nor members of any political movement, but are wholly and uncompromisingly for Jehovah God's kingdom, under Christ and, as such, are faithful Christians. If they die in the performance of duty Jehovah will preserve their eternal existence. Whether one lives or dies is relatively unimportant, because the Devil's agents can only kill the body but are unable to destroy the right to life. (Luke 12: 4) Jehovah's witnesses trust in the Lord and need nothing from any man. But the purpose here is to warn the people of good will that if they continue to uphold and support an organization that is fighting against God's kingdom they will suffer the consequences of its destruction. PUBLIC WARNING On September 11, 1938, at the Royal Albert Hall, London, Judge Rutherford, spokesman for Jehovah's witnesses, sounded a timely warning, which message was transmitted by wireless to the English-speaking people throughout the earth. In brief that warning was this: Vatican City, directing its Hierarchy throughout the world and acting in conjunction with Fascists and Nazis, is in a conspiracy to grab control of and rule the world, regiment the people, and dictate arbitrarily to all. In recent months the development of the physical facts in Britain have shown not only that the warning was timely, but that the predicted events are coming to pass much quicker than many anticipated. CATHOLIC HIERARCHY SECRETLY ADMITS FASCIST ALLIANCE During recent months the Catholic Press and other Catholic agencies have secretly admitted their close association with Fascist interests and their move for power in Britain. But The Bellarmine Society (Catholic), Heythrop College, in April, 1939, published a lengthy work entitled "Judge Rutherford and the Witnesses of Jehovah", where they privately make the following significant statement: "Many non-Catholics would agree with Rutherford on a number of points, and even some Catholics who have succumbed to Left-wing propaganda will agree that he (Judge Rutherford) is not far wrong in saying that the Church is in alliance with Fascism. Criticisms of Rutherford, therefore, have to be so expressed that no handle is given to Communists, etc. For Communists would be quite ready to ignore, for the moment, the fact that Rutherford regards Communism itself as a child of the Devil. However, if these difficulties are kept well in mind, good work can be done by showing up Rutherford's fundamental opposition to religion and to constituted authority." Of course, Jehovah's witnesses openly admit their opposition to hypocritical practices of religion which are out of harmony with God's Word, the Bible, but they deny that they are in opposition to the constituted authority of any state. Definitely they are not Communists. But does not the above statement plainly show that members of the Catholic Hierarchy are the ones who are in opposition to constituted authority by admitting they are in alliance with Fascism and thus against democracy? For further facts we refer to the Catholic Herald in an article published February 5, 1937: (Quote) "Hope for Fascism. Here we [page 10] [page 11] Catholic-Fascist Action in S. Wales Rev. Fr. McDonagh Dictates to a Local Committee THE British people have struggled for centuries to put for themselves liberty — the right for each individual to serve Almighty God according to the dictates of his own conscience. No one who desires to see the British people enjoy their freedom can fail to be concerned with the ever-increasing encroachments upon that freedom. The totalitarian systems of government which have spread rapidly over Europe have shocked the world with their brutal suppression of freedom and individual liberty. These governments do not try to win the hearts and minds of those they rule, but seek to rule by force and violence. Hitler doesn't need to boast; his atrocious acts of violence and oppression have shocked the world. Such acts of violence have caused freedom-loving people to be alarmed. Britain is not entirely free from Nazi and Fascist action. There are those who are attempting to introduce into Britain the same methods which threaten to destroy the liberties of the people. This — NOT COMMUNISTS BUT PROCLAIMERS OF FREEDOM Jehovah's witnesses spend much energy and time, most of it sacrificed in sacrificing age of comfort and money, going from door to door conveying a message of hope to those who desire it. They also use recorded Bible lectures in spreading this message of God's kingdom and do conduct public meetings in large halls and cinemas throughout the country where these vital matters of God's purpose are openly discussed. Their purpose in so doing is not political. The facts show that the majority of the Catholic and Protestant denominations approve of the goings-on of the Hitler-Fascist states. Jehovah's witnesses proclaim the only true freedom — God's kingdom under Christ — and they know that this is what people need. The religious leaders and those who support the Fascist-Nazi system are opposed to Jehovah's witnesses being given opportunity to know the truth, and because the truth exposes their racket. The truth shall make men free. Jehovah's witnesses are not Communists but proclaimers of freedom. In order to silence them, the Catholic-Fascist Action groups resort to force and violence to accomplish their purpose. Here is a concrete example of Catholic-Fascist Action. CATHOLIC ACTION OPERATES IN NEWBRIDGE, MON. Arrangements were made for a series of lectures and public meetings to be conducted in a local hall at Newbridge, commencing with a meeting at 6.30 p.m. on Sunday, May 21st, dealing with Fascism and the new world that is coming. A cinema had been secured throughout Wales in which these public meetings were to be held, and a hall was secured for