before King Agrippa, faithful Paul declared in all humility: “Because I have obtained the help that is from God I continue to this day bearing witness to both small and great.” (Acts 26:22, NW) So it was Jehovah’s active force, his holy spirit upon them, that enabled faithful followers of Christ to push ahead amid such violent and fiendish opposition. They were not interested in selfish pursuits, nor did they engage in the work just to make a name for themselves. As part of the “chosen race,” the “royal priesthood” and the “holy nation” their purpose was to declare abroad the excellencies of him who had called them out of darkness into his wonderful light. Hence their primary interest and concern were Jehovah’s name, word and purposes. His name had been defamed by those pretending to serve him. His sacred Word had been hidden under the rubble of orthodox tradition. His immutable purposes were obscured from the people in general. Hence, footstep followers of Christ who had been informed on these very important matters considered it a great honor and privilege to tell their fellow creatures, whether small or great, about the marvelous provisions Jehovah had made for their salvation and deliverance from impending destruction. Notwithstanding all the false accusations, the preaching work of the early Christians was a good work. It was one of love; first of all, love for their Creator Jehovah God, and, too, love for their neighbors and fellow creatures.

20. What are some of the questions that still remain unanswered?

²⁰ Is true Christianity any different today than at the outset? Has this modern age altered conditions and circumstances and made gospel-preaching out of date and impractical? Can we say that the purpose of Jehovah’s witnesses today is the same as that of the early Christians 1,900 years ago? These are some of the important questions that will be considered in the article beginning on the next page.

“Most Spectacular in Modern History”

ADDRESSING 10,000 delegates of the 51st session of the National Catholic Educational Association, John A. O’Brien, of the University of Notre Dame, criticized “the lack of zeal in winning converts” among Catholics, observing that “the overwhelming majority (72 per cent) of Catholic men and women have never so much as lifted a finger to win a convert for Christ. Protestants are twice as zealous as Catholics to win converts.” He pointed to the missionary zeal of such as Jehovah’s witnesses, although “one need not approve all their methods,” and then stated that the progress of Jehovah’s witnesses “is the most spectacular in modern history.”

Regarding Catholics’ leaving their church he said that “it must be admitted that our leakage is disturbingly large; larger than we have generally realized. The greatest loss that the [Catholic] church in America is suffering is from the failure to harness the latent missionary zeal of our devoted laity.”—Chicago Daily Tribune, April 23, 1954.

Is there such a thing as “latent zeal”? If the “laity” were truly devoted could they be said to have “latent zeal,” if there is such a thing? Can it be that the spectacular progress of Jehovah’s witnesses is due to their zeal’s not being of the “latent” kind?