Jehovah’s Undeserved Kindness Proves Sufficient
As told by ALFRED HOPLEY
AS I stand in the beautiful branch office of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society at Mill Hill, London, England, a large map of the British Isles lies before me. From London a web of roads reaches out to towns, cities, villages and countryside, bringing back rich and happy memories of friends made, faith broadened and ministry work accomplished during a career that has thus far filled forty-nine purposeful years.
And here on the map is the small Staffordshire village where I got my start—Cannock Chase, twenty miles north of Birmingham, once a royal game preserve, but now a mining center. My father and grandfather were active supporters of the United Church, so seven of us brothers were raised in a religious atmosphere. Everything seemed to flow smoothly until that day in 1905 when the village postman stopped by and began discussing some of the church doctrines, such as “hellfire,” “trinity,” and “immortal soul.” Even though only nine years old at the time, I can remember how deeply impressed I was when father agreed to accept copies of a magazine called Zion’s Watch Tower and books entitled “Studies in the Scriptures.”
That was just the start. Soon my parents left the church and began having Bible studies in the home. Traveling speakers from Birmingham and nearby Walsall would come and deliver Bible lectures from time to time. The local minister begged us to return to church, going so far as to say that he himself did not even believe much of the Bible including the story of creation. But father was adamant. He used to take me and my older brother along Sunday mornings to share in the distribution of Bible tracts. Then, when I was only ten, came the occasion when we all went to Birmingham to hear a public lecture by Charles T. Russell, president of the Watch Tower Society. Now, in contrast to our minister’s attitude, we heard Pastor Russell declare that sound doctrine was vital, since true doctrine produces true worship, while false doctrine produces false worship.
RECLAIMED FROM THE PIT
Then came World War I. The head of the colliery firm where I was studying for my manager’s certificate suggested that, since my brother and I were already in the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade, it was really our duty to take up noncombatant duty with the Medical Corps. Alas, we had not made Bible truth our own. We had taken too much for granted. We failed to appreciate the proper neutrality of Christians, and we lacked sufficient spiritual strength to stand firm against carnal warfare.
Throughout our four years of service in France we carried the Bible and the first six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures with us wherever we went. Our parents kept in touch and encouraged us with information from The Watch Tower. Meantime, we learned about the publication of the seventh volume of Studies in the Scriptures, entitled “The Finished Mystery,” and of how the clergy had managed to have it banned. Then a surprising thing happened. We were taking over an ancient chateau as a field-dressing station, and as we labored to clear the basement, there among a heap of French books lay a brand-new copy of The Finished Mystery, still in the original waxed-paper wrapper.
Can you imagine our reactions during the ensuing weeks as we alternated between the horrors of tending for the maimed and the dying and reading this powerful exposure of Christendom and her bloodguilty clergy? My brother and I had already reached the decision to dedicate our lives to God and to the doing of his will, when suddenly the war ended. We were demobilized and back home in time to attend the Manchester convention, where we submitted to water baptism as a public testimony of our dedication. By this time our parents and three younger brothers had already become dedicated Christians.
WORTHWHILE WARFARE
What a joy to share then in the distribution of Golden Age magazine (now Awake!) Number 27! Compared with what we had been through, this was a worthwhile fight—a fight against false religion, a fight to liberate people from the influence of religious leaders who did not hesitate to foment hatred and persecution of true Christians. The psalmist so well expresses our sentiments: “Bless Jehovah, O my soul, even everything within me, his holy name. . . . Him who is forgiving all your error, who is healing all your maladies, who is reclaiming your life from the very pit, who is crowning you with loving-kindness and mercies.”—Ps. 103:1-4.
For twelve years, then, I shared in preaching to the people of Staffordshire. At first it was difficult to face the people in our own village, but with experience and relying on Jehovah for strength we overcame our timidity and had many happy experiences among our own neighbors. As powerful resolutions were adopted and published at the Bible Students’ conventions during the years 1922 to 1928, it was thrilling to distribute them throughout our own district. It seemed to draw us close to the worldwide organization of Jehovah’s people.
In 1925 I married a local girl, one who has certainly matched me in devotion to the interests of God’s kingdom, and whose companionship has continued to be a great blessing to me. Each time there was a holiday or a strike at the pits, our first thought was to get out and use the time for preaching. Together we attended all the large conventions of Jehovah’s people year after year. On one such memorable occasion, in 1931, J. F. Rutherford, the then president of the Watch Tower Society, spoke on Ezekiel’s prophetic command: “Pass through the midst of the city, . . . and you must put a mark on the foreheads of the men that are sighing.” (Ezek. 9:1-6) This clear, emphatic explanation of the urgency of the witness work in our day fired in us a determination to volunteer for full-time preaching service.
