Liberia

“The love of liberty brought us here.” Those words were uttered by settlers who had crossed the Atlantic and landed on April 25, 1822, at tiny Providence Island on Africa’s western shore. Hardy freemen, pioneers under the auspices of the American Colonization Society, paved the way for the establishment in 1847 of Africa’s first black Republic, Liberia. About the size of the state of Louisiana, it is bordered by Sierra Leone, the Republic of Guinea and the Ivory Coast.

Situated mainly along the coastal plain, ever-green Liberia has heavily forested areas in which elephants, leopards and the unique pygmy hippopotamuses roam. This is rubber country, and well-kept plantations extend from border to border. In low mountains extensive mining operations extract some of the earth’s richest iron ore.

LIBERATING TRUTH COMES TO LIBERIA

By the year 1867, twenty years after the republic’s formation, a total of 13,136 settlers had immigrated to Liberia, mainly from America. Coastal settlements sprang up outside Monrovia, the capital, from the Mano River to the Cavalla River​—Robertsport, Marshall, Buchanan, Greenville, and Harper in the “Maryland of Liberia.” It was in about the year 1895, in this latter settlement of Harper on Cape Palmas, where Africa’s bulging “chin” begins to recede, that Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence was studied by a class of Bible students, the first meetings of this kind in Liberia or, as far as is known, in all of West Africa. For the first time, Liberians were receiving Bible truth that really sets men free.​—John 8:32.

Just how and when the two elderly brothers, Henry and Joseph Gibson, came into possession of Zion’s Watch Tower is not known. But home Bible study classes were held regularly, as a number of old-timers, including the late president of the Republic, William V. S. Tubman, have testified. He remembered that the meetings were held when he was just a young boy. Those who would mockingly taunt, “Just how long have Jehovah’s Witnesses been in Liberia?” usually  were silenced when hearing: “Our meetings were conducted here about seventy-five years ago, according to the President.” The Memorial of our Lord’s death was observed by the group yearly on the anniversary night corresponding to the Jewish calendar date of Nisan 14. The Gibson brothers died around the turn of the century and evidently the classes then ended.

About a quarter of a century passed, however, before the message of Jehovah’s kingdom was publicly proclaimed in Liberia. In 1926, Claude Brown, a Bible Student from Freetown, Sierra Leone, visited Monrovia for a few weeks. He paved the way for the visit of W. R. (“Bible”) Brown, of the Watch Tower Society’s West African branch. For three weeks, W. R. Brown, a powerful exponent of Jehovah’s kingdom, spoke nightly at the Hall of the House of Representatives in Monrovia and also distributed many books. Crowds, including the most prominent personages, flocked to hear the dramatic revelations of truth stirringly expounded.

Members of denominational churches were profoundly impressed by “Bible” Brown’s lectures, which exposed and shook their systems of religion to the very roots. His discourses were the topic of the day, and old-timers still speak about them, fifty years later! Before Brother Brown’s departure, he organized a Bible class that was supervised by Mr. Faulkner, a man who twice had been a presidential candidate. One of the staunch members of the class was J. G. Hansford, a Liberian who had accompanied “Bible” Brown from Freetown. Even clergymen attended the studies occasionally.

OPPOSITION IS ENCOUNTERED

By the time of “Bible” Brown’s return to Monrovia in 1929, religious opposition had become intense. During the early 1920’s prominent Liberian women had embraced the emotion-charged teachings of Mrs. January, a Pentecostal evangelist. From these women in particular pressure was brought upon individuals in the highest echelons of government. ‘Brown’s preaching would break down their churches,’ was the cry. After giving just one lecture on this visit, “Bible” Brown was denied a residence permit and was forced to leave after only one week. But he went on to even more fruitful fields elsewhere in Africa.

The Bible class continued, however, and in time was supervised by a Witness from Sierra Leone. During the early 1930’s economic conditions were critical, and some considered this brother’s preaching to be inflammatory  against the government. The result? He was forcibly marched to the border and expelled. Intimidation cooled the zeal of the others, and the Bible class disbanded.

A SPIRITUAL BOOM BEGINS

A much-needed economic boost for Liberia came from the Firestone Company, which had begun planting rubber trees at Harbel in 1926 and had 55,000 acres under cultivation seven years later. But it was the decade of the 1940’s that was to prove really eventful for Liberia, materially and spiritually. Materially, World War II put Liberia “on the map,” so to speak, for the Allies needed an air base in West Africa, and Roberts Field, near Firestone at Harbel, was the selected site. Liberia soon swarmed with American military personnel, bringing money and Western customs. Even America’s President Roosevelt visited briefly. This led to Lend-Lease funds that provided Monrovia with a modern port, a paved road and bridges, as well as the country’s first railroad.

International financiers now became better acquainted with Liberia’s potential as a producer of high-grade iron ore. Other rubber companies saw the advantages of having plantations in a country friendly to the West and accessible from the Atlantic Ocean, rather than relying on plantations in the Far East. So began a postwar economic boom unprecedented in all of Liberia’s history. Not only were living standards improved generally, but now the government had funds to promote urgently needed education and road construction.

Providentially, in 1946 a spiritual boom also began, with the arrival of Harry C. Behannan, a missionary graduate of the third class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. Brother Behannan was a gifted black musical artist who had given piano recitals throughout Europe, even in the presence of royalty. He had a remarkable zeal for God’s service, an ardor well suited to his anointing as one of the Lord’s “little flock.” (Luke 12:32) He arrived in Monrovia as a true pioneer, alone. Immediately, Brother Behannan set out in the house-to-house preaching work. Within the short space of six months he had established many friendships, placing over 500 books. To bring the truth to other parts of the country, he traveled by open surfboat to Greenville, Sinoe County, 150 miles (240 kilometers) from Monrovia ‘as the crow flies.’

Alas, the abundant seed that this loving brother planted and nourished was not to mature under his  care! Upon his return from Greenville, Brother Behannan became ill and succumbed in the hospital, apparently a victim of tropical fever. Members of the American embassy, among many others, were in attendance at his funeral. Of Brother Behannan, a Liberian gentleman said: “He moved like a man with great purpose.” That purpose was not to fail.

MISSIONARIES ESTABLISH THE WORK

In May 1947, a ship anchored offshore and two Gilead-trained missionaries, George and Willa Mae Watkins, were transported by surfboat to their assignment at Monrovia. For this married couple in their forties, a new life was beginning, one that would require adaptability and perseverance. It was fine that Brother Watkins, formerly an amateur boxer, possessed a strong physique. After a week in a hotel, the couple moved to an unfurnished room where the floor was their bed until the brother could make one, along with other furniture.

There were no water taps here. Rather, water was obtained in buckets from a well and had to be boiled for fifteen minutes to make it safe to drink. Food had to be kept well protected from dysentery-carrying “mission” ants. The stove? There it was, three rocks supporting an iron kettle. It was fueled by kindling wood.

Mosquito nets and bitter Atabrine tablets served to keep them free from the ravages of malaria. Also, the missionaries had to deal with another enemy when, after some time, a leather suitcase was reopened, only to find that its underside and contents had been devoured by “bug-a-bugs,” white termites.

Brother and Sister Watkins found two Liberian cultures existing side by side. The majority of the country’s population belonged to its more than twenty tribes, speaking that many different languages and dialects and governed by native customary law administered through commissioners and tribal chiefs. The descendants of the original immigrant settlers, on the other hand, carried on Western customs, as did more and more tribal peoples who were becoming educated in Western ways. Although English was the official language, many tribesmen in Monrovia then spoke it only “small-small,” and the vast majority were illiterate.

In general the thirst for knowledge was great and over a thousand of our bound books were placed during the missionaries’ first fifteen months. However, many educated ones did not want to embrace a “new religion,” saying, “What was good enough for my father is good  enough for me.” For the most part, the greatest interest was exhibited by those handicapped by a lack of vocabulary and reading ability. Very helpful in teaching such thirsting ones were the illustrations in the Watch Tower Society’s book “The Truth Shall Make You Free.”

The “homes” of so many persons consisted of single cubicles in a large house containing twenty or more of such residences, ranging in location from under the house to the attic. For numerous persons, these cubicles were merely sleeping places. This made it difficult for the Witnesses to find interested ones again on return visits. And oh, how the people kept moving from place to place! Why? Because of their having no jobs or because of their looking for better accommodations.

Despite such hindrances, Christian meetings were soon organized on J. G. Hansford’s piazza. He had learned the truth over twenty years earlier from W. R. Brown. Many truly meek persons began to attend. One can only imagine the great amount of patient effort put forth that resulted in a peak of fifteen persons sharing in Kingdom service by September 1948, when Liberia’s first congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses was organized. At this time Leticia Martin, the first Liberian woman to accept Bible truth, began to preach the good news. By 1949 she had become the first Liberian pioneer, or full-time Kingdom proclaimer.

EARNEST EFFORT BRINGS INCREASE

In May 1949 a second missionary couple arrived, Frank and Taretha Faust. By this time the missionary home was located on a busy thoroughfare, Camp Johnson Road. An electric sign was set up to display the book “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” Among those whose interest the sign attracted was a young man named Frank Powell. He said to a missionary: “That’s my father’s church.” His father, one of the anointed followers of Jesus Christ, had been a Witness in Jamaica for forty years, and Frank had attended some meetings during his youth. Now he resumed his association with God’s people and began to share in the preaching work. In 1951 he was the lone Liberian delegate to the Christian assembly at Wembley Stadium, London, where he was baptized in symbol of his dedication to Jehovah God. His father’s “church” was now his, too.

The title of the book displayed on the electric sign intrigued Frank Songor, a man of the Kisi tribe from Guinea. At length, he asked a missionary about ‘this truth that would make a man free,’ and a Bible study  was started with him. The truth delighted Songor tremendously. In time, one of his three wives died. But which of the two remaining should he choose to be his one wife? When he explained the situation to them, that Scripturally he could have but one wife, one of the girls promptly said that she did not want to become a Christian and preferred returning to the country. However, the other, Alberta, said that she would stick with him wherever he went.

This pleased Frank; so Alberta remained as his one wife, though she was of a different tribe​—Mano. But the question remained: Would she become a real Christian? She seemed extremely timid. Whenever Brother Watkins visited their home, she literally fled from him. Why? Well, her husband owed this missionary a small sum of money, and Alberta feared that Brother Watkins was coming to claim her as a pawn until the debt was paid!

Alberta, in time, did become a fine witness of Jehovah and mastered English and Kisi. Indeed, a splendid example of what the truth can do for one who is loyal!

One day a young illiterate brother named Isaac came to the missionary home. He had been preaching to a military man who listened well but who asked for someone who could read to call on him. Finding Sister Faust at home, Isaac took her to Major A. G. L. Williams, Bandmaster of the Liberian Frontier Forces. In his mid-sixties and Catholic by religion, Williams hailed from the West Indies and had a long career as a professional soldier. His real faith, however, lay in the power of “medicines” for protection and success.

Sister Faust at once recognized that this man was searching for truth. Regular visits were made and then the bombshell exploded​—Deuteronomy 18:10-12 exposed reliance on demon-inspired “medicines.” Profoundly shaken by this divine pronouncement, Williams promptly discarded the entire lot of his assorted “medicines” and put faith in Jehovah.

Retired now from military service, he replaced the title of “Major” with “Brother” as he took up the Kingdom service with zeal, preaching to many in high station. After a time, infirmities kept him at home, but people visited him around the clock, and he spent many hours teaching and conducting Bible studies. If no one was visiting, he would go to his gate and call for passersby to pause so that he could tell them the good news. Continuing as a good soldier of Christ Jesus, this highly respected and kindly old gentleman did not slack his hand until his death in 1963.

