Taking Up a Different Kind of Ministry

AROUND the earth thousands of interested persons are requesting that Jehovah’s witnesses study the Bible with them. It brings joy to the hearts of the Witnesses to hear such requests. Note this experience involving a clergyman, as related by a Witness in Kansas:

“A young fellow began attending the meetings at our Kingdom Hall. When his mother learned about this, she became angry and wanted her son to stop.

“So she asked a Methodist minister to come to her home to talk to him. The youth asked me to join their discussion. This minister, however, came to see me first. After explaining the situation, he said that he was willing to have the meeting but that he did not want to argue or debate. He remarked that he had great respect for Jehovah’s witnesses due to the fine conduct of two of them who worked at his place of employment.

“When the appointed evening came, we all met at the boy’s home. During our discussion the question of war and Christian neutrality came up. His mother claimed that if one lived in a country he should fight for it. Yet, the minister surprised her by saying that he had not been called for military service but that he did not know what he would do if he were called.

“We had other meetings after this, and at the last one I demonstrated our method of Bible study. Many members of the youth’s family sat in. As we neared the end of our discussion, it became quite evident that the majority of them had closed their minds to God’s truth. Then the clergyman leaned over and whispered to me, ‘I do not think anybody else here will go on studying the Bible with you, but I was wondering if you would study with just one person.’

“Would I? Of course! We met together on Monday evenings. Often the Bible study lasted three hours. It became evident that the Methodist minister deeply loved and believed God’s Word. Also he felt that a preacher should earn part, if not all, of his living, which is why he took on secular work. When he learned the importance of God’s name, Jehovah, he quickly began using it. It did not take him long to see that many of his church’s teachings did not agree with the Holy Bible.

“During all this time of studying the Bible with me, the minister continued his religious activities. He used what he was learning in his sermons. When we came to the matter of the need to separate oneself from false religion, we discussed the error of continuing in an organization that one knew was teaching falsehoods. (2 Cor. 6:14-18) He said that he hated to let the little church down and that he was helping some by his sermons. Also he talked vaguely about meeting with the church board to resign but the weather had been bad. Yes, this sincere Methodist minister was fighting a battle with his conscience.

“Finally, one Monday evening, he announced that he had resigned from his church. I was overjoyed! And this man who once had attended a religious college now was happy to join our Theocratic Ministry School. About a month later, he accompanied me in the door-to-door ministry.

“How thrilled I am to have seen this minister who was formerly a pillar of his church take up true religion. His deep love for God’s Word, and the good conduct of the Witnesses, helped him take this lifesaving step. Though his wife opposed him at first, she, too, began studying. They were both baptized in symbol of their dedication to God. What happened to the young man? He was also baptized and is finding joy in serving Jehovah God.”