proselyte. And what was he reading, and how was it explained to him?

The next verses, Acts 8:32-35 (NW), tell us: “Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading aloud was this: ‘As a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb that is voiceless before its shearer, so he did not open his mouth. During his humiliation justice was taken away from him. Who will tell the details of his manner of life? Because his life is taken away from the earth.’ In answer the eunuch said to Philip: ‘I beg you, About whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about some other man?’ Philip opened his mouth and, starting with this Scripture, he declared to him the good news about Jesus.”

Merely reading this prophecy did not make a Christian of this Jewish proselyte, but upon Philip’s explaining its meaning to him he did understand and believe, accepting Christianity and dedicating himself to do God’s will, being baptized in the name of Christ Jesus without further delay.

Now is it not reasonable to conclude that just as God provided help for those who wanted to understand his Word back there he would do the same in this, our day? Surely it is. And such is the case. He has provided an instrument, an organization, which serves as his servant in bringing to the people light on the Bible. In fact, Jesus, in his great prophecy concerning his second presence and the end of this old world or system of things, foretold that there would be such a servant organization. Recorded at Matthew 24:45, 46, it states; “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings.”

That servant or slavelike organization has published and continues to publish, not only Bibles, but also many Bible study aids for the purpose of helping all men of good will and honest heart to read their Bibles with understanding. Foremost of such Bible study aids is The Watchtower, a copy of which you have in your hand. Study it and learn God’s provision for everlasting life.

Death, a Door to What?

Is death an enemy or a friend? A dead-end street or a door to life? What conditions await the dead? Are they blessed? Or distressed? Or at rest? Who, if any, go to heaven? Has anyone ever returned from death’s own realm to describe it? Is there hope that anyone ever will? Many and varied are men’s opinions, but what does the Bible say? This article gives its authoritative answer.

“DEATH is something for which most of us are not ready. It’s something that just doesn’t fit into our scheme of things.” So spoke the eminent Dean Pike of New York’s cathedral of St. John the Divine in a Sunday sermon early this year. And true it is, the human mind recoils instinctively at the very thought or mention of death. Continues Dean Pike: “We cover up our uneasiness by the use of soft phrases—’she passed on’ or ‘passed away’—or by the kindly jargon of the professional morticians who set up a haze of vagueness with talk about ‘sleep’ and talk about ‘paradise’ with no careful definitions.”

A sample of attempted definitions paints a vivid picture of the human mind’s seeking some escape from the inevitable. Death has