We quickly disposed of our little home and journeyed to our new assignment in southwest England, to what the travel posters proclaim as “glorious Devon.” It is hard to realize that already over thirty-six years have passed since we took that forward step, and especially in view of the fact that there were trials and difficulties to be overcome. One of these was a constantly recurring migraine that has been with me since I contracted influenza in France. Surely only the strength that God gives has enabled me to carry on in spite of those torturous attacks! Many a time I have meditated upon Jehovah’s words of assurance to the apostle Paul: “My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you; for my power is being made perfect in weakness.”—2 Cor. 12:9.
CROWNED WITH LOVING-KINDNESS
In 1934 the Watch Tower Society invited me to take over a motor caravan, a house car, for the purpose of broadcasting recorded Bible lectures by J. F. Rutherford in areas beyond reach of congregations. A tremendous amount of Bible literature was placed with persons called on following the broadcast of these lectures in their neighborhood. Four years we continued in this activity, and then I was assigned as a zone servant. This required me to travel from congregation to congregation in a circuit, spending two or three days with each group, aiding with organizational and field ministry activities. This was a real privilege, and I can truly testify that I gained more than anyone else in the ‘interchange of encouragement’ that resulted from thus ‘inciting one another to love and fine works.’—Rom. 1:12; Heb. 10:24.
By 1939 we were up in the northern part of England serving the Liverpool area when World War II broke out, marked by a heavy bombing of that city and its vital shipping. The people were terrified and could not understand why we could go on with our preaching work as if nothing were happening. Many were bitter because of our neutral stand. Nevertheless, we had many blessings. In Liverpool my wife and I shared a home with twenty-four full-time ministers of Jehovah’s witnesses, and many were the joyful experiences we heard day after day. And we had a visit by the servant then in charge of the British branch of the Watch Tower Society, A. D. Schroeder, whose counsel to make Bible reading a daily habit in these troublous times we shall always bear in mind.
From 1942 onward we served as special pioneers, that is, proclaimers of the Kingdom message in areas where no congregation had yet been established. This very real pioneering took us first to Shropshire, then back to Liverpool, and finally across the sea to Ireland. It was thrilling to observe a strong group of Witnesses take form in Londonderry as a result of the combined efforts of a group of full-time ministers.
Then came my assignment to circuit service—spending one week with each congregation, encouraging and training the local Witnesses in the field ministry of preaching, so that all might derive greater pleasure from their work and find increased results. Opposition was frequent, but we found that the bolder we were in face of attack, the better it was for us. On one occasion two of our full-time ministers were badly beaten up by deluded people incited by religionists. The case was taken to court and six convictions obtained, thus doing much to clear up the common slander leveled against us, namely, that we were Communists. Such experiences only served to strengthen us all.
LIFETIME SATISFIED WITH GOOD
Attendance at the international conventions held in Yankee Stadium, New York city, in 1950 and then again in 1953, brought blessings I shall never fail to count. How upbuilding they were! And the wonderful humility of our brothers at the Brooklyn headquarters of the Watch Tower Society impressed us all deeply. Our confidence in Jehovah’s appointment of the “faithful and discreet slave” class over the interests of his Kingdom here at the earth was surely strengthened.—Matt. 24:45-47.
As I look back on those years when I had plenty of energy and used it in the service of our God, it brings real satisfaction. It has been good to be able to say to any call for special service in behalf of the Kingdom interests, “Here I am! Send me.” (Isa. 6:8) And I would like to say here that I truly appreciate the wonderful work being faithfully accomplished by the Lord’s visible organization. The proof is abundant that there has been a second outpouring of holy spirit in these “last days,” thus explaining the marvelous results. (Joel 2:28, 29) God’s truth is shining more brilliantly now than ever before, and we have greater confidence, faith, courage, vision and determination to keep on serving the Kingdom, putting its interests first in our lives.
In the summer of 1965 I had to relinquish circuit servant duties, my physical ability no longer being what it used to be. I will soon be seventy-two years of age. Despite this it is a real comfort to me to be able to continue as a special pioneer minister, doing what I am able to do, and still depending upon Jehovah’s undeserved kindnesses to make up for my deficiencies.