shrinking under the fire, rejoice to find themselves privileged to demonstrate their faith in God’s name. This is the day to put your faithfulness to the proof. It is the right combination, of faith with works, that meets with approval. This is faith that is shown in favorable season and troublesome season, in persecution or peace—faith in big things or little things. It is faith in Jehovah, his Word and his organization.

10. Why is it desirable to put our faithfulness to the proof?

¹⁰ Christians throughout the world today may take joy in reading the words of Peter as they continue putting their faithfulness to the proof. He wrote: “You . . . are being safeguarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last period of time. In this fact you are greatly rejoicing, though for a little while at present, if it must be, you have been grieved by various trials, in order that the tested quality of your faith, of much greater value than gold that perishes despite its being proved by fire, may be found a cause for praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you never saw him, you love him. Though you are not looking upon him at present, yet you exercise faith in him and are greatly rejoicing with an unspeakable and glorified joy, as you receive the accomplished end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”—1 Pet. 1:4-9, NW.

Lessons in Feeding

The Toronto Globe and Mail, July 24, 1954, headlined an article: “Witnesses Show the Way: Defense Experts Get Tips on Serving Meals.” The item said: “Air Vice-Marshal T. H. Lawrence, Toronto civil defense director, and A. Deslaurier, civil defense co-ordinator for North York, paid a visit to CNE grandstand cafeterias yesterday to observe assembly line feeding of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This was the second visit of civil defense authorities to a Watchtower convention, the first having taken place last year at the Yankee Stadium when New York civil defense officials watched a similar demonstration of mass feeding.” Further, it explained: “Smooth operations were due to two things—pre-organizational work and the enthusiasm of the workers.” Air Marshal Lawrence, the paper stated, “said he was most impressed with the organizational work of the kitchen workers who had ‘many lessons to teach in the organizing of assembly-line feeding.’”

The Undertaker Understood!

Most clergymen in preaching a funeral sermon place the deceased either in heaven or in purgatory, depending upon whether he is Protestant or Catholic, for according to them the deceased is not really dead. But not so Jehovah’s witnesses. Last January, a Detroit, Michigan, 90-year-old man of good will made a dying request that his funeral be conducted by Jehovah’s witnesses, even though all his relatives were Catholic. His relatives saw to it that his request was complied with and so a minister of Jehovah’s witnesses gave the funeral discourse. As usual, he quoted Bible texts showing that “the dead know nothing,” that “the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other,” and that the hope of man lies in the resurrection, not in a supposedly immortal soul. (Eccl. 9:5; 3:19; Ezek. 18:4, RS) After the funeral the undertaker was heard to remark: “I have buried a lot of people but this is the first time I have buried a dead man.”