Footnote References
Footnote – Paragraph 3
Reference
***bh pp. 88-92 Are We Living in “the Last Days”?***
Please
notice what would result from the war in heaven. In his fury, Satan would bring
woe, or trouble, upon those on earth. As you will see, we are now living in
that time of woe. But it will be relatively brief—only “a short period of time.” Even Satan realizes that. The
Bible refers to this
period as “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) How glad we can be that God will
soon do away with the Devil’s influence over the earth! Let us consider some of
the things foretold in the Bible that are happening right now. These prove that
we are living in the last days and that God’s Kingdom will soon bring
everlasting blessings to those who love Jehovah. First, let us examine four features
of the sign that Jesus said would mark the time in which we live.
MAJOR
DEVELOPMENTS OF THE LAST DAYS
6 “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.”
(Matthew 24:7) Millions of people have been killed in
wars during the past century. One British historian wrote: “The 20th century
was the most murderous in recorded history. . . . It was a century of almost
unbroken war, with few and brief periods without organized armed conflict
somewhere.” A report from the World watch Institute states: “Three times as
many people fell victim to war in [the 20th] century as in all the wars from
the first century AD to 1899.” More than 100 million people have died as a
result of wars since 1914. Even if we know the sorrow of losing one loved one in
warfare, we can only imagine such misery and pain multiplied millions of
times over.
7 “There will be food shortages.” (Matthew
24:7) Researchers say that food production has increased greatly during the
past 30 years. Nevertheless, food shortages continue because many people do not
have enough money to buy food or land on which to raise crops. In developing
countries, well over a billion people have to live on an income of a dollar or
less a day. The majority of these suffer from chronic hunger. The World Health
Organization estimates that malnutrition plays a major role in the deaths of
more than five million children each year.
8 “There will be great earthquakes.” (Luke
21:11) According to the U.S. Geological Survey, an average of 19 major
earthquakes are expected per year. These are powerful enough to damage
buildings and crack the ground. And on an average, earthquakes strong enough to
cause total destruction of buildings have occurred yearly. Available records
show that earthquakes have claimed over two million lives since 1900. One
source states: “Improvements in technology have only slightly reduced the death
toll.”
9 “There will be . . . pestilences.” (Luke
21:11) Despite medical advances, old and new diseases plague mankind. One
report says that 20 well-known diseases—including tuberculosis, malaria, and
cholera—have become more common in recent decades, and some types of disease
are increasingly difficult to cure by means of drugs. In fact, at least 30 new
diseases have appeared. Some of them have no known cure and are fatal.
PEOPLE
OF THE LAST DAYS
10 Aside from identifying certain world
developments, the Bible foretold that the last days would be marked by a change
in human society. The apostle Paul described what people in general would be
like. At 2 Timothy 3:1-5, we read: “In the last days critical times hard to
deal with will be here.” In part, Paul said that people would be
§ lovers of themselves
§ lovers of money
§ disobedient to parents
§ disloyal
§ having no natural
affection
§ without self-control
§ fierce
§ lovers of pleasures
rather than lovers of God
§ having a form of godly
devotion but proving false to its power
11
Have people become like that in your community? No doubt they have. There are
people everywhere who have bad traits. This shows that God will soon act, for
the Bible says: “When the wicked ones sprout as the vegetation and all the
practicers of what is hurtful blossom forth, it is that they may be annihilated
forever.”—Psalm 92:7.
POSITIVE
DEVELOPMENTS!
12 The last days are indeed filled with woe,
just as the Bible foretold. In this troubled world, however, there are positive
developments among the worshipers of Jehovah.
13 “The true knowledge will become abundant,” the
Bible book of Daniel foretold. When would that happen? During “the time of the
end.” (Daniel 12:4) Especially since 1914, Jehovah has helped those who truly
desire to serve him to grow in understanding of the Bible. They have grown in
appreciation of precious truths about God’s name and purpose, the ransom
sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the condition of the dead, and the resurrection.
Moreover, worshipers of Jehovah have learned how to live their lives in a way
that benefits them and brings praise to God. They have also gained a clearer
understanding of the role of God’s Kingdom and how it will set matters straight
on the earth. What do they do with this knowledge? That question brings us to
yet another prophecy that is being fulfilled in these last days.