this occasion. Jehovah's witnesses of the Welsh district set about busily on Thursday, Friday and Saturday distributing literature and advertising the meeting throughout the district. On Saturday evening the sound-car led a sandwich parade through the busy streets of Newbridge bearing the announcement of the meeting. On Saturday the local Catholic priest, who called the committee together on Sunday morning to consider whether their hall should be denied Jehovah's witnesses. At 1.30 p.m. Sunday the special representative received a telegram through the local police to say that the hall was cancelled and definitely denied them for the same public meeting. The local hall secretary informed the representative of Jehovah's witnesses that a special meeting had been called on Sunday morning for the committee to consider an objection by the local Catholic Action group, and that the committee, in view of the objection, had decided to cancel the hall for Jehovah's witnesses for 7.30 p.m. DICTATOR McDONAGH MAKES THREAT "On Friday evening the committee met to discuss your lecture and whether you could hold any further lectures. We decided that we would grant you one Sunday evening, but the local Catholic priest visited the committee and told them that the lectures were against the Catholic Church." Also he reminded us that if our hall support was withdrawn from us. As a result of this visit we had a committee meeting and decided, in view of these things, to cancel further lectures." In other words, the committee weakly yielded to the pressure of the local Catholic Action group and denied Jehovah's witnesses the right of freedom of assembly and to serve God according to the dictates of conscience. Steps were immediately taken to secure another hall, and the lecture was given at 7.30 p.m. at another venue. Arrangements are being taken to give the lectures in Newbridge. OPEN STATEMENT These facts are published in this open statement to the people of South Wales as a public warning to all freedom-loving people. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy, which is operating today in Britain through its Catholic Action groups, is pursuing the same policy of intolerance, bigotry and suppression of freedom as is practiced in continental Europe by such men as Hitler and Mussolini. The ambition of this crowd is to rule the world. There is now a concerted effort to bring Britain under the rule of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and ruling arbitrarily under the aid and co-operation of the continental Europe, which means one slavery and death. Or shall Britain embrace Christ and his kingdom and receive true freedom and everlasting life? These facts, with other evidence which is published, clearly demonstrate that the worship of Almighty God in accordance with the dictates of conscience is no longer free in districts of this country. It is now necessary that the Roman Catholic Hierarchy of jurisdiction will, if possible, suppress the kingdom interests of Jehovah's witnesses and stop the distribution of kingdom literature of Jehovah God, and to imprison, beat up and otherwise ill-treat God-fearing men and women; it betrays its intolerance, totalitarian manner of thought and action. Many thousands of people of good will throughout the land are viewing with increasing concern this organisation in battle and disgust. They are finding refuge in Jehovah God's kingdom organisation. All people who believe in Almighty God and His Word should promptly forsake bad organisations and cleave to God's organisation to do His will. Jehovah's kingdom is near! For further information write to: WATCH TOWER, 34 Craven Terrace, London, W.2. --- have a new movement still in process of development and amenable to friendly contacts, with a social program already containing so many reforms advocated by the social encyclicals (of the popes) that its platform may be said to consist very largely of Catholic planks. . . . British Fascism stands for the Corporate State, the social-economic system favored by Catholic Austria, Catholic Italy, Catholic Portugal and Catholic Spain. . . . Furthermore, through a reformed upper house, British Fascism invites the official co-operation of the Catholic Church to the end that the government may have guidance in this very matter." Also we quote from the Catholic Herald of May 12, 1939, "ACTION! ACTION! ACTION! There is a growing sense that Catholicity in Great Britain is on the eve of great happenings." Surely these statements cause people to gravely examine the present threatening position. OVERT ACTS Consider now some of the overt acts committed by the Catholic-Fascist movement where they have made public demonstrations of violence and gagging of freedom of speech in open violation of the law of the land. NOVEMBER 16, 1939 February 5, March 5, April 30, CLYDEBANK, cussing this matter as gentlemen, they resort and April 2, OLDHAM. [See pages 9 and 11.] to force. A.pril 30, 1939, FOLKESTONE.-A party of All this time the Catholic Herald and the forty members of Catholic Action came to the Universe, principal organs of the Catholic public meeting of Jehovah's witnesses at the Press in Britain, have been carrying on a bit- Town Hall and raised such a commotion that ter attack, and Jehovah's witnesses have no order was not restored until the police arrived. doubt that such articles have encouraged fu:r- May 7, 1939, HEBBURN-ON-TYNE.-The local ther violence. For example, in the Universe priest, "Father" Witty, brought pressure to of June 16, on page 10, the writer tells a brief bear and had the local public hall canceled story of how in Belfast one who shouts "To to Jehovah's witnesses a few hours before their hell with the pope" finds himself in the hos- advertised Bible meeting was to have started. pital within exactly ten minutes. Then he goes May19, 1939, GLASGOw.