humanity will be reduced to the level of the cave man, a great setback in civilization, indeed. Yet the science of war takes the command position in human thought all over the world. The effect is to stifle ambition in the hearts of countless multitudes. It makes them concerned with living only for the present and getting the most out of it, rightly or wrongly.

⁶ However, the realization that this world is fast approaching its end does not render the witnesses of Jehovah aimless in living and cause them to droop their hands. No; but it spurs them to action, to more intensive activity for God’s cause than ever before. Look, they say, at the Devil, who has been cast out of heaven and down to earth since God’s kingdom was born in the heavens in 1914. The prophetic vision at Revelation 12:12 says about him: “Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.” (NW) Satan the Devil is driven to action, frenzied by the realization that the end of this world has drawn close and he has but a short time left till the “war of the great day of God the Almighty”. So he is out to do all the damage he can on earth, to induce men to become bitter and oppose God, so that when he, the Devil, goes down all humanity will go down with him into destruction. His vicious intent is that, when Jehovah God does gain the victory at Armageddon’s battle, He will have none on earth over whom to exercise his universal sovereignty. Now, if that is the effect on the Devil, then no less so the realization of the near end of the Devil’s world rouses Jehovah’s witnesses to unusual efforts.

⁷ Even religious clergymen in Christendom are compelled to admit that Jehovah’s witnesses, despite their conviction of the world’s end soon, have more zeal for Christian activity than the clergy and their religious flocks have. They are the biggest optimists on earth today.

Confidently Facing the End

1, 2. Why cannot Jehovah’s witnesses be overlooked today, and what complaint is made against them, falsely?

INSTEAD of crawling into a hole like cave men in fear of the world’s end, the witnesses of Jehovah have come right out into the open and are most outstanding among the people of all nations. Everywhere because of their fearless witness the men of this system of things are unable to overlook and ignore their activity. Irritated by this activity, they complain that Jehovah’s witnesses are active, all right, but they withdraw their active support from the systems of this world, and have no encouraging word of hope to say for them. On this account they complain that Jehovah’s witnesses hate mankind.

² That is a silly conclusion. It is identical with the charge that people of the Roman Empire made against Christians of the first century for refusing to take part in the political, social, recreational and military affairs of this world.

3. Why do they withdraw support from this world, and like whom?

³ Scripturally, Jehovah’s witnesses are the only ones working for the lasting welfare of mankind on a permanent basis. Why should we support a wicked failure that is threatened now with early collapse? God’s infallible Word, the books of