14 “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the
inhabited earth,” said Jesus Christ in his prophecy about
“the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matthew 24:3, 14) Throughout the
earth, the good news of the Kingdom—what the Kingdom is, what it will do, and
how we can receive its blessings—is being preached in over 230 lands and in
more than 400 languages. Millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses zealously preach the
Kingdom good news. They come from “all nations and tribes and peoples and
tongues.” (Revelation 7:9) The Witnesses conduct free home Bible studies with
millions of people who want to know what the Bible really teaches. What an
impressive fulfillment of prophecy, especially since Jesus foretold that true
Christians would be “objects of hatred by all people”!—Luke 21:17.
Footnote – Paragraph 5
Reference
***w13 7/15 pp. 22-23 “Who Really Is the Faithful and Discreet
Slave?”***
Article
12
When did Jesus appoint the faithful slave over his domestics? To answer that,
we need to go back to 1914—the beginning of the harvest season. As we learned
earlier, at that time many groups claimed to be Christian. From which group
would Jesus select and appoint the faithful slave? That question was answered
after he and his Father came and inspected the temple, or spiritual arrangement
for worship, from 1914 to the early part of 1919. (Mal. 3:1) They were pleased
with a small band of loyal Bible Students who showed that their heart was with
Jehovah and his Word. Of course, they needed some cleansing, but they humbly
responded during a brief period of testing and refining. (Mal. 3:2-4) Those
faithful Bible Students were true Christian wheat. In 1919, a time of spiritual
revival, Jesus selected capable anointed brothers from among them to be the
faithful and discreet slave and appointed them over his domestics.
Footnote – Paragraph 10
Reference
***w12 9/15 pp. 13-17 Theocratic Schools—Evidence of Jehovah’s Love***
Article
Theocratic Schools—Evidence of Jehovah’s
Love
JEHOVAH
is our “Grand Instructor.” (Isa. 30:20) Love motivates him to educate and train
others. For example, moved by deep love, Jehovah shows Jesus “all the things he
himself does.” (John 5:20) Love for us, his Witnesses, moves Jehovah to give us
“the tongue of the taught ones,” as we put forth every effort to honor him and
help others.—Isa. 50:4.
In
imitation of Jehovah’s pattern of love, the Teaching Committee of the Governing
Body uses ten theocratic schools to train ones who have both the desire and the circumstances
to
enroll.
Do
you view these schools as an evidence of Jehovah’s love? Enjoy an overview of
the current theocratic schools and comments from some who have attended them.
Then ask yourself, ‘How can I benefit from this divine education?’
BENEFIT
FROM THEOCRATIC TRAINING
As
“the God of love,” Jehovah provides training that adds meaning to our lives,
prepares us to overcome challenges, and helps us to experience great joy in our
ministry. (2 Cor. 13:11) Like first-century disciples, we are well-equipped to
help others, “teaching them to observe all the things” we have been commanded.—Matt.
28:20.
Although
we may not be able to attend all
of
these schools, we can benefit from one or more of them. And we can apply the Bible-based
instruction thus available. We can also increase our effectiveness in the
ministry by working alongside well trained servants of Jehovah.
Ask
yourself, ‘Do my circumstances allow me to reach out for attending any of these
schools?’
Jehovah’s
worshippers consider it a privilege to support these valuable schools and to be
taught there. May the training you receive draw you closer to God and equip you
to fulfill your responsibilities before him, especially the urgent commission
to preach the good news.
[Box on pages 13-17]
THEOCRATIC
SCHOOLS OVERVIEW
Theocratic Ministry School
Purpose: To train publishers to be effective
preachers and teachers of the good news.
Duration: Continuous.
Location: Local Kingdom Hall.
Qualifications: All who are regularly
associating with the congregation, who agree with the teachings of the Bible,
and whose lives are in harmony with Christian principles.
Enrollment: The Theocratic
Ministry School overseer enrolls students.
Sharon,
who is paralyzed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), says: “The Theocratic Ministry School has taught me to do research
and to present information logically. I have also learned to focus on the spiritual
needs of others—not just my own.”