-A party of twelve on to say that "Jehovah's witnesses may not of Jehovah's witnesses were seriously harassed have used these precise words, but their lan- and some injured in one of the largest of mobs guage has been quite as provocative". To rrrany gathered in the Garngad Road district. It is this might appear in a subtle manner as incit- estimated about two thousand Catholics par- ing to violence and maltreatment. ticipated in this demonstration of mass vio- lence and assault. Eight of the mob were SHALL CATHOLIC-FASCIST ROME RtJr.E aRITAI~' charged by the police and seven were finally The facts above are plainly stated, that all brought before the magistrate and found order-loving people of Great Britain who be- guilty and punished for their violence. lieve that the British people, and not Rome, . May 21, 1939, NEWBRIDGE, MON.-"Father" should rule this country may know what is McDonagh openly threatehed to boycott the behind the scenes.. The Catholic clergyalld management of the "Celynen Ambulance leaders pretending to be Christians are ill fact Hall" in respect to an agreement made to let religionists engaged in a subtle political cam- the hall to Jehovah's witnesses for their public paign to control not only Germany, Italy and Bible lecture. A few hours before the sched- Spain and ot'her countries of theContinellt, uled meeting the management weakly gave in but Great Britain and America:. They and all tothe threat and refused to allow Jehovah's their tactics are against true freedom. witnesses to exercise their right of freedom of The Fascist-Catholic Hierarehvmust know assembly. [See page 8.] that this is the land of Britain, and not Rome; June 11, 1939, CRUMLIN, MON.-This same that they may freely practice their religion "Father" McDonagh succeeded in having the here amongst those who like it; but that they management of the Empire Cillema, Crumlin, cannot use their religious institution as a" po- break his contract to allow a public Bible meet- litical machine to turn over to the fanatical ing, even though the local Watch Committee dictators the liberties of the British people. had already given its sanction, This second Bible prophecies clearly foretold these days, breach of contract is now the subject of action with violence on every hand within and with- in the local •court. "Father" McDonagh has out the nations. These are the last days, when evidently succeeded in setting up a censorship Satan's entire organization of world control is over 'that entire Welsh valley. By intimidation being maneuvered against God'skingdomun- and boycott he has forced all other' owners der Christ Jesus, which is now being estab- and managers of halls and cinemas in that lished. Jehovah's witnesses now encourage ys>u section to refuse Jehovah's witnesses toexer- to get a quick knowledge of God's kingdo lll, cise their right of freedom of assembly. .' . so that you may find a place of safety and pro- During the past few weeks many other. in- tection before the battle of Armageddon be- 'cidentsof the saniecharacter have occurred in gins. Many 'honest Catholics ill this land and Dundee, Northwieh, Stirling,Leicester,Thor- abroad, seeing the obvious Fascist eeiirse'.of nabyr.and Camberley, . their Catholic clergy and leaders,are riow , .Itjnust-be-said-that muehofthis opposition turning away from that religio-political in- has been as a result of .Judge Rutherford's stitution ill shame and disgust. All.people.who famous anti-Fascist lecture "Fascism or Free- believe in Almighty God and His Word shown dom", which. presents the bare facts and argo. promptly forsake that wickedorganizatiori mentsthe Catholic-Eascists have been unable and. havenothing more to do witli it. _- to sueeessfullyrefute. Instead of openly' dis- JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES,1J(jnd(jn~-" 12 CONSOL.ATION Will Chief Matthews Ever Learn? ·.TIJIE GOLDEN AGE No. 467, August 11, next item in the same paper narrates a court , 1937, toldof the doings of Chief of Police decision in favor of Jehovah's witnesses. J. E. Matthews, and his fellow anarchists, at There is a story in 2 Kings 1: 1-17 which LaGrange, Georgia: how 76 prisoners were Chie~ Matthews C01!ld read ~ith profit. King illegally transferred from the city to the Ahaziah had met WIth an accident. He wanted county stockade; how the transport was ille- to get well; but one of Jehovah's witnesses, the g'm.ly made at the speed of 65 prophet Elijah, sent word to him miles an hour, how an innocent that he would die, and he did. man was arrested and fined for laGrange Chief Chief Matthews has been paying doing the very thing he had been too much attention to the clergy, given a permit to do; how the And Two Others as did Ahaziah. The clergy of chief plainly showed contempt of La Grange are a sad lot. They court; how he refused to arrest a Are Hurt in Crash know nothing about the Word of fellow anarchist on a charge of Th~~~~' i~~i;'£~ b~;;l"'.{i God or about Christianity. When assault and battery, and how he Gra!1le, Polielf .J. E. Mathews. 01 La .. Ga,,· were treated at the Jehovah's witnesses were abused stated that if Jehovah's witnesses City Hospital Friday for Injuries resuItlne from an automobile in their city, not one of them ever came to La Grange again he colll$ion day nilrht. naar Bu.... Vista Thurs. lifted his voice in protest against would leave town after turning Chief Mathews suUereci a frac· all the lawlessness of Matthews them over to a mob. ::~~tr:v~~ ~=~:eOh~: and his brother anarchists. brol»er L: law. !t. J; Terry. of Chief Matthews' word is no bet- LaGrana:e-,. who wa~ reported in Here is a sample of how much ter than his official conduct. He • erlfit!Jl edn