The fifth missionary to join the group was Hoyle Ervin, arriving in January 1950. He studied with two  men together​—Spencer Thomas and Lichfield Remmie, who later rendered valuable services to God’s people. At first their wives remained aloof despite Ervin’s efforts to involve them in the studies. Finally, endeavoring to fathom Mrs. Remmie’s reason for not participating, Ervin quite innocently asked: “Are you illiterate?” What? That did it! She would show him that she was quite well educated! So she joined the study group​—and learned the truth. Mrs. Thomas then also took part and both wives were baptized the following year. As zealous pioneers, Winifred Remmie and Olive Thomas have helped many others to learn the truth.

During 1950 two other missionaries, Brothers Cyr and Mroz, joined the group temporarily before being sent on to East Africa. In May a more spacious home was occupied at 17 Johnson Street, Monrovia, and the Fausts traveled by ship to a new assignment at Harper City on Cape Palmas. By then, about three years had passed since Brother and Sister Watkins had arrived in this ‘land of liberty,’ and a nucleus of 28 publishers and 8 pioneers then regularly declared the good news. But, what would service to Jehovah produce during the 1950’s, then just beginning?

BACK TO HARPER AFTER FIFTY YEARS

Some fifty years had gone by since the Zion’s Watch Tower study classes at Harper were disrupted by the death of the Gibson brothers. Now on that picturesque, palm-dotted cape jutting into the Atlantic, the Fausts found a ready response. After only four months, ten publishers were reporting field service.

Nevertheless, the missionaries encountered opposition from the “Prophets.” Several times a week, these fanatical religionists would dress in white robes and march through the streets carrying lanterns, chanting, shouting, beating drums and stopping now and then to go into a sort of shuffling dance. They were great believers in “healing.” When one of the missionaries became sick and had to go to the hospital, the “Prophets” surrounded the missionary home gibing: “Servant of God get sick and go to hospital? You not God servant; you false prophets!” During the next few weeks these false religionists would come to the missionary home in the dead of night and silently go through very strange antics and motions, undoubtedly intended to drive the missionaries away by weaving a spell.

But the Fausts remained, and one day the leader of this band of fanatics obtained some Watch Tower  literature. After a discussion with a missionary, this leader advised his followers that it would no longer be necessary for them to remove their shoes before entering the “holy ground” of the church. By means of a Bible study, this man became convinced that many of his ideas were “doctrines of demons” and that the true God is Jehovah, whose name should not be ignored. (1 Tim. 4:1, American Standard Version) This prompted the man to change the name of his church from “The Church of the Lord” to “Jehovah’s Tabernacle.” When the chief “apostle” of this group learned of this in Monrovia, he stormed into town and took his deflecting disciple to court for changing the name of the church. The ensuing argument split the congregation. Although the local leader won the case, further discussion and study led him to realize that his church was not “Jehovah’s Tabernacle.” Down came the sign.

Then one day he denounced his false religion to his startled congregation, declaring that he had found the true people of Jehovah. He then accompanied the Witnesses in house-to-house preaching, explaining to many how he had found the truth. Again he was haled into court by his former spiritual leader, this time charged with denouncing the faith of the “Prophets” and turning away the members of that church. The judge asked the defendant why he changed his religion, and he replied: “I was blind but now I see.” After an effective witness was given to all, the case was dismissed. This brother, Wilmot Bright, thereafter served as a Kingdom publisher at Harper City.

In 1951 the Remmies transferred from Monrovia to Harper City and were a great help to the new congregation. For a time Sister Faust was in a private hospital at Pleebo, eighteen miles (29 kilometers) away. While there, she studied the Bible with William David, and soon others of the family were learning the truth. Among them were three older illiterate women, who eventually became Sisters Blondie, Tardie, and Kardie, a familiar sight in Pleebo as they preached the truth enthusiastically in their native Grebo language.

Another relative who began studying at this time was Frank Williams and he became the first native Liberian to attend Gilead School, graduating at the Divine Will International Assembly, Yankee Stadium, New York city, in 1958. Yet another relative to begin studying was Jacob Wah, small in stature but keen in knowledge and speaking ability.

In 1952 a Liberian named Theodore Y. Morgan returned to his home from the Gold Coast (Ghana) and served as a pioneer with the congregation on Cape  Palmas. Brother Morgan was born of Grebo parents in 1895, just when the Grebo tribe decided on war with the settlers on the Cape. So the newborn boy was named Yedato, meaning “Let there be war!” But now it was spiritual warfare that consumed Yedato’s energies.

By August 1952, twenty publishers were serving in the Cape Palmas area, along with four pioneers. In time a large Kingdom Hall came to be constructed at Harper City, and a congregation was organized at Pleebo. The old-timers on the Cape can truly reflect: ‘The Watch Tower was here when I came, and it looks like it will be here still when I go!’

November 1952 was a time of significant developments for the Kingdom work here. The two small congregations joined together for Liberia’s first national assembly, delegates from Cape Palmas traveling hundreds of miles by sea. It was a time of unprecedented enthusiasm and joy, as all looked forward to the visit of two brothers from Brooklyn Bethel, N. H. Knorr and M. G. Henschel.

BRANCH OFFICE ESTABLISHED

To Monrovia’s Centennial Memorial Pavilion, 400 came to hear Brother Knorr’s public address “It Is Time to Consider God’s Way.” The general attitude was that the Kingdom-preaching work was just beginning, for the entire interior of Liberia lay virtually untouched. To supervise better the future expansion, a branch office was established, with one of the local missionaries appointed as branch overseer.

The missionary home at 17 Johnson Street, Monrovia, was a small house covered with corrugated zinc sheets. However, construction of a new building commenced in February 1953, and it was completed in October. The Kingdom Hall could accommodate 150 comfortably, and the missionary home had three bedrooms. The modern design of the structure elicited much favorable comment. With many more persons attending meetings, the general feeling was “Jehovah’s Witnesses are here to stay!”

INTO THE INTERIOR

At the end of May 1953, John and Michael Charuk, natural brothers (from “one ma and one pa” as a Liberian would say), arrived from Sierra Leone. These two missionaries, in their early thirties and originally from western Canada, had already served in Africa for four years, three of these as district overseers and missionaries in Nigeria. They had a wealth of knowledge  and practical experience regarding problems peculiar to West Africa. With four missionaries now crowded into small quarters, John Charuk searched out a new location at Kakata.

After John Charuk got settled in Kakata, he visited elderly Thomas Holman in Salala and thereafter spent a few days with him every month. On the second visit, this sheeplike man expressed his determination to be a Witness and make necessary adjustments in his marital affairs. Thomas Holman, baptized the following April, was the first Witness in the Kakata-Salala area.

Early in 1954 a home was rented at Kakata. It served as a missionary home, and Michael Charuk joined his brother there. The brothers walked tremendous distances to reach sheeplike ones and build up a group. Michael Charuk found some really interested young men at Nyehn, four hours away, by walking a bush road. For a time they were visited twice a week. This meant leaving very early in the morning so as to return the same day, on foot, of course. These men really appreciated the efforts put forth to help them. As a result, William Bonney, William Morris and James Mally became Kingdom proclaimers.

By the end of September, seven Kingdom publishers were reporting in this scattered territory, and in February 1955 a congregation was organized. And how were people of the Kakata area responding to the good news? Well, please note the following: After completing a Bible study with an interested group, a missionary was asked when he was going farther down the road because the people there were looking for Jehovah’s Witnesses. The next week he decided to find some of them. At one house he was asked inside, but was politely scolded: “We were wondering when you would come and study with us. How is it you do us this way and take so long?” Literature was obtained and the first Bible study was held right then and there. Farther on, a woman greeted the brother: “At last you’ve come our way!” In appreciation of the Kingdom message, lunch was set out. At the next home, it was a joy to hear the lady say: “You’re not a stranger to me. I know the nature of your work, and we have been expecting you.” All the family gathered to hear the Scriptural discussion. In fact, they requested a return visit regularly so that they too might be taught Jehovah’s Word.

THE TRUTH STIRS HARBEL MIGHTILY

In May 1953, Kisi tribesman Frank Songor, now a pioneer, left Monrovia to pursue temporarily his trade  as a plumber at Roberts Field, near the huge Firestone Plantation, which employed about 30,000 workers. The following Sunday Jehovah’s spirit moved him to witness in one of the workers’ camps. En route he met a man of his own tribe going to church, and spoke to him about Jehovah’s purpose and the new system of things. Right there under the rubber trees the Harbel Congregation had its inception. This person, Bayo Gbondo, accepted the truth and requested a study. After the first study, he stopped going to church. Following the second study, he sent away two of his three wives and legalized his marriage to the remaining one. Thereafter he began preaching God’s Word with earnestness and zeal.

Frank Songor found that interest in the Kingdom message was phenomenal. Every day, after working hours, he went to the camps to witness and conduct Bible studies. Those who loved the message wanted to go along with Brother Songor as he declared the good news from place to place, and soon as many as ten were accompanying him. The sudden appearance of this small band stirred many to come and listen. How they loved the message! And how they talked about it! Into the dung piles and fires went jujus, amulets and “medicines” in which they once trusted.

Many submitted to the high standards of the Bible when they understood that polygamy, fornication and adultery were not approved by God and would be wiped out by Jehovah’s war of Armageddon. (Rev. 16:14-16) Though tribal law permitted polygamy and closed its eyes to fornication, the truth, like pure water, had cleansed these sheeplike persons from such defilements and they were filled with courage and gratitude. They were not content to hear the truth once or twice a week. Daily they wanted to be taught and, in turn, talked to others about what they were learning.

When Frank Songor left that area, Bayo Gbondo cared for the interest. By themselves these students learned the ways of God’s organization and put them into practice. Bamboo benches were built and meetings were held under the rubber trees. Not over six months from the day that Frank Songor began working there, eighteen persons had qualified to participate in the field service and sixty were attending meetings. These gatherings were orderly and marked with the spirit of peace and joy that attracted still others, who were impressed by this fine display of Christianity’s power to unite men of different tribal backgrounds.

Illiteracy and immorality were the two great problems to be overcome at Harbel, as in most other interior towns. In time, coherent Scriptural presentations  were mastered by even the illiterate, who at first memorized texts and repeated them while pointing to the words in the English Bible. The sight of illiterate native women doing this astonished householders. Fetishism and Christendom’s false religious doctrines were being hammered down. In their place rose the name and fame of the true God, Jehovah. Since the Firestone Plantation attracted workers from all over the country and these along with their relatives were constantly traveling back and forth to their native towns, Jehovah’s Witnesses and their activities at Firestone were talked about all over the country.

In June 1954, thirty-one publishers were organized as the Harbel Congregation, and within six months they had grown to be the largest congregation in the country. As a result of the daily witnessing done by most of these individuals, during their first year as a congregation they individually averaged 39.9 hours a month in the field service!

NEW WORLD SOCIETY ASSEMBLY

Five delegates from Liberia were able to attend the New World Society Assembly at Yankee Stadium, New York city, in 1953. These included Bernice Clement, our very first delegate of African birth. The problem of her new baby was overcome by taking him along. This assembly helped to fire this sister with a determination to be a pioneer, and two years later that desire became a reality. But how would this sister manage with seven children and a husband upon whom she could not depend for support? She supported her family by baking bread and cakes for sale, kneading her dough at night and getting up at four o’clock in the morning to start her baking and cooking. By 1:00 p.m. she would be finished with everything and be ready to share in spreading the good news.

Monrovia newspapers carried long stories about the New York assembly. Interested persons were impressed to see the picture of the Liberian delegates that appeared in the Assembly Report. At our own assembly in November, held at the newly dedicated Kingdom Hall, some of the spirit of that great assembly was imbibed by hearing recordings of the talks. For the public talk, 115 were present. The assembly and the completed Kingdom Hall brought new prominence to Jehovah’s organization in Liberia.