Arnie,
a longtime traveling overseer, comments: “I
grew up stuttering and had trouble making eye contact with others. This school
has helped me gain confidence and self-worth. With Jehovah’s help through this
training, I have learned breathing and concentration techniques. I am very
grateful for the ability to praise God in the congregation and in my ministry.”
Bethel Entrants’ School
Purpose: To help new arrivals to Bethel to make
a success of their service.
Duration: 45 minutes each week
for 16 weeks.
Location: Bethel.
Qualifications: Must be a permanent
member of the Bethel family or a temporary volunteer who has been approved to serve
at Bethel for a year or longer.
Enrollment: New members of the
Bethel family are automatically enrolled.
Demetrius,
who attended this school in the 1980’s, says: “This
course improved my study habits and helped prepare me for a long Bethel career.
The instructors, curriculum, and practical counsel convinced me of Jehovah’s
loving concern and of his desire to help me to succeed in my Bethel service.”
Kaitlyn
comments: “I was helped to focus on what is most
important—being a spiritual person. Entrants’ School has enhanced my
appreciation for Jehovah, his house, and his organization.”
Kingdom
Ministry School
Purpose: To train traveling overseers, elders,
and, at times, ministerial servants to care for their oversight and
organizational responsibilities. (Acts 20:28) Current situations, trends, and immediate
needs of the congregations are covered. This school is held every few years as
decided by the Governing Body.
Duration: In recent years, this
school has been conducted for two to two and a half days for traveling
overseers, one and a half days for elders, and one day for ministerial servants.
Location: Usually at a Kingdom
Hall or an Assembly Hall.
Qualifications: Must be a traveling
overseer, an elder, or a ministerial servant.
Enrollment: Elders and
ministerial servants receive an invitation from the circuit overseer. The
branch office invites traveling overseers.
“The school, though compact and concise,
invigorates elders and helps them to maintain joy and ‘carry on as men’ in
Jehovah’s service. Both new and longtime elders learn to shepherd effectively
and to be fitly united in the ‘same line of thought.’”—Quinn.
“This training struck the perfect balance
between building our spiritual appreciation, warning us of dangers, and
providing us with practical suggestions to care for the flock. How kind of
Jehovah to help us.”—Michael.
Pioneer
Service School
Purpose: To help pioneers ‘fully accomplish
their ministry.’—2 Tim. 4:5.
Duration: Two weeks.
Location: Decided by the branch
office; usually at a Kingdom Hall.
Qualifications: Must have been a
regular pioneer for a year or longer.
Enrollment: Eligible pioneers are
automatically enrolled and are informed by their circuit overseer.
“That school has helped me deal with
challenges in the ministry and in my life,” says Lily. “The way I study, teach, and use the Bible has greatly
improved. I am better prepared to help others, support the elders, and
contribute to the growth of the congregation.”
Brenda,
who has attended the school twice, notes: “It
allowed me to be 100 percent absorbed in spiritual things, to strengthen my
conscience, and to focus on helping others. Clearly, Jehovah is generous!”
[Footnote]
If
a class does not have a full complement of new pioneers, some pioneers who have
not attended in the last five years may be invited to attend again.
School
for Congregation Elders
Purpose: To help elders care for their
responsibilities in the congregation and to deepen their spirituality.
Duration: Five days.
Location: Decided by the branch
office; usually at a Kingdom Hall or an Assembly Hall.
Qualifications: Must be an appointed
elder.
Enrollment: The branch office
invites elders.
Note
comments from some in the 92nd class in the United States:
“The school has benefited me greatly,
helping me to look at myself and see how I can take care of Jehovah’s sheep.” “I
am ready to be more encouraging to all by stressing the main points in the
Scriptures.”
“I will carry this training with me for
the rest of my life.”
School
for Traveling Overseers and Their Wives
Purpose: To help circuit and district overseers
to be more effective in serving congregations as they “work hard in speaking and
teaching.”—1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Pet. 5:2, 3.
Duration: Two months.
Location: Determined by the
branch office.
Qualifications: Brother must be a
circuit or a district overseer.
Enrollment: The branch office
invites traveling overseers and their wives.
“Our appreciation for Jesus’ headship
over the organization was enhanced. We saw the need to encourage the brothers
we serve and to strengthen the unity of each congregation. The course impressed
on our minds that while the traveling overseer offers advice and even
correction on occasion, his main goal is to help the brothers to see that
Jehovah loves them.”—Joel,
1st class, 1999.
