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<noinclude><pagequality level="1" user="" /></noinclude>MARCH 1, 1937

g:]ie WATCHT0WER.

prisons, and this was and is a test to the Jonadabs as
to whether or not they would be a~sociated with the
ones charged with crime. But those of good will, who
really love God, have shown their good will toward
him and toward Christ, and toward his faithful members by ministering unto those ill-treated ones and
have thereby brought themselves into contempt and
disgrace in the eyes of worldly men, and thus showed
their willingness to be associated with Jehovah's witnesses. The regular house-to-house witness work began in 1927 in a more intensified form, and has been
carried forward persistently and continuously since
that time. Shortly thereafter Jehovah's witnesses began to be arrested and haled before the courts as lawbreakers. Such arrests and imprisonment of Jehovah's
"'itnesses has been vigorously carried on in Germany,
in Quebec and in many of the states, and particularly
in the state of New Jersey. Thousands of faithful men
and women have languished in filthy prisons, and
many are still in prison because of their faithfulness
to God and to his kingdom interests. For ten years
this cruel persecution has gone on, and during all that
time persons of good will toward God and his people
have come to the front and have taken their stand on
the side of the Lord and declared themselves for him
and his kingdom.
88 Why have Jehovah's witnesses been charged with
being lawbreakers, yet wholly innocent YLike the silver
cup found in Benjamin's sack, and put there at the
direction of Joseph in order that a test might be placed
upon. his brethren, so the persecution of Jehovah's
witnesses as lawbreakers has been permitted to come
upon them as a test upon the witnesses and upon all
those of good will, otherwise known as "Jonadabs",
and also to demonstrate who are the" goats" and who
are the" sheep" class, It is the cup which Jehovah has
poured for his witnesses, that they might be charged
with crime and appear as lawbreakers and dangerous
to the ruling powers of the world, that this test might
be put upon men; and this furnishes the opportunity
to prove their integrity toward him. These experiences
have served as a real test to the Jonadabs, and they
have shown their willingness to be the companions of
Jehovah's witnesses, who have been branded as criminals. (Heb. 10: 33) JUdah, the half brother picturing
the Jonadabs or "other sheep", boldly and willingly
came to the front and offered to suffer in the place and
stead .of Benjamin. So likewise many of those persons
of good will have offered themselves willingly to take
the place of Jehovah's witnesses and go to prison in
their place and stead and thus suffer punishment. This
is further proof that the ten half brothers pictured
the "other sheep" of the Lord.
Ie When he sent his sons the second time to Egypt,
Jacob held Judah answerable for the safekeeping and
safe return of Benjamin. So in like manner Jehovah
holds those who nre of the "other sheep", the earthly
class, answerable to him for their treatment of the

75

spiritual brethren of Christ Jesus, whom Benjamin
pictured in the drama. The parable of the "sheep"
and the "gents" fully supports this conclusion. This
proves that those who are of good will and known as
the "other sheep'" are in fact of the "sheep" class
and not moved by selfishness, whereas those of the
"goat" class are moved entirely by malice, hatred,
selfishness and ill will. The parable discloses that the
"sheep" class minister unto the suffering ones willingly, not knowing at the time that they do so as unto
Christ Jesus himself. Those persons of good will have
given Jehovah's witnesses food and drink, have visited
them in prison, and ministered unto them, been kind
to them at their homes, and given them food and
shelter, all because they looked upon such witnesses as
honest and faithful' servants of God. Their action
shows a kind heart, and all this they have done and
continue to do unselfishly. It is only recently that even
the faithful anointed ones have learned from the Lord
that these persons of good will are the ones disclosed
by the Lord as his "other sheep", whose good deeds
toward the faithful anointed ones in Christ Jesus he
receives as done unto himself. There is therefore a
grave responsibility laid upon the Jonadabs to show
their willingness to be obedient to the rules of the
Lord.
87 And what is the result thus far observed YSeveral
years have passed since the cruel persecution of Jehovah's witnesses began, but which is still going forward, during which time "this ~ospel of the kingdom"
has been preached by the faithful in many countries
and made known to the people in many languages.
That message of God has stirred the righteous of
heart, who are honest and sincere and who desire to
know God's provisions for themselves, and has led
these honest ones to the Lord. As the severity of the
persecution has increased upon God's anointed witnesses, those people of good will, the "other sheep ",
have taken their stand and shown their willingness to
be companions with the ones who are suffering for the
sake of the Lord's name. Those persons of good will
have exhibited their faith in the shed blood of Christ
Jesus by thus doing, and they rejoice to be identified
with others who love God and Christ Jesus and who
serve him amidst great opposition. These people of
good will have come forward out of every nation and
of all tribes, and peoples and tongues, and are still
coming; and they have declared themselves, and still
declare themselves, as on the side of God and Christ
Jesus. Note now the words of the prophet concerning
such, and the facts well known, which show fulfillment
of the prophecy, to wit: "Behold, these shall come
from far: and, 10, these from the north and from the
west; and these from the land of Sinim [distant
oriental l'egions]."-18a. 49: 12.
S8 The message has, according to the promise, spread
to the oriental countries of the world, and a goodly
number are manifesting their devotion to the Lord.

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