[Box on page 159]

NEUTRAL TO THE DEATH

During the second world war, many young witnesses of Jehovah paid for their neutrality with their lives. The following letter is typical of a number of ‘last letters’ that such courageous Witnesses wrote to their families. It was written by 23-year-old Marcel Sutter, of Alsace-Lorraine, a few hours before he was beheaded with an ax in Torgau prison, Germany, August 1942.

“My dearly beloved parents and sisters,

“When you receive this letter, I will no longer be alive. Only a few hours separate me from my death. I ask you to be strong and courageous; do not cry, for I have conquered. I have finished the course and kept the faith. May Jehovah God help me until the end. Only a short period of time separates us from the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Soon we will see each other again in a better world of peace and righteousness. I rejoice at the thought of that day, since then there will be no more sighing. How marvelous that will be! I am yearning for peace. During these last few hours I have been thinking of you and my heart is a little bitter at the thought of not being able to kiss you good-bye. But we must be patient. The time is near when Jehovah will vindicate his Name and prove to all creation that he is the only true God. I now wish to dedicate my last few hours to him, so I will close this letter and say good-bye until we meet again soon. Praise be to our God Jehovah! With my warm love and greetings,

“Your beloved son and brother,

Marcel”

15. (a) What is your reaction to the typical letter herewith? (b) What was Satan’s effort during World War II, and what is the evidence that he failed?

¹⁵ Not as pacifists, but as Christian neutrals supporting the incoming kingdom of God, young Witnesses faced imprisonment and execution rather than break integrity, as testified to by a typical ‘last letter’ that appears herewith. Throughout the earth, whether in Axis or Allied countries, the King’s “brothers” and their companion “sheep” were mobbed, beaten up, imprisoned and maltreated. But they conquered in their spiritual warfare. The Devil could not crack their loyalty to the Kingdom. Like Jesus before them, they proved themselves to be “no part” of Satan’s world.​—John 15:19.