Bible
School for Single Brothers
Purpose: To prepare single elders and
ministerial servants to care for additional responsibilities in Jehovah’s
organization. Many graduates will receive an assignment in their home country, wherever
there is a need. Others may be assigned to another country if they make
themselves available. Some graduates may serve as temporary special pioneers to
open up and expand the work in remote and isolated areas.
Duration: Two months.
Location: Decided by the branch
office; usually at a Kingdom Hall or an Assembly Hall.
Qualifications: Single brothers
between 23 and 62 years of age who are in good health and who want to serve
wherever there is a greater need. (Mark 10:29, 30) They must have served as
regular pioneers for at least two years and have served for at least two
continuous years as elders or ministerial servants.
Enrollment: A meeting is held at
the circuit assembly to provide information for those interested.
“Being immersed in this course allowed
Jehovah’s spirit to make changes deep within me,” says Rick, from the
23rd class in the United States. “When
Jehovah extends an assignment, he supports you in that assignment. I learned
that if I focus on God’s will and not on myself, he will strengthen me.”
“I learned to appreciate God’s
organization as a modern-day miracle,” notes Andreas, who serves in Germany. “The training helped prepare me for the work ahead. Also, many
Bible examples taught me this fundamental truth: Serving my brothers and
Jehovah leads to true happiness.”
Bible
School for Christian Couples
Purpose: To give married couples specialized
training so that they can be used more fully by Jehovah and his organization. Many
graduates will be assigned to serve where there is a greater need in their home
country. Some may receive an assignment in another country if they make
themselves available. Graduates may serve as temporary special pioneers to open
up and expand the work in remote and isolated areas.
Duration: Two months.
Location: This school is
conducted in the United States, and beginning in September 2012, it also will
be held in selected branch territories worldwide, usually at a Kingdom Hall or
an Assembly Hall.
Qualifications: Married couples
between 25 and 50 years of age who are in good health, who have the
circumstances to serve wherever there is a greater need, and who have the
attitude: “Here I am! Send me.” (Isa. 6:8) They must have been married for at
least two years and have been in the full-time service for at least two years
without interruption. The husband must have been an elder or a ministerial
servant for at least two consecutive years.
Enrollment: A meeting is held at
the district convention to provide information for those interested in
enrolling. If there is no meeting at conventions in your country and you would
like to apply, you may write your branch office for further information.
“What a life-changing eight weeks and a
great opportunity for couples wanting to reach out! We are determined to keep a
balanced life that will enable us to use our time wisely.”—Eric and Corina 1st class, 2011.
Watchtower
Bible School of Gilead
Purpose: To train students to serve as field
missionaries in densely populated areas, to be traveling overseers, or to be Bethelites.
The goal is to strengthen and stabilize field and branch organization.
Duration: Five months.
Location: Watchtower
Educational Center, Patterson, New York, U.S.A.
Qualifications: Married couples who
are already serving in some form of special full-time service—that is, as field
missionaries who have not attended the school, special pioneers, traveling overseers,
or Bethelites. They must have been in such service together for at least three
years without interruption. They need to speak, read, and write English
fluently.
Enrollment: Couples may be
invited by their Branch Committee to apply.
Lade
and Monique from the United States now serve in Africa. “Gilead School prepared us to go anywhere in the world, roll
up our sleeves, and work with our dear brothers,” says Lade.
Monique
adds: “As I apply what I’ve learned from God’s
Word, I find great joy in my assignment. I see that joy as further proof of
Jehovah’s love.”
School for Branch Committee Members and
Their Wives Purpose: To
help those on Branch Committees to supervise Bethel homes, to give attention to
service matters affecting congregations, and to oversee circuits and districts.
They also learn about translating, printing, and the shipping of literature.
Duration: Two months.
Location: Watchtower
Educational Center, Patterson, New York, U.S.A.
Qualifications: Brother must be a
Branch Committee or a Country Committee member or being assigned as such.
Enrollment: The Governing Body
invites brothers and their wives.
Lowell
and Cara, from the 25th class, serve in Nigeria. “I was reminded that no matter how busy I am or what work I
have been given, the key to pleasing Jehovah is spirituality,” says Lowell. “The course also stressed that how we treat others must
revolve around the love that Jehovah shows his servants.”