SINOE HEARS THE GOOD NEWS

Upon their return from the 1953 assembly in New York city, Frank and Taretha Faust were given a new  missionary assignment in Greenville, Sinoe County. The Fausts found Greenville to be a fruitful field. However, many of the interested persons worked long hours and did not like to travel about at night. Besides that, most of them could read only a little or not at all. What could be done to build them up more quickly?

Why not study with them early in the morning? The interested ones liked that idea. So, every morning at six o’clock sharp an average of fifteen persons came to the missionary home for Bible study before going on to their secular work. This served to strengthen the interested ones and also to improve reading ability.

By June 1954 the group of twelve publishers at Greenville was organized as a congregation, Liberia’s fourth. The growth of interest in this land is revealed by the Memorial attendance for 1954. There were 240 present, whereas only 118 attended in 1953.

Incidentally, at Greenville the missionary home was a small house set on pillars of rock and sided with zinc sheets. At times the missionaries heard something passing through the walls of the house. Sometime later they discovered that it was a long snake that had been pursuing a policy of peaceful coexistence with them under one common roof!

“THE NEW WORLD SOCIETY IN ACTION”

An instrument that really helped people in Liberia to appreciate Jehovah’s organization was the Watch Tower Society’s motion picture entitled “The New World Society in Action.” This film, depicting activities at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses and elsewhere, began to be shown in 1954.

In Greenville, 400 came to see it one Thursday evening. “This is too good to show just once,” remarked many people. On Saturday evening, while the circuit overseer was studying privately, a knock sounded at his door. “You must come and show the film. The people are all there waiting. We’ve arranged everything. Please come!” Upon his arrival he found over 500 crowding out the hall. This time they appreciated the movie even more than at first. “These people [on the screen] don’t play; they work,” was repeated many times. One well-respected man and his family took the film seriously and started attending meetings. Soon afterward, the father began to publish the Kingdom message.

In another community, the leader of a religious group formerly had told his people to burn the books of Jehovah’s Witnesses. After seeing this film, he remarked: “I never knew that the New World society was like this.” Thereafter, he started to show interest  in Bible truth. Another interested person was so impressed that he declared: “Before the year is finished I must be baptized and become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

In Harbel a crowd of over 2,000 saw it on a large two-way screen. Many expressed surprise at the work the New World society was doing. In the months that followed, the congregation there increased rapidly and this fine film must certainly have contributed toward that development.

In the capital, Monrovia, 500 came to the first showing, and publishers reported afterward that students at home Bible studies showed a marked improvement in interest. The film was shown in many communities, and within a year almost 6,000 had viewed it.

FIRST CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES

With congregations functioning at Kakata and Harbel, it now was possible to arrange for a circuit assembly at Kakata in April 1954. Interestingly, 40 percent of the entire circuit’s 67 publishers underwent baptism at this assembly​—26 new ones in all! The public talk was attended by 170. It was the first time, too, that the majority of the publishers in the circuit had met one another. This was a truly significant and beneficial circuit assembly, the first of its kind in Liberia.

What about the Kingdom proclaimers at the other end of the country, in and around Cape Palmas? These 36 publishers were invited to attend their first circuit assembly the very next month at Webbo, about forty-five miles (72 kilometers) from Cape Palmas. Part of the journey to Webbo had to be made by canoe up the Cavalla River, and this proved to be more hazardous than anticipated. But the brothers that could attend were joyful that 65 came to hear the public talk. This was noteworthy, since no Witnesses or even interested persons lived at Webbo.

“TRIUMPHANT KINGDOM” ASSEMBLY

The outstanding event of 1955 was our “Triumphant Kingdom” Assembly in Monrovia, served by M. G. Henschel of the Society’s Brooklyn office and Harry Arnott from the Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) branch. Again the Centennial Memorial Pavilion was engaged. It was indeed satisfying when 551 attended the exciting public talk “World Conquest Soon​—by God’s Kingdom.” Nineteen were baptized.

It had been just three years since Brother Henschel had visited us, along with Brother Knorr​—in 1952, when the branch office was established here. At that  time, there were 53 publishers, including 11 pioneers. What had resulted from their service during those three years? It was a joy to behold that 162 now were publishing, including 18 pioneers. Instead of just two congregations, there now were five. Truly, Jehovah’s blessing had been upon our work.

Plans then were made to get the truth into unassigned areas through new missionary assignments, and by using local brothers as special pioneers as soon as they qualified. Work also began on the translating of our publications into the Bassa language.

ON TO GBARNGA

Brother and Sister Watkins took up a new assignment early in 1956. They went to Gbarnga, a provincial center about 125 miles (201 kilometers) from Monrovia. The native population of Gbarnga spoke Kpelle, but a good many persons also knew English. By April of 1956 two new publishers already were reporting field service in Gbarnga.

In 1955 the government had started improving the poor interior road, making it into a good highway. This road passed through Gbarnga and eventually was to link up with Cape Palmas, clear at the other end of Liberia. When the work began, William David from Pleebo was employed by the construction company. After working hours, this brother made good use of his time preaching to all his fellow employees and to the inhabitants of towns and villages along the route of the highway.

In time, two of his fellow workmen joined him, even though one had been a staunch opposer. As the road moved inland many persons received the message of the Kingdom for the first time. Indeed, the brothers who were among the road builders aided many interested persons to get on the road that leads to life eternal.​—Matt. 7:13, 14.

When the highway was completed to Gbarnga, Brother Watkins would come down to Monrovia every month or so, visiting interested persons on the way. Thus it was that along the country’s main highway the name and purpose of Jehovah God became well known to many, clear to Putu almost 400 miles (644 kilometers) from Monrovia, where the road-building stopped for a time.

Brother and Sister Watkins found many hearing ears in Gbarnga. But to reach outlying areas better, Brother Watkins obtained a motorcycle. He soon became a familiar figure in all the surrounding towns and villages. One of the places where fine interest was found  was Sayngbey Town. A “bishop” had been the spiritual adviser of these humble people, but he had recently left with all the money, never to be seen again. “Come and teach us, for we love God too much.” (That is the Liberian way of saying “very much.”) With such expressions the missionaries were warmly welcomed. Since none of the populace could read, talks were given every week on various subjects and then reviews were held. In time, a good many of these folks accepted the truth and began to preach the good news.

One day Brother Watkins presented a young man with a booklet explaining the hope for the dead. Accepting the booklet eagerly, he begged the missionary to sit down and read at least half of it with him. A Bible study was started with this young man and his joy knew no bounds as his great thirst for truth began to be satisfied. He was so thrilled with the information about Christ’s invisible presence that he actually memorized the entire textbook chapter dealing with that subject!

The logic of the truth was so overpowering that he decided to study hard and devote himself to the Kingdom-preaching work. This, however, did not please his father who was financing the son’s way through school so that he would become someone prominent and prosperous to the benefit of the family. So the father sought to dampen his zeal for preaching by cutting off all financial support. The father’s action only made the son more determined than ever to serve Jehovah.

After this the son became very ill and weak from fever. But he rejected his father’s intention to send him to a native fortune-teller to learn the cause of the sickness. The son knew that his sickness was not caused by some ancestor or by witchcraft. The father abandoned the son, but somehow the young man managed to get to a hospital in a distant town. After some days the father sent instructions to bring back the corpse, thinking that by now his son must be dead. When the father learned, however, that the son was recovering without resorting to demonism, the old man acknowledged that the God his son served had power. From that time on the oldster began keeping God’s law on blood. This young man was Joseph Lablah, who was baptized in April 1957. The following year he entered the pioneer service.

One day in a small town out of Gbarnga, Brother Watkins returned to visit a young man with whom he had placed a booklet. Upon hearing the sound of the brother’s motorcycle, the young man’s wife fled into the cassava bush, thinking “Why should a strange man  come and visit people like us, except to catch us for sacrifice?” On another occasion the missionary arrived on foot and came upon the wife unawares. His friendly greeting prevented her from fleeing.

Through an interpreter Brother Watkins told about a ‘Great Chief’ who had handed over much good farmland to people he loved. They could keep the land as long as they respected the ‘Chief’ and his laws. Failing miserably, they had defied the ‘Chief’ and filled the place with trouble. Now the kindly ‘Chief’ was soon to throw out the troublemakers and give his possession to appreciative ones.

With that illustration this country girl came to understand the Creator’s purpose for the first time. She also learned that his name is Jehovah. The hope of a grand future for those who pleased this great heavenly ‘Chief’ began to warm her heart.

Soon this married couple were studying the Bible and attending Christian meetings, and the woman became happier and happier with the truth. But this did not last, for the husband decided to move elsewhere in pursuit of “mammon.” He became interested in another woman, mistreated the wife, and forbade her to have anything to do with Jehovah’s Witnesses. But she refused, declaring before her parents and the village elders: “The thing that Jehovah has taught me, none of you have taught me in my life. So I cannot quit. I have a new hope now!”

The girl’s parents returned the dowry money to the young man and he wrote out a free paper: “This woman is free to marry anybody. My name is not on her again.”

This rejected wife now made haste to resume association with Jehovah’s people and on one unforgettable day she accompanied the aging missionary himself in the preaching work​—the one from whom she used to run away. Soon she was baptized and afterward married a brother with whom, in time, she served as a special pioneer. She had not been able to bear children. Now, however, this Christian woman, Gbangu Woah, was reaping great satisfaction in bringing forth “children” in a spiritual sense.

Brother and Sister Watkins had great joy in their assignment at Gbarnga. By April 1957, seventeen Kingdom publishers shared in the field service there. Early in the following year a congregation was organized, Liberia’s eighth.

MISSIONARIES TO BOMI HILLS

At the end of December 1955, two missionaries arrived unexpectedly from Gambia. They were Rene leRoux and Matthew Pienaar, both originally from  South Africa. We were pleased to have them open up the work in the well-populated Bomi Hills iron-mining area.

Rene leRoux quickly established himself on a friendly basis with the Liberian people. He learned to eat and cook Liberian “chop,” often sitting with the interested persons in their kitchens, learning firsthand how and why they did things. He adjusted to their traits and gained the confidence of many tribal peoples. When Liberian natives would ask him where he came from, he would tell them that he was born in Africa. This would usually send them leaping with delight. He was an African, just as they were!

Several years later, Brother leRoux was appointed as circuit overseer in the interior. When assembly time arrived, he and other brothers would go into the forest and hunt game for the cafeteria. Whatever they happened to kill​—monkey, porcupine, deer, or raccoon—​that is what would end up in the tasty stew.

In October 1956 the first Kingdom publishers at Bomi Hills began reporting field service. By the following March a congregation had been formed there. In time, two zealous sisters​—Esther Bruel and Jamima Flowers—​began to pioneer with this small congregation. Sister Bruel died in 1970, but Sister Flowers continued to serve as a special pioneer at Bomi Hills.

DISTRICT ASSEMBLY AT GREENVILLE

Up to December 1956 all the national assemblies had been held at Monrovia, the capital. Arrangements were now made for the first national assembly outside the capital city. It was to be held at Greenville in Sinoe County, down the coast from Monrovia and right on the Atlantic. Since no road connected Greenville with the capital, the choice was to make the journey either by air, which was expensive, or by small craft with somewhat irregular schedules.

The vessel that took the several dozen delegates from Monrovia was a flat-bottomed landing craft from World War II. It was named “Junior.” The journey itself was a never-to-be-forgotten experience lasting almost three days. Many of the publishers had never been on a boat before and were entirely unprepared for what was to follow. The ship lay very low in the water and seemed to rock about very much. Many smelly drums of oil were on board, and then the rain forced all to find shelter in cramped quarters. Just about everyone was seasick. (Happily, after the assembly a large ship took the delegates back to Monrovia in comparative comfort.)