“One comment I have meditated on is
this,” adds
Cara. “If I cannot state a point simply, I need
to study the subject before trying to teach others.”
Footnote – Paragraph 11
Reference
***w98 12/1 pp. 19-22 Legally Protecting the Good News***
Article
Legally Protecting the Good News
AS
LONG AS man has been constructing cities, he has been building walls.
Especially in bygone days, these fortifications were a protection. From atop
this barrier, defenders could fight to protect the walls from being breached or
undermined by attackers. Not only did the inhabitants of the city find
protection but often those dwelling in the surrounding towns also found refuge
within the walls.—2 Samuel 11:20-24; Isaiah 25:12.
Similarly,
Jehovah’s Witnesses have built a wall—a legal
wall—of
protection. This wall has not been erected to isolate the Witnesses from the
rest of society, for Jehovah’s Witnesses are known for being gregarious,
outgoing people. Rather, it fortifies legal guarantees of basic freedoms for
all people. At the same time, it protects the Witnesses’ legal rights so that they
can freely carry out their worship. (Compare Matthew 5:14-16.) This wall
safeguards their way of worship and their right to preach the good news of
God’s Kingdom. What is this wall, and how has it been built?
Building
a Legal Wall of Protection
Although
Jehovah’s Witnesses enjoy religious freedom in most lands, in some countries
they have been the object of unjustified attack. When their freedom to worship
by assembling together or by preaching from house to house has been challenged,
they have pursued matters legally. Legal cases involving the Witnesses have
numbered in the thousands earth wide. Not all have been won. But when lower
courts have ruled against them, they have often appealed to higher courts. With
what result?
Over
the decades of the 20th century, legal victories in many lands have established
reliable precedents that Jehovah’s Witnesses have appealed to in subsequent
cases. Like the bricks or stones making up a wall, these favorable decisions
constitute a legal wall of protection. From atop this wall of precedent, the
Witnesses have continued to fight for the religious freedom to carry out their
worship.
Consider,
as an example, the case of Murdock v.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which was decided by the United States
Supreme Court on May 3, 1943. The question raised in the case was this: Should
Jehovah’s Witnesses have to obtain a commercial peddling license for
distributing their religious literature? Jehovah’s Witnesses maintained that
they should not be required to do so. Their preaching work is not—and never has
been—commercial. Their objective is, not to make money, but to preach the good
news. (Matthew 10:8; 2 Corinthians 2:17) In the Murdock decision, the Court agreed with the Witnesses, holding
that any requirement of a payment of a license tax as a precondition to
distributing religious literature is unconstitutional. This decision set an
important precedent, and the Witnesses have successfully appealed to it as
authority in numerous cases since then. The Murdock
decision
has proved to be a sturdy brick in the legal wall of protection.
Such
cases have done much to protect religious freedom for all people. Regarding the
contribution made by the Witnesses to the defense of civil rights in the United
States, the University of Cincinnati Law Review said: “Jehovah’s
Witnesses have had a profound impact on the evolution of constitutional law, particularly
by expanding the parameters of the protection for speech and religion.”
Strengthening
the Wall
With
each legal victory, the wall gets stronger. Consider a few of the decisions in
the 1990’s that have benefited Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well as all other lovers
of freedom, the world over.
Greece. On May 25, 1993, the
European Court of Human Rights upheld the right of a Greek citizen to teach his
religious beliefs to others. The case involved Minos Kokkinakis, then 84 years
old. As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Kokkinakis had been arrested more than 60
times since 1938, had been made to appear 18 times before Greek courts, and had
spent more than six years in prison. He had been convicted largely under a 1930’s
Greek law that prohibits proselytism—a law that was responsible for nearly
20,000 arrests of Jehovah’s Witnesses from 1938 to 1992. The European Court
ruled that the Greek government had violated the religious freedom of
Kokkinakis and awarded him damages in the amount of $14,400. In its decision, the
Court ruled that Jehovah’s Witnesses are indeed a “known religion.”—See The Watchtower of September 1, 1993, pages 27-31.
Mexico. On July 16, 1992, a
big step in the defense of religious freedom was taken in Mexico. On that date
the Law of Religious Associations and Public Worship was enacted. Through this
law, a religious group can receive legal status as a religious institution by
obtaining the required registry. Previously, Jehovah’s Witnesses, like other
religions in the country, existed de facto but had no legal status. On April
13, 1993, the Witnesses applied for registration. Happily, on May 7, 1993, they
became legally registered as La Torre del Vigía, A. R., and Los Testigos de
Jehová en México, A. R., both of which are religious associations.—See Awake!, July 22, 1994, pages 12-14.
Brazil. In November 1990,
Brazil’s National Institute of Social Security (INSS) notified the branch
office of the Watch Tower Society that volunteer ministers at Bethel (the name
of branch facilities of Jehovah’s Witnesses) would no longer be viewed as
religious ministers and would therefore come under Brazil’s labor laws. The
Witnesses appealed the decision. On June 7, 1996, the Judicial Advisory of the
Office of the Attorney General in Brasília issued a decision upholding the
position of ministers at Bethel as members of a legitimate religious order, not
as secular employees.
Japan. On March 8, 1996, the Supreme Court of
Japan handed down a decision on the issue of education and freedom of
religion—to the benefit of everyone in Japan. The court unanimously ruled that
Kobe Municipal Industrial Technical College violated the law by expelling
Kunihito Kobayashi for his refusal to participate in martial arts training.
This ruling marks the first time that the Supreme Court has handed down a
decision based on religious freedom guaranteed by the Japan Constitution. Following
his Bible-trained conscience, this young Witness felt that these drills were
not in harmony with such Bible principles as the one found at Isaiah 2:4, which
says: “They will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears
into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will
they learn war anymore.” The Court’s decision established a precedent for
future cases.—See The Watchtower, November 1, 1996,
pages 19-21.
On
February 9, 1998, the Tokyo High Court handed down another landmark decision
upholding the right of a Witness named Misae Takeda to refuse medical treatment
that is not in harmony with the Bible’s command to ‘abstain from blood.’ (Acts
15:28, 29) This case has been appealed to the Supreme Court, and it remains to
be seen if the High Court’s decision will be upheld.
Philippines. In a decision handed
down on March 1, 1993, the Philippine Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor
of Jehovah’s Witnesses in a case involving Witness youths who were expelled
from school because they respectfully declined to salute the flag.
Each
favorable court ruling is like an added stone or brick strengthening the legal
wall that protects the rights not only of Jehovah’s Witnesses but of all
people.
Safeguarding the Wall
Jehovah’s
Witnesses are legally registered in 153 lands, rightfully enjoying many
freedoms, as do other recognized religions. After decades of persecution and
ban in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, Jehovah’s Witnesses are now
legally recognized in such countries as Albania, Belarus, the Czech Republic,
Georgia, Hungary, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, and Slovakia. However, in
certain lands today, including in some Western European countries that have
long-established judicial systems, the rights of Jehovah’s Witnesses are being seriously
challenged or denied. Opposers are actively trying to ‘frame trouble by decree’
against the Witnesses. (Psalm 94:20) How do these respond? Jehovah’s Witnesses
want to cooperate with all governments, but they also want to have the legal
freedom to carry out their worship. It is their firm conviction that any laws
or court decisions that would prohibit them from obeying God’s
commands—including the command to preach the good news—are invalid. (Mark
13:10) If amicable agreements cannot be reached, Jehovah’s Witnesses will take
the offensive in the legal arena, pursuing all appellate measures necessary to
gain legal protection for their God-given right to carry out their worship. Jehovah’s
Witnesses have complete confidence in God’s promise: “Any weapon whatever that
will be formed against you will have no success.”—Isaiah 54:17.
[Footnotes]
For
a detailed discussion of the legal record of Jehovah’s Witnesses, please see
chapter 30 of the book Jehovah’s
Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society of New York, Inc.
In
the Murdock decision, the Supreme
Court reversed its own position in the case of Jones v. City of Opelika. In the Jones case, in 1942, the Supreme Court had upheld the decision
of a lower court that had convicted Rosco Jones, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, of
engaging in distribution of literature on the streets of Opelika, Alabama,
without the payment of a license tax.
See
the articles “Hated for Their Faith” and “Defending Our Faith,” on pages 8-18.
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