 We arrived at the site just about two hours before the assembly was to begin, all of us sleepless, dirty, sick and hungry. But by the end of the first day’s sessions, all were feeling ‘pretty chipper’ again. Due to these transportation difficulties, only about 80 of the country’s 246 Kingdom proclaimers were able to attend this fine assembly. However, the citizens of Greenville responded well and 190 persons were present for the public talk.

In attendance at the public talk was the clergyman in charge of the Episcopal school. When he saw one of his teachers, Thomas J. Williams, also in attendance at the talk, the clergyman promptly fired him the next day. This interested teacher came into the truth anyway and was baptized two years later.

KOLAHUN, HO!

In June 1956, Bayo Gbondo was appointed as the first Liberian special pioneer. At first he continued to build up the work at Harbel. But in February 1957, he and his wife, Teetee, left for their new assignment at Kolahun, almost 300 miles (483 kilometers) from Monrovia in the corner of the country where the borders of Sierra Leone and Guinea converge. They were joined by Borbor Tamba Seysey, another brother from the Harbel Congregation who had just been appointed as a special pioneer.

Kolahun was the big town among the Gbandi peoples. But here also were many Kisi tribesmen, among whom most of the interest in Bible truth was found. Before the end of the year, another newly appointed special pioneer, Fallah Neal, also of the Kisi people, joined the other brothers who were now directing attention more and more to the Kisi villages. In December 1957 a small congregation was organized at Kolahun. But the interest at the Kisi village of Tarma was so great that a pioneer took up an assignment there.

Many of the villages in this area held to superstitious laws and taboos, such as not mentioning the word “leopard” in the village and not carrying water except on one’s head. As more and more villagers began learning the truth, though, they no longer wanted to subject themselves to the laws of the credulous.

To illustrate: At Tarma no one bringing a mortar from the farm could carry it on his head; it had to be set down and rolled along the ground. If this law was violated, the villagers believed that no woman in the town would be able to bear children. If rice was cooked with wood obtained from the vicinity of the women’s secret society bush, a person’s belly would swell and he would die.

 However, a Christian brings a mortar into the village on his head. Yet, the very next day a woman gives birth, and the law is shattered. The brothers cut firewood near the forbidden zone and cook rice over it, but no one dies. Another law crumbles!

After that, neighbors would come to the special pioneer’s hearth to obtain coals for lighting their fires. He asked one old woman: “Are you not afraid to use these coals that came from the wood of the women’s society bush?” She replied: “You must not mind that. . . . All the old things we have left behind!”

Though some chiefs used every opportunity to bring trouble upon God’s servants, people flocked into Jehovah’s organization. Consequently, in August 1958 a congregation was organized at Tarma.

The love of these new brothers for the truth often was tested when loyalty to principle involved a loss of material advantages. When the circuit overseer visited the village of Lilionee, the people were talking in low tones. Had someone died? No. To the villagers something worse had happened. A man who had been a polygamist with three wives had just dismissed two, giving them full freedom. Furthermore, he would not claim the $300 spent as dowry in procuring them as his wives. Unheard of! The villager who had done this was David Saa, who had become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

David Saa regularly attended Christian meetings and did not neglect his family, for they also went along with him, down to the smallest baby on mother’s back. Previously he had resigned from the position of village chief. As he said: “I want to serve God’s kingdom by Christ Jesus. I know a person cannot serve two things. As chief I may have to do something that will not be in harmony with God’s kingdom. It may result in losing God’s favor. Better for me to have God’s approval, even though it means being just a common laborer.”

This lone brother refused to join the rest of the villagers in making their sacrifice before the mountain, beseeching and honoring their dead ancestors. Then came the farming season. All the people began putting the usual medicine pot in their rice farms, thinking this would ensure protection of the field and result in a bountiful crop. Again our brother refused. Everyone said that he was crazy. Who would protect him? He wouldn’t have any rice. But his reply was: “If Jehovah wants to bless me with plenty of rice, then he will do so, but, if not, be sure I cannot offer a sacrifice to a strange god or depend on such.”

 Months passed and the rice farms were now ready to harvest. And just whose farm produced the best crop in the district? Why, the farm of our brother, David Saa! Praise Jehovah! The villagers were astounded. People came from other communities to see for themselves. “For true, Jehovah can bless you,” they said. “You mean you never made a sacrifice, never put a medicine pot in the farm, and no harm came to you? And just look at your rice! We did all those things and yet where is the better for us?”

The attitude of the people changed. No longer were they hostile. Why, even Brother Saa’s once opposed younger brother searched for a Witness in the next village and begged to be taught about Jehovah. The villagers themselves all had deep respect for the teaching of God’s Word.

PROGRESS IN KISI COUNTRY

July 1958 was a happy time for Bayo Gbondo and Fallah Neal. They left their special pioneer assignments temporarily in order to attend the Divine Will International Assembly in New York city. Thereafter, they attended the thirty-second class of Gilead School.

Upon their return from Gilead in 1959, Gbondo and Neal were assigned to Kisi country, where they were needed. Brother Neal was sent to a new region, Limbaba. By mid-1960 a congregation was organized there too.

In October 1960 a circuit assembly was held for the three congregations in the Kisi-Gbandi area. After just over three years of preaching activity, there were 55 publishers and 10 pioneers. But the great number of interested persons was indicated by the 291 individuals attending the public talk. Twenty-two persons were baptized at that assembly.

During this period the brothers at Tarma were arranging to build their own Kingdom Hall. The tribal authorities sought to stop or hinder construction, but to no avail. For one year a brother cut trees and sawed planks, while the rest of the group planted, cared for and harvested his rice. The planks then were carried long distances to the motor road to be sold. With the money, cement and corrugated zinc sheets were purchased and carried on heads for hours to the building site. Volunteers laid the foundation, and then the whole group of about fifty began building with real zeal. In only about four days the structure was completed. Amazed onlookers exclaimed: “The word of Jehovah’s Witnesses is strong!”

 FIGHTING ILLITERACY

Illiteracy was a tremendous problem among the Kisi and Gbandi peoples. In entire villages no readers could be found. Yet there was fine interest in the good news everywhere. In one instance, a village of 50 persons begged for someone to come and teach them, but there just was no one to send who was qualified. The few brothers who could read already had their hands full. It was most advisable that the Kisi brothers and the Gbandis learn to read their own language. The Gbandi Gospel of John was available. But in Liberia, at least, there seemed to be no portions of Scripture available in Kisi. Later, it was learned that much of the Bible had been published in the Kisi used in Guinea, which differed somewhat from that employed in Liberia.

With the assistance of Rene leRoux, who served then as circuit overseer, the brothers invented their own Kisi and Gbandi primers. The Kisi primer was a fine illustrated one, printed for us by the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, in Monrovia. The Gbandi primer was mimeographed at the Watch Tower Society’s branch office. After receiving these aids, the brothers set out with zeal to learn to read. By August 1962, 47 Kisi and Gbandi brothers had become literate in their languages! The Kisis were looking forward to receiving a tract and the booklet “This Good News of the Kingdom” in Kisi for use in the field service. Manuscripts for these publications had been sent to the Society’s Brooklyn headquarters for printing.

FLAG ISSUE AT KAKATA

In 1957, after the congregation at Kakata had been functioning for about two years, a real test of integrity arose. One morning at a public school, the principal asked: “How many students are here who are Jehovah’s Witnesses and will not salute the flag?” Eight students stepped forward. The principal and teachers were furious. They tried to persuade the magistrate to have the boys turned over to the military to be stripped and given twenty-five lashes, and then be made to salute. The magistrate refused, remarking: “There is no law in the country authorizing me to do this, unless you can prove that their motive is evil and against the government. But if it is purely religious, then the Constitution allows everyone freedom of worship.”

The school authorities then promptly expelled the brothers. Relatives and friends, and practically the whole community, were against them, saying: “You are foolish, denying yourselves an education. What’s going to happen to you? You won’t be able to get a  job. You’ll be nobody in this country.” Most of those expelled took advantage of the situation to pioneer. Later, three of them​—John Roberts, Samuel Brown and Charles David—​became special pioneers.

“LIFE-GIVING WISDOM” ASSEMBLY

This national assembly for 1957 convened at Harper, Cape Palmas, from December 18 to 22. It was the first assembly of its kind at the Cape, and about 90 brothers of the 291 in the country were able to attend. Similar to the assembly of the previous year at Greenville, ship transportation was required for the delegates from Monrovia. However, this time a large German cargo ship carried them on deck in a fast overnight trip. The delegates sang songs, had their Watchtower study on deck and arrived at the assembly city in good time.

The brand-new Administration building, with its fine view of the palm-lined shores of the Cape, provided a wonderful setting in which to hear the “life-giving wisdom” of Jehovah God. Eight persons were immersed. There were 166 present for the public talk and after that more came to see the Society’s latest film, raising the attendance to 228.

But how were the delegates to get back to Monrovia? Everything depended on whether there happened to be a ship coming up the coast at just the right time, and whether it would actually take deck passengers. The brothers did not worry about this during the assembly, being content to leave it in Jehovah’s hands. This did require faith, as it was not unusual for persons to be stranded at Cape Palmas for weeks awaiting a ship.

Shortly before the public talk was to begin, the faint outline of a ship was observed coming up the coast. By the time the sessions had ended, arrangements had been made with the shipping agents. On Monday the delegates boarded the ocean-going vessel by a boatswain’s chair and a rope ladder. By late Tuesday afternoon all were back in Monrovia. This was considered to be little short of a miracle! Particularly were citizens of the Cape impressed that Jehovah had certainly worked in behalf of his people.

“WHO WILL BURY YOU?”

Many persons belonged to denominational churches for no other reason, it seemed, but to be guaranteed a fine church burial. Of course, if their dues were not paid, the church bell would not toll for them and they would have no church burial. Families often were hard pressed to pay church arrears for a deceased  relative. The churches used this custom to discourage members from associating with us, saying: “If you become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses no one will bury you!”

For a number of years there were no deaths among our brothers or associates. This circumstance, plus our preaching about never dying in the new system of things, caused people to ask: “Is it true that Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t die?” People were reluctant to associate with us, feeling that the organization had no provisions for handling the dead. When some brothers did die, many outsiders expressed amazement to see a coffin carried into the Kingdom Hall for a regular funeral service. Instead of following the general custom of hiring a band to play mournful music at the head of a funeral procession, all the brothers would follow the coffin in an orderly fashion, singing Kingdom songs as they wended their way down a main avenue to the graveyard. This assured many that we did bury our people, and that without requiring church dues.

Many have been disturbed that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not keep a wake over a dead body, singing religious hymns and drinking until the dawn of the new day. Clergymen usually open such occasions, and families are expected to provide drinks and refreshments, no matter how poor they may be. If there is plenty of liquor, many people will be on hand, but if drinks are in short supply complaints are loud: “What a poor wake that was!” Drunkenness is very common at such affairs, leading to immorality, bitter arguments, fights and even murder.

When a Witness dies, usually there is strong controversy over the point of keeping a wake if the rest of the family is not in the truth, despite the deceased one’s own wishes that no wake be kept. When the young wife of a zealous brother died some years ago, he strenuously opposed the determined efforts of the family to keep a wake. His stand so impressed them that when he himself died, they voluntarily agreed not to keep a wake over his body. This in itself was a fine tribute of genuine respect for him.

UPHOLDING GODLY MARRIAGE

As the work began to expand, it was found necessary to demand documentation covering marriage relationships. Especially was there a laxness in the case of unions entered into under native customary law. Because parents often demanded exorbitant dowries for their daughters, the government had established that the amount of dowry should not in any case exceed  $40. Also, the law provided for the issuing of a certificate by the proper native authority at the time of registration.

In practice, however, most native authorities did not register marriages or issue certificates. Matters were left up to the husband and the family of the girl to satisfy the question of dowry and agreeability to the union. Many actually lived under a “trial marriage” arrangement, where a man gave a small amount​—perhaps $5—​to the parents for the privilege of living with a daughter until the time that a full dowry was paid and she formally was turned over to the man. In some instances, families did not want the full amount of the dowry to be paid, feeling that if an emergency should ever arise requiring immediate funds, they would suddenly be able to demand the dowry. In other cases, poor men were paying the dowry little by little over a period of many years.

Brothers were advised to complete their dowry payments at once and obtain marriage certificates. Where a native authority did not issue such, a Declaration of Marriage form was filled out by the brother and his wife and accepted until the certificate could be obtained. In later years, the Department of Internal Affairs found it advantageous for them to expedite the issuance of certificates for all dowry marriages. These were called “head wife” certificates. If a man claimed that another man had violated his head wife, or taken her away from him, the penalty for guilt was $100. However, the accuser would have to produce a “head wife” certificate proving that she actually was his head wife and not just a secondary wife.

Jehovah’s people made such a name for themselves as champions of marriage documentation that at the Department of Internal Affairs, in Monrovia, a special registration book is kept just for Jehovah’s Witnesses. If a brother anywhere in the country cannot get a certificate, he need only submit evidence of the acceptance of the dowry payment and a certificate will be issued.

Interested persons who wanted to preach the good news often were found to be living without benefit of marriage. So, many marriages began to be performed. In 1957 our views on marriage were the talk of Harbel, for on one afternoon the district overseer heard the marriage pledges of seven couples, and a Monrovia newspaper published a story about it. Many persons came to see for themselves. In fact, 242 witnessed the ceremonies!

 MOVING AHEAD, GROWING STRONG!

In January 1958 for the first time there were 300 publishers reporting throughout Liberia. In Kolahun, after Bayo Gbondo had made visits to a distant town, the interested ones there decided that, to become truly Jehovah’s Witnesses, they would also have to declare the good news. So they set out by themselves and witnessed to people in the whole area. Afterward a committee traveled to the Kingdom Hall some miles away and handed the astonished brothers a list naming twenty persons who had spent 186 hours telling people about God’s new order!

DIVINE WILL ASSEMBLIES

A highlight of the year 1958 was the opportunity for brothers from Liberia to attend the Divine Will International Assembly at New York city. Back in 1953 a total of five delegates had gone to the New World Society Assembly there. How many would be able to go this time? Twenty-two! A large picture of the delegation appeared in Monrovia’s leading newspaper. Later, nine separate articles about this great convention were published in newspapers here, and people would stop delegates on the streets after their return, wanting to know about this wonderful event.

Great enthusiasm was also generated for Liberia’s own Divine Will Assembly, held from February 28 through March 3, 1959. During the last week of February, group after group began arriving in Monrovia. Some of the delegates from the interior were awed at seeing a modern city for the first time, not to mention meeting so many friendly brothers and sisters. One band of thirteen publishers walked up from Cape Palmas, almost 200 miles (322 kilometers) in a nine-day journey, during which they placed all their Bible literature and delivered fifteen public lectures to a total audience of 450.

No sooner had the assembly started on Saturday afternoon than an official of the State Department approached, stating that an agency of the United Nations had permission from the president to use the building until Tuesday, our assembly’s last day. The next morning President Tubman confirmed this decision. So our assembly would have to move to a football stadium.

Our Sunday morning session was held at the much-too-small Kingdom Hall until we could get all the arrangements completed for occupying the Antoinette Tubman Stadium. Finally, by mid-afternoon the place was opened and with great joy the assembly  ‘swooped down’ on the new location, close on the heels of the assembly’s cleaning department which, through diligent use of brushes and brooms, quickly had cleaned up the seating area. The shortage of chairs did not bother the brothers, who spread handkerchiefs, mats and cloth “lappers” over the cement steps. Gratitude for having a place to assemble seemed to manifest itself in the unusual attentiveness of the audience during the entire five-hour program.

As evening fell that Monday, all the fuses in the stadium blew except the one controlling the loudspeaker and amplifier. The branch overseer was giving a talk at the time and suddenly found himself besieged by seemingly all the foul-smelling bugs in the stadium. They were attracted by the only light in the place, the one over the speaker’s stand. His talk became filled with spontaneous gestures, serving both for emphasis and self-defense against the distressing insects. Brother Knorr, visiting from Brooklyn Bethel, was the next speaker and, observing what was happening, he doused himself liberally with insect repellent and then wisely moved the speaker’s stand and microphone into the dark, where just enough light would shine on his papers. In this way he avoided much of the bug barrage. By the time his talk ended the lights were fixed and the audience could see to get out of the stands.

By Tuesday evening we were back at our original location, the Centennial Memorial Pavilion. There Brother Knorr delivered the talk “A Paradise Earth Through God’s Kingdom” to an audience of 518. He stressed the need for more of the brothers to become literate. The new book From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained was a fine incentive to many to read all the words, not just learn the meaning of all the illustrations.

A record number of 69 persons underwent baptism at this assembly. Moreover, this gathering so stimulated the Liberian Witnesses that, by the end of the 1959 service year, 415 publishers were reporting​—the sixth consecutive peak and a 42-percent increase over the previous year’s average!

LEARNING TO READ

After the assembly, more stress than ever was put on the matter of literacy. Classes were organized in the congregations, and textbooks were obtained through the government’s adult literacy office. Though it was hard for certain older ones to learn, fairly complete figures indicate that for the five-year period ending in 1962, a total of 109 persons had been taught to read and write in congregation literacy classes. It goes  without saying that this contributed noticeably to effectiveness in the Kingdom-preaching work.

The greater interest in reading is indicated by a circuit overseer’s report in 1959. “When I was here four months ago I met little Mary, about seven years old,” he wrote. “I couldn’t talk to her then because she understood no English. But now she is a publisher, gives good Scriptural presentations and places literature too. But best of all, she reads. It was a pleasurable surprise when she picked up the handbill and read, not only the title on the front, but also the discussion on the back!”

PUBLISHER RANKS DOUBLE IN THREE YEARS

By August 1961 the publisher figure in Liberia had reached an amazing 620! Exactly three years earlier, in 1958, 301 had reported field service. Whereas the Memorial attendance for 1958 was 510, it jumped to 1,396 two years later, and in 1961 an astonishing 1,710 attended.

By 1960 the country had been divided into three circuits, and assemblies were held in many locations so that publishers could attend without having to travel great distances. People noted that these assemblies were not only intertribal but interracial. One white circuit overseer wrote: “One night a Pentecostal man came to me and said, ‘The thing I see here I’ve never seen before​—a white man staying in a black man’s home, associating and eating with him. We have our missionaries. They come to preach to us, but they never come to our homes to eat, associate and sleep. We often try to criticize you, but there is one thing we can’t deny​—you love one another, and that really is the way of the truth!’”

During the three-year period of 1958 through 1961, the number of publishers had doubled. So had the number of congregations, increasing from nine to eighteen. Furthermore, isolated groups numbered a score or more. By late 1962 there were twelve graduates of Gilead School serving in Liberia, four of them native to this country.

OPPOSITION MOUNTS

Particularly in the Kisi-speaking areas around Kolahun did tribal chiefs view the zealous activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses as a threat to their power and authority. No longer would the brothers and interested persons observe the tribal “medicine” laws or pay money toward community sacrifices to ancestors. Non-compliance for conscientious reasons led to arrests and  unjust punishments, as well as appeals to paramount chiefs and to top administrators in the district who referred some of these matters to the Secretary of the Interior in Monrovia.

Frankly, to some extent the brothers themselves escalated the tension by making more of an issue of local customs than at times was necessary. Some new ones wrongly refused to perform communal labor. Also, answers to authorities by some were not always given with due respect and mildness.​—Titus 3:1, 2.

In the Limbaba area, the brothers began building their houses near one another, as if to have their own separate community. This might free them from troublesome village laws, but could also be viewed as a move toward autonomy. Consequently, it was necessary for circuit overseer Rene leRoux to have long talks with officials of the area in order to reduce tensions and set matters straight as to our intentions.

“SEDITIOUS TEACHINGS”?

About the middle of January 1963 a bill was passed by the Liberian Senate amending the law with respect to patriotic observances within the Republic. The law provided that the flag was to be honored daily and specified the singing of the national anthem and similar songs. Violations were to bring stiff penalties.

Almost simultaneously the government newspaper, The Liberian Age, in its issue of January 18, 1963, came out with bold front-page headlines: “Govt. Moves to Curb Seditious Teachings.” The article improperly charged Jehovah’s Witnesses with teaching disloyalty to the State by non-allegiance to the flag and by enjoining members from singing the national anthem. Among other points the article stated:

“Recently, according to the Attorney General, a situation was developing in a section of the interior growing out of the teachings and influence of these strange doctrines [but] the government checked it before it got to a head.

“To insure that this does not occur again steps have been taken towards that end. The President has approved an Act making it a seditious offense for any person or organization, ‘under the disguise of religious or other beliefs,’ to promulgate, teach or influence citizens or foreigners to disrespect the National Flag or National Anthem, or further, who attempts to instill in any person or group of persons disregard for the authority of the Government and laws of the country.”

A Justice Department official then was quoted as  stating that if the organization teaching these things did not desist, it would be banned.

On that same day, a representative of this newspaper requested a reply from us regarding these charges. Accordingly, a letter was submitted by Brother G. Henry Ricketts, a well-known and highly respected Liberian citizen who originally came from Jamaica. This reply clearly set forth our views that the flag ceremony is a religious act (as the flag itself is regarded as sacred), thus constituting a form of worship. In defending our position of giving to “Caesar” what belonged to him, but to God all our worship, many quotations were made from various sources, including opinions of the United States Supreme Court.​—Luke 20:25.

On the morning that this reply was published in The Liberian Age, the branch overseer was leaving for New York city to attend the thirty-eighth class of Gilead School, and his assistant, John Charuk, was left in charge of the branch office. In the meantime, an appointment was made to see the president after the attorney general refused to receive a delegation of our brothers.

Four days after Brother Ricketts’ letter was published, the Justice Department announced that he would be arrested on charges involving “seditious teachings and influence” under the guise of religious beliefs. They further claimed that Ricketts had offered defiance to the authority of the State by stating that “Jehovah’s Witnesses merely claim for themselves the right to refuse to salute the flag of any nation.” An editorial about the matter in The Liberian Age was entitled “Dangerous Doctrine.”

Attempts to see President Tubman and the attorney general were fruitless. It might be mentioned that during this time the atmosphere within the country was tense. There was a rumor of a plot to assassinate the president. In early January the country was shocked at the shooting of Togo President Sylvanus Olympio just before he was to make an official visit to Liberia. Pictures of him were up all over Monrovia, and many preparations had been made for the visit that never materialized.

Additionally, a high army officer was jailed and Liberia’s secretary of defense was dismissed. It was reported that Communist seeds were being sown in the nation’s most prominent institutions of learning, the University of Liberia and Cuttington College. In a radio broadcast to the nation, President Tubman announced that if such teachings were not eradicated immediately, he would have these institutions closed  down. These suspicions of a general scheme to overthrow the government did not encourage the spirit of toleration toward Jehovah’s Witnesses and their alleged “seditious teachings.”

BLOWS STRUCK AT KOLAHUN

At Kolahun in mid-February 1963, President Tubman convened an Executive Council at which the chiefs bared their complaints about Jehovah’s Witnesses, even going so far as to charge that special pioneer Bayo Gbondo was trying to set up his own government and rule. Late on the second day, the president called for all the Witnesses to come. About forty brothers appeared, thinking that President Tubman was going to discuss the matter of compensation to Gbondo for two houses that had been taken away from him.

At the meeting Bayo Gbondo was asked: “Is it true that you Jehovah’s Witnesses have your own government and laws?” To this he replied: “No, it is not true. Jehovah’s Witnesses advocate God’s kingdom, for which Christ taught his followers to pray, at the same time recognizing the existing government of the land. As Christians, we obey and live by the laws and principles of the Bible. However, we also obey and respect the laws of the government.”

Nonetheless, the Witnesses were now ordered to go out and salute the flag. It was a tense moment. Present were many government officials, members of the judiciary, tribal chiefs from all over the country, the clergy, the army and a number of foreign diplomats. Before this distinguished audience the great majority of the brothers refused to salute. As a result, soldiers, armed with rubber truncheons, attacked them. After that, the brothers were taken back again to salute, with the soldiers standing by to raise their arms. Certainly this could not be considered a voluntary salute.

Then some chiefs asserted: “Bayo is the one causing all the trouble.” Thereupon it was ordered that Bayo Gbondo be given five years in Belle Yelle, a notorious prison camp, the “Siberia” of Liberia. But Gbondo was beaten so badly that he could not walk.

Later, Bayo Gbondo and others were released. However, before that happened there was another flag ceremony. What occurred did not become known until later, but at that time it was assumed that the brothers had not saluted although they had been beaten severely. What actually happened we shall see later.

Brother Charuk sent the president a radiogram thanking him for releasing the brothers. In a reply it was stated that they were released only because  they did salute and promised to obey the laws of the country in the future. Was the president referring to a forced salute, or did the brothers actually salute? More would be learned about that when we held a district assembly at Gbarnga.

ARREST AND DEPORTATION

The incident at Kolahun gave rise to others. At Lower Buchanan, Brother Lichfield Remmie was called to a conference by the superintendent of the county. Here he was given notice to close down all operations. Both he and the acting branch overseer went to the attorney general on the matter, but he refused to see them without even hearing what they had to say. So Brother Remmie returned to Lower Buchanan where President Tubman would be attending a Methodist conference. There Brother Remmie was able to speak at length with the president about our views on the flag. However, the result was that his arrest and deportation were ordered, Brother Remmie being a Sierra Leonian.

Brother Remmie was beaten by soldiers and kept for over three days without food. When brought to Monrovia, he was thrown into a dungeon, the floor of which was covered with human excrement. An appeal to the Sierra Leone ambassador brought intervention, especially after it was learned that Brother Remmie was a cousin of the prime minister of that country. Following a week of inhuman treatment the brother was brought to a hospital and his deportation was delayed.

GBARNGA ASSEMBLY

After the arrest of Brother Ricketts near the end of January, the Justice Department was asked whether there was any objection to the proposed religious conference of Jehovah’s Witnesses scheduled to convene at Gbarnga from March 8-10, 1963. The Justice Department said that there was no objection. So, plans for the gathering went ahead. Gbarnga was centrally located in the interior of the country.

Early during the assembly week, M. G. Henschel arrived. He and Brother Charuk spent much time at the American embassy trying to arrange an interview with President Tubman to explain our position. Finally, word was received that the interview was set for Monday morning, March 11, at ten o’clock. So the two brothers went on to Gbarnga and graciously were given lodging in the home of District Commissioner Samuel B. Cooper. This official had been friendly and  helpful, seemingly not influenced by the events at Kolahun.

In preparation for the assembly, the brothers worked hard, clearing a large area at the end of Progressive Street. They erected booths, for sessions were to be held in English, Kpelle, Kisi and Bassa. On Saturday evening Brother Henschel gave a timely talk on subjection to the “superior authorities.” (Rom. 13:1) Brother Ricketts arrived on Sunday morning, having been released the day before. The brothers rejoiced. Little did they realize that this was part of a plan to get all the Witnesses together and involve them in a flag test.

By Sunday there were about 400 present, including many interested persons from Gbarnga. The day’s text discussed that morning was James 5:10, which reads: “Brothers, take as a pattern of the suffering of evil and the exercising of patience the prophets, who spoke in the name of Jehovah.” How appropriate that text proved to be!

About 10:30 a.m., while the assembled Christians were listening to the talk “Holding Faith and a Good Conscience,” Lieutenant Warner of the local military post came to the assembly ground with a letter from District Commissioner Cooper. It read in part: “In order to eradicate the impression on the minds of the general public with regards to the loyalty of your membership, it is my directive that upon the receipt of this letter you will march the entire membership of your Conference to the District Compound where they shall pay allegiance to the Flag of the Republic of Liberia.”

M. G. Henschel and two other brothers left the assembly to see the district commissioner. Brother Henschel asked that any action be suspended until he saw the president, keeping the appointment for Monday morning made through the American embassy. The commissioner refused to do this and ordered soldiers to bring everyone at the assembly to the compound. The brothers returned to the assembly and quickly dispatched Spencer Thomas and Frank Williams to Monrovia to inform the British and American embassies of events involving their nationals. Despite the fact that the soldiers had put up a roadblock to ferret out all of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the two brothers got through to Monrovia.

TAKEN CAPTIVE!

The soldiers arrived in a truck. They broke up the peaceful assembly, rounding up everyone​—men, women  and children. So it was that about 400 persons were marched to the compound, right through the center of town. While walking, the group sang Kingdom songs of praise. People came from far and near. Foreigners took pictures. Africans looked on in amazement. Soldiers shouted: “Keep quiet! Stop singing!”

Upon arrival at the military compound, all were lined up in a circle around the flagpole, with the foreign Witnesses in front. Twice the lieutenant demonstrated what he wanted. No one saluted. Thereupon the commissioner ordered: “Lock them up, all of them.” The soldiers now took away the personal belongings of the brothers, including pens, eyeglasses, briefcases​—all of this officially. But later, money, watches and jewelry were plundered by the soldiers. As many Witnesses as possible were jammed into four windowless rooms. Some of these really were latrines. The remaining individuals were crowded into the small fenced-in area alongside the guardhouse. There they remained, singing Kingdom songs that Sunday afternoon until about 6:00 p.m.

By that time, three truckloads of soldiers had arrived from a nearby military camp. The brothers then were taken back to the compound flanked by soldiers in a ready-to-charge position. Before the flag again, only a few compromised. The rest were driven across the highway to an open field, running the gauntlet of kicks, blows and strikes with rifles. This included women with children whose screams must have been heard for a considerable distance.

Shoes, jackets, shirts, head coverings​—all of these now had to be removed while the group was forced to sit upright throughout the entire night. They were not permitted to sleep or rest their heads a bit. Water was allowed only for small children and babies, and some of the latter were taken to a nearby clinic. Sitting on the bare ground and loose pebbles was hard to endure. Yet, if anyone’s head nodded, a soldier was quick to knock him into wakefulness. During that long night the soldiers never let up with verbal abuses: “Where is your Jehovah now?” “‘G’ is all the same. ‘G’ for God, ‘G’ for government. Our god gave us a gun. What has your God given you?”

MONDAY MORNING COMPROMISERS

At daybreak the air was tense. The soldiers insisted that everyone would be happy to salute with both hands before the day was over. Except for a few children, no one among the Witnesses had been given anything to eat since Sunday morning​—and they had  received nothing to drink. A colonel informed them that it was going to be awfully hard that morning. Flexing his lash, he said: “We’re going to see that you salute this morning.”

On the way to the flagpole, shoes, socks and coats were ordered removed, while some soldiers snatched watches off wrists. When the ceremony began, those who had decided to salute were told to separate themselves and come closer to the flagpole. Amazingly, sixty or more from the Kolahun area saluted, including Gilead graduate Bayo Gbondo! No doubt his action influenced many of the others.

Why did those from Kolahun salute? The district commissioner had singled out the brothers from Kolahun and reminded them that they had saluted at Kolahun. If they failed to salute now, he would send them all to Belle Yelle. Later, Sister Watkins asked Gbondo if he had saluted at Kolahun. “Yes,” he replied. “They would have killed me.” Evidently soldiers had continued beating him until he compromised, but he had not revealed it. So now the facts of what had happened finally became known.

The Witnesses who did not salute at Gbarnga were then driven like animals back to the open field. Many were struck with rifles, particularly on the head. Sister Rhoda Brown of Lower Buchanan, about eight months pregnant at the time, was knocked down twice and rolled over on the ground. Another sister, Ida Zizi of Monrovia, whose baby was on her back was knocked down, causing her to fall on the infant. Though the baby appeared to be dead, it later was revived at the clinic. Even children as young as seven years of age were struck by the armed soldiers.

After sitting down, the Witnesses were told to look at the sun, and soldiers watched their eyes to make sure they were staring at the blazing sun. After enduring this inhumanity for about half an hour, they were allowed to seek shelter under shady trees inside the compound. Then the soldiers forced some Witnesses, including Brother Henschel, to draw water from a parasite-ridden stream about a quarter of a mile down the highway. Sister Muriel Klinck, a missionary, was compelled to go into the stream and carry water on her head. A soldier then viciously kicked her in the abdomen. Some of the soldiers threatened rape. When the water reached the Witnesses, soldiers upset the buckets and smashed drinking cups under their boots, declaring: “No salute, no water.” Finally, however, the soldiers allowed them to drink some of the river water​—their first drink in more than twenty-four hours!

At no time was food provided by the authorities.  After more than twenty-four hours without eating, a few Witnesses were permitted to go to the assembly site and prepare some rice from supplies on hand there. When the rice was brought to the group, it amounted to about four spoonfuls per person.

During the first twenty-four hours, only some of the women were allowed to go to the toilet. Only on Monday did men begin to have a little chance to do so, later that day.

At the 6 p.m. flag ceremony, Lieutenant Warner called on Witnesses to translate speeches that officers were to make to induce saluting, and a few Witnesses seemed eager to do the interpreting. However, instead of using the opportunity to encourage their brothers to faithfulness in a language the soldiers could not understand, the interpreters simply told them what the soldiers said: ‘It is not against God’s law to salute, and everyone is going to salute, and you should salute also.’ Hearing that, about a hundred more, besides the interpreters, compromised their integrity. This group included some overseers and special pioneers. While standing before the flag, a few fell unconscious, apparently out of fear. They later compromised.

The compromisers then were placed on a grassy spot in the compound, while the noncompromisers were put on a gravel road covered with many stones. Thus, for the second night they were to sit up straight. For a time a new brutality was added: Everyone was forced to hold his hands high over his head, or risk being hit with a rifle. Officers encouraged worldly relatives to speak to faithful ones. They pleaded, “Think of your children,” or “How can you do this to us?” Some yielded to such pressure. Their integrity then collapsed.

The camp of the faithful now was smaller than that of the compromisers. That night those who held firm got some relief in a rather strange way, because the attention of the soldiers was often diverted to the camp of the compromisers, which was in a state of confusion. It was evident that Jehovah’s spirit had indeed left the compromisers.

Soldiers could be heard abusing those who had caved in under pressure: “Why did you keep us here all this time? Why didn’t you salute the first day?” “Now my god is your god.” A soldier who was ridiculing the compromisers said: “Why did you let your brothers down?” Another soldier told them: “Now we can see that there are two kinds of Christians, as well as two kinds of soldiers​—the brave ones and the cowards. You only came to the conference for the rice. If it was not for you who saluted, all of you would have gone  free by now.” The group of compromisers was also kept awake all night long.

TUESDAY, MARCH 12

In the morning, a new group of soldiers took over, and these appeared to be more sadistic. A few more Witnesses compromised and the rest were brought back to the field where they were struck again, both with rifle butts and with short whips. M. G. Henschel was almost knocked unconscious with the butt of a rifle.

The sun now was blazing down on their bare heads. One missionary suffered a sunstroke. Another, Rene leRoux, later said: “It felt like having your head in a 500-degree oven.”

On Tuesday morning, March 12, the foreigners spoke up strongly for release. The lieutenant left to inquire. Shortly thereafter, he returned, and about 11:00 a.m. the nearly thirty foreigners were released. All of them had held fast their integrity despite all the brutal treatment. Before leaving, Brother Henschel spoke for a few minutes to the remaining Liberian Witnesses; they prayed together and felt strengthened.

The convention grounds were a shambles, with all the suitcases having been bayoneted open and the valuables stolen. Equipment, electrical and other items, had been smashed. The released Witnesses returned to the grounds where the Liberian Christians were still being held, bringing them soft drinks, food, money and other things. But the district commissioner soon put a stop to that. Later, he told the Liberian brothers that it was going to be very hard for them. On the heads of the men, the soldiers shaved two paths in the shape of a cross to indicate that they were prisoners. These “haircuts” were given with broken glass bottles. At the flag ceremony that evening, about a dozen more compromised.

Brother Joseph Lablah later mentioned that, while shaving the heads, the soldiers said: “These are the real Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Unwittingly, the soldiers thus encouraged them very much.

Tuesday night was the most difficult of all. The shaved heads were intended to remind the Witnesses that they were prisoners and could expect to go to Belle Yelle. Men were compelled to remove shirts and women were not permitted to have anything wrapped around them or to have anything on their heads to protect them from the cold. Full-time pioneer Witness Moses Anderson, clad only in his shorts, was made to  stand on one foot until he fell unconscious. Several others went into a state of unconsciousness.

The Witnesses showed loving concern for one another. When possible, they talked to one another encouragingly, quoting scriptures and praying for strength to keep integrity. When Brother Anderson fell unconscious, the other Witnesses in that group jumped to his assistance, unmindful of personal danger. They could feel no pulse and feared he was dead. His body was very cold. They put clothes on him and just made the soldiers carry him to the first-aid station.

The group as a whole displayed remarkable faith and courage. They had not eaten anything substantial since Sunday morning, had not been able to get much water, had not slept since Saturday night and were exposed to both blazing sun and damp cold. Nevertheless, prayer, mutual encouragement and thinking upon the Scriptures helped them to remain steadfast.

WEDNESDAY MORNING​—THE ORDEAL ENDS

Before the flag again, the brothers were determined to stand fast. Sister Rhoda Brown, although eight months pregnant, brutally beaten around the legs and knocked down with rifles, said: “We have come this far. Let them do what they want to; I’ll never salute.” Only one person saluted, Apollos Ene from Nigeria, whose ambition had been to get to the United States through Liberia.

Shortly after the ceremony, Commissioner Cooper informed the Witnesses that they were to be released. Compromiser Ene thereupon fell to the ground, weeping bitterly. Returning to Monrovia, he became ill and died on April 24, 1963.

The faithful were told that they would be prosecuted, their property confiscated and that they would be imprisoned for ten years. All the men had to have their heads shaved clean before leaving Gbarnga. In addition to the foreign brothers, approximately 100 Liberian Witnesses went through the Gbarnga persecution maintaining integrity. They were from all classes, illiterate and well educated. Those who were in the group of the loyal ones had been faithful meeting attenders.

The children did very well under persecution. They sat still for hours on the ground, having learned to sit quietly during meetings at the Kingdom Halls.

The loss suffered by the brothers in a material way on that occasion was estimated to exceed $6,000. But a greater loss to the Liberian congregations was felt because seven congregation servants (presiding overseers) and nine special pioneers compromised. This  would mean that some congregations as well as about a dozen isolated groups would be dissolved. Many others who compromised were quite new in the truth and did not have a deep appreciation of the issues involved.

After his release, one faithful brother felt an overwhelming happiness, not because of escaping further persecution, but for having remained faithful. He thought: “This is the way one would feel after passing through Armageddon.” And so his heart was filled with hope.

Old Brother Holman was among the faithful ones. During the ordeal, he had fainted and was taken to a nearby clinic. When he returned to the group, the brothers were indeed happy to see him, for they had imagined that he was dead. His hair, too, had been cut in rows like that of prisoners. “I was so very happy I lived through it all,” he later wrote. “I was not ashamed of my head marked as a prisoner, either. I showed it to people I talked with . . . In all my life of seventy years, never have I been a prisoner, and if now I am a prisoner for Jehovah’s name’s sake, I am happy.”​—Matt. 5:10-12.

MISSIONARIES EXPELLED

Following the Gbarnga affair, the brothers were in a state of uncertainty. What further moves the government would make against them could only be imagined. For refusing to salute the flag, Sister Edna Geary was dismissed from employment at the Treasury Department, Sister Dorothy Seaman lost her job as a teacher, and Brother Jacob Wah was dismissed from the University of Liberia. Because of being Witnesses, children were prevented from attending school in various places.

Finally, on April 18, 1963, the government ordered the 27 foreign Witnesses to leave the country, including all the missionaries who received the following communication from the Department of Justice: “Because of your flagrant and defiant refusal to salute and pay due respect to the Liberian Flag, in deliberate violations of the Laws of this Country, you are hereby ordered to leave the Country within a fortnight as from the date of this letter. Your failure to do so, deportation proceedings will be instituted against you.”

It goes without saying that for these foreign Witnesses to have saluted the Liberian flag would have been viewed by the countries from which they came as a rejection of their citizenship there.

At this turn of events, many Liberian brothers left  Monrovia and other communities where they were well known and went elsewhere, some traveling to Sierra Leone. Meetings were discontinued at the Kingdom Hall and smaller gatherings were held in various places. Brother Frank Williams, a Liberian graduate of Gilead, received some training before the missionaries left so that he could carry on the work at the Society’s branch office. Brother Joseph Lablah of Gbarnga continued serving in the circuit work, visiting and encouraging the brothers throughout the country.

In March only 258 reported field service, and 314 did so in April. The ranks of the Witnesses had been slashed in half. Approximately 200 had compromised their faith. Since quite a number of special pioneers (many of whom had compromised) did not return to their assignments, numerous isolated publishers stopped witnessing. This also happened to some small congregations. Due to fear, certain publishers who were not at Gbarnga ceased their witnessing activities.

Fear and uncertainty were more evident during May when the foreign brothers no longer were present. In the Kolahun area, where upward of 150 had been active in the work, at least half had compromised. But after April, the Sierra Leone branch office was given jurisdiction over that part of the country and reports from those active in that area no longer were sent to Monrovia. (Just recently, this area returned to the supervision of the branch office in Liberia.)

These factors explain why only 164 Kingdom publishers reported service in May. During that month, a letter was received from a new brother who complained that the faithful and the compromisers were all one, eating together and doing everything together. Furthermore, he said that there seemed to be no one to follow. There must have been some truth in these observations, for in June only 100 reported field service.

TUBMAN REPLIES

When the missionaries were ordered to leave Liberia, Brother Knorr wrote a letter to President Tubman, deploring this action and urging reconsideration of such a move. This letter of April 17, 1963, was published in Awake! of July 22, 1963, and attracted much attention.

On August 14, 1963, Tubman made a speech on the occasion of his formal acceptance of another term as president. He felt obliged to speak at length about Jehovah’s Witnesses, and he referred to letters already received from various people in the, United States, Britain and Canada protesting Liberia’s views.

 In his speech, President Tubman also said: “The Jehovah’s Witnesses, as a sect, are welcome in this country, but they will be required to conform to the law requiring all persons to salute the flag when it is being hoisted or lowered at ceremonies in their sight, or keep away from such ceremonies.” The expression that Jehovah’s Witnesses were welcome did much to encourage the brothers. Soon the Kingdom Hall was reopened for meetings.

But even before this, the brothers began moving about more openly. Publisher activity started increasing, with 116 reporting in August and 153 in September. The complete account of the atrocities at Gbarnga appeared in Awake! of August 8, 1963, and the flood of letters that began pouring into Monrovia and Liberian embassies in various countries was causing more and more concern. Liberia could not deny the acts of inhumanity committed against Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Rumors that one of our brothers died at Gbarnga made the president state that he would personally conduct an investigation into this report. This was five months after the Gbarnga trouble.

Adding to the expressions from other lands, many influential Liberians were sympathetic toward granting the Witnesses freedom of worship and were disgusted with the acts of violence committed by some. Finally, at the end of November President Tubman wired M. G. Henschel at the Watch Tower Society’s headquarters, agreeing to receive a delegation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Monrovia on December 4 to discuss the flag-salute question and our missionary activities in Liberia.

PRESIDENTIAL INTERVIEW

In addition to M. G. Henschel, the delegation included Brothers Klinck, Charuk and Woodworth Mills, the latter from the Society’s Nigeria branch. Brother Henschel described our interest in teaching the Liberians the Bible so that they might actually be able to do God’s will and not just say “Lord, Lord.” (Matt. 7:21) Also, Bible education was pointed to as the best defense against atheistic Communism. He then presented publications showing our views on the paying of taxes and on subjection to the “superior authorities,” mentioned in Romans, chapter 13.

Brother Klinck spoke about the practical benefits Liberians had derived from our evangelism, the moral and spiritual improvement experienced by many, and the valuable training they had received in the preaching work. Brother Charuk described the results of the  literacy program in cooperation with the government’s literacy drive, and Brother Mills spoke of the fine Christian reputation the Witnesses enjoyed in Nigeria, where there then were 37,000 of them and no difficulties.

Mr. Tubman listened intently for about half an hour. He asked if our work is the same as “Zion’s Watch Tower.” Learning that this was a name we formerly used, he explained that a Bible study class using Zion’s Watch Tower operated in his hometown, Cape Palmas, during the 1890’s, when he was just a boy. He mentioned the Gibson brothers and a Mr. Seton who then were associated with the group.

Mr. Tubman next related how the flag-salute law was first proposed by an Episcopalian clergyman named J. W. Pearson, and he amusedly told how the first offender arrested was the clergyman’s own eighty-year-old father. The president referred again to his August 14 speech and reaffirmed his strong belief in freedom of worship and of conscience. He jovially related how, some time ago, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses spoke with him during a visit to the provinces. “He preached to me, and I listened to him. Jehovah’s Witnesses​—they know their Bible very well. He tried to convert me, but I told him, ‘I am too old to change now.’”

The president then related this version of what happened at Kolahun: The district commissioner reported to him that some of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the area had refused to submit to or recognize the authority of the chief. These individuals separated themselves from the village community and had wrongly built houses on land they had seized and occupied without legal authority. When the local chief summoned them to answer charges for this misconduct, they refused to appear, saying that as Jehovah’s Witnesses they are not subject to his authority. So the commissioner was writing to ask the president’s permission to go in with soldiers and demolish the illegally built houses. When Mr. Tubman arrived at Kolahun to investigate the matter personally, he found the men involved defiant of authority. He said that they were punished, not for refusing to salute the flag, but for illegally seizing land and for defying the chief and refusing to recognize the authority of the government’s representative.

Regarding Gbarnga, Mr. Tubman said that the events were “an outrage,” and that the guilty ones were properly punished. “I am sorry this thing happened,” Mr. Tubman declared. He was surprised to learn that Brother Henschel had been there and had gone through the ordeal. Again the president said: “I am sorry.”

 Continuing, Mr. Tubman said that the missionaries who were asked to leave Liberia would be welcomed back. On the flag-salute issue, he stated: ‘The law stipulates that every person shall show respect to the flag when it is being raised or lowered with ceremony. The term “respect” is subject to interpretation. If I am present when the flag is being hoisted or lowered with ceremony, I don’t salute. I stand at attention and take off my hat. I am not the interpreter of the law, but I think that civilians are not required to give the military salute.’

The president then assured the delegation that an Executive Order would be published to the effect that the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses should be allowed to go on unmolested throughout the Republic. This was done a few days later. In part, the order notified “all people throughout the country, that Jehovah’s Witnesses shall have the right and privilege of free access to any part of the country to carry on their missionary work and religious worship without molestation from anyone. They shall have the protection of the law both of their person and their property and the right to freely worship God according to the dictates of their consciences, observing in the meantime the laws of the Republic by showing respect to the national flag when it is being hoisted or lowered at ceremonies by standing at attention.”

Newspapers commented favorably on this peaceful solution of matters. Many of the public congratulated the first two returning missionaries, saying that they were glad that Jehovah’s Witnesses were back.

BUILDING UP AGAIN

School authorities knew about the Executive Order granting Jehovah’s Witnesses the right to show respect by standing at attention before the flag, and, generally, this was extended to the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some students were required to change schools. Leaving well enough alone, attention was given, rather, to the urgent work of building up the shattered congregations. It was evident that Jehovah had maneuvered matters so that an extensive witness could be given throughout Liberia.

Needless to say, the brothers rejoiced that the missionaries were returning. Within the next several months all the missionaries were back, except for Rene leRoux who had been reassigned to Kenya. In December 1963, when the first missionaries returned, 216 Kingdom proclaimers reported field service, but by  August 1964 the figure was 307, including 6 local special pioneers and 14 regular pioneers.

The brothers who went through the Gbarnga episode undoubtedly were sobered into a greater realization of what was involved in the issue of integrity. Previously, there was a tendency to say: “Brother, it won’t happen here. Liberia is different.” Many were not prepared for what occurred at Gbarnga because they had not conditioned their minds to the reality of real persecution. Consequently, fear seized them and they gave in.

A good many of those who had compromised were saddened in a godly way. They gave satisfactory evidence of genuine repentance and proper appreciation of the issue involved. By the end of the 1964 service year, 69 of the 115 compromisers under the jurisdiction of the Society’s Liberia branch had been reinstated. The rest of the compromisers lived in the Kolahun area, then under the jurisdiction of the Sierra Leone branch.

“EVERLASTING GOOD NEWS” ASSEMBLY

In April 1964, a four-day assembly was held at the new and modern City Hall Auditorium in Monrovia, following the program of the “Everlasting Good News” Assembly of 1963. In a beautiful locale, Jehovah’s people met to celebrate their victory given by Jehovah. True worship certainly had triumphed over Satan’s attempt to destroy the Christian flock in Liberia. Many were the joyful reunions of brothers who now met for the first time since the severe test at Gbarnga. The spirit of happy confidence in Jehovah prevailed.

But would the public respond to the invitation to hear the public address “Who Will Win the Struggle for World Supremacy?” All were delighted to know that 520 were there, twice the number of those reporting as Kingdom publishers throughout the country.

Undoubtedly the clergy ‘gnashed their teeth’ to see such evidences of favor on Jehovah’s organization. From a reliable source it was learned later that in the sedition file of the Bureau of Investigation was a resolution signed by three prominent clergymen. Rife with false accusations, it called upon the government to ban Jehovah’s Witnesses because they undermined the authority of the State by teaching people not to salute the flag or sing the national anthem. Moreover, the resolution said that our organization was actually political and not religious. Those three clergymen now are dead, but Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to live on!

 STEPS TOWARD GREATER SPIRITUALITY

The Gbarnga incident revealed that many who were declaring the good news did not have a good understanding of what was involved in maintaining integrity and giving Jehovah exclusive devotion. (Ex. 20:4-6; Ps. 3:8; 1 John 5:21) For that reason it was determined to discuss this matter, as well as others, with prospective publishers before permitting them to engage in field service. Hence, much study was required before one could be baptized. Of course, this reduced the number of those dedicating their lives to Jehovah God, but it led to greater spirituality.

During the five-year period of 1964-1969, only 93 were immersed. Brothers, particularly pioneers, were encouraged to study with literate persons as much as possible, as such could better teach others and generally they displayed more “staying” power than the unlettered.

EXPANSION IN MONROVIA

The way now was open to receive qualified special pioneers from Nigeria. The first of these, Isonode Akhibi, served here for some time as a circuit overseer. Another, Enoch Esionye, arrived in 1965, serving first at Cape Palmas, and thereafter for a time in the circuit work. The Norman family from Canada came, and, during the next three years, six more missionaries arrived.

With the arrival of more missionaries in 1968, it became necessary to rent another missionary home in the fast-growing Sinkor area of Monrovia. In early 1969 a fine new location was rented on Old Road, Sinkor. This building was able to accommodate the branch office, as well as housing facilities for missionaries. In 1970 a third missionary home was acquired in the Logan Town area. So, by the early 1970’s, each of the three main population centers of Monrovia (with its population of about 100,000) was being served by a missionary home.

PERENNIAL FLAG ISSUE

Over the years the flag salute in schools periodically became an issue. In 1965 three students were expelled from a Methodist-operated school in Monrovia. They were Beverly and Kenneth Norman, along with Leona Williams. When thirteen-year-old Leona told her unbelieving father the news, he beat her and threatened to force her to salute before the student body the next morning. Persuasion, threats and even another  severe beating were to no avail. Later, she was able to continue her schooling elsewhere.

On one occasion, four Witness students were each given twenty-five strokes with a strong rattan stick and another was expelled for not repeating the pledge. However, it was found that when the flag salute was not made a big issue, schools became more tolerant.

On June 25, 1968, The Liberian Age carried a front-page article headlined “Eight Students Refuse to Salute Flag.” The students were associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Under-Secretary of Education Samuel F. Dennis, who also is an Episcopal priest, condemned the refusal as “unpatriotic.”

The branch overseer had several discussions with the under-secretary, hoping that the government would thereafter adopt a more reasonable attitude toward Witness students. It was pointed out that denying freedom of worship to students would have an effect opposite to instilling respect for the flag, even among those who chose to salute. Many other arguments were advanced to show that Liberia’s position ran counter to the principles of enlightened government.

The under-secretary had to discuss all of this with President Tubman, and then the representatives of the Society’s branch office were informed of the results. It might be mentioned that the flag question had arisen once again just after a long treason trial involving prominent men who had sought to take the government from the hands of the descendants of the foreign settlers. In the past, tribal rebellions against the government in Monrovia included desecration of the Liberian flag. At the University of Liberia some students were openly critical of the government and the president. One way that contempt was displayed was by saluting the flag in a very disrespectful manner.

The under-secretary revealed that the government could grant Jehovah’s Witnesses the right to stand at attention during school flag ceremonies, were it not for the fear that political groups would seize upon this toleration for selfish ends. Thus those in schools favoring rule by tribalists might refuse to salute the flag established by the settlers, claiming the right not to salute because Jehovah’s Witnesses do not salute.

This explanation helped one to appreciate the government’s position. The brothers were assured that the government was satisfied that Jehovah’s Witnesses had no political designs. But it obviously felt that, under the circumstances, the right to refrain from saluting could not be extended to Jehovah’s Witnesses in schools.

 Subsequently, the Education Department issued a notice that students refusing to salute the flag of the Republic were to be dismissed from school and principals and teachers permitting “such acts of disloyalty” would also be dismissed. The circular further noted: “Salute to the Flag should not be interpreted as an act of worship or adoration, but a token of loyalty and respect for the nation and constituted authority. Refusal to do so will be regarded as criminal and seditious.”

During the period that these discussions were in progress it was thought judicious to request permission to show the Society’s latest film, “God Cannot Lie,” to President Tubman and invited guests at the private theater in the executive mansion. This would help to impress the viewers with the fact that our message is based solely on the Bible and our hopes for the future are centered in Jehovah’s established kingdom.

President Tubman, although not feeling well, attended the film showing and apparently enjoyed it. Afterward he stated that everything was just as the Bible tells it. He was impressed that the earth would become a paradise and that people would live here forever. The brothers were able to explain a bit about the “new heavens and a new earth,” as well as to present Mr. Tubman with the latest publications of the Society. (2 Pet. 3:13) While this film showing did not alter the decision on the flag question, the screening did help the president to get a clearer picture of God’s people earth wide and their position.

GBARNGA AGAIN?

On Flag Day, August 24, 1968, two children of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Mano River did not attend the flag-honoring ceremonies at their school and were suspended for one week. When they returned to school, the principal ordered them to salute the flag, which they refused to do. Instead of merely dismissing the students, the county superintendent ordered police to go to the homes and working places of the Witnesses and bring them all to the police compound. ‘They must either salute or go to prison and lose their jobs!’

Thus eight active Witnesses were gathered together and ordered to salute. All but one refused; the one who saluted was very new in the truth and not baptized. The rest were made to run barefooted over stones and debris in the prison compound for more than two hours​—until they were exhausted. During this  ordeal, a sixteen-year-old student gave in and compromised. Finally, five brothers and a fifty-six-year-old sister were confined in cells.

When word reached Monrovia, the secretary of internal affairs was contacted. He ordered the county superintendent and those concerned to come to Monrovia for a hearing. However, the brothers had to wait until President Tubman’s return from Algiers before they were released, nineteen days later. During that period they suffered various indignities and had to stand up to great pressure from relatives, as well as the worst kind of threats from authorities. C. W. Hugh, from Nigeria, set a fine example in encouraging steadfastness. Sister Mary Williams, an elderly woman almost never feeling well, amazingly was not sick a single day during all her period of confinement!

A TELEVISED BIBLE DRAMA

Particularly have district assemblies with their Bible dramas broken down much prejudice against God’s organization in this country. Why, in 1967 an entire assembly drama was televised in Liberia! It dealt with Joshua and the Israelites.

The hour-long performance was masterfully presented. Not a single line was missed, not an action forgotten. The British program director was highly pleased and commended the brothers for their poise and discipline. Judging from the reaction of the people, thousands must have seen the drama. Many asked when we were going to put on more dramas, and comments were very favorable. One man who seldom had a kind word for us remarked: “I don’t know why people hate you folks!”

“PEACE ON EARTH” ASSEMBLY

The “Peace on Earth” International Assembly in New York city, in 1969, provided an opportunity for a number of Liberian brothers to see a really large convention for the first time. In all, forty-one delegates from Liberia attended international assemblies in 1969. A number were present in New York, London and Nuremberg. Seven special pioneers were assisted to attend. For instance, by means of such aid, special pioneer Daniel Tah was able to see with his own beaming eyes the Society’s headquarters and the grand assemblies in both New York and London. Joyfully, he could declare: “Jehovah never lets down those who put their trust in him!”

 At Liberia’s own “Peace on Earth” Assembly, convened at the City Hall, Monrovia, in December, 1,252 attended the public meeting. Truly excellent, since only 582 shared in declaring the good news during that month! Forty-five persons were baptized. The program was so practical and moving that several delegates exclaimed, “This assembly really touched our hearts!”

“MEN OF GOODWILL” ASSEMBLY

Indeed, the most extraordinary assembly ever held by Jehovah’s people in Liberia took place late in 1970. The main English assembly convened from December 3 to 6 at Monrovia’s redecorated and air-conditioned Centennial Memorial Pavilion. At the Kingdom Hall, sessions were held in various local languages.

Several days before the convention began, expectancy had been stirred up by the news headline “U.S. Jehovah’s Witnesses Expected for Assembly.” This was to be Liberia’s first truly international assembly. Two days after the newspaper article appeared, the first two delegates from abroad were interviewed over television.

Expectancy became joyful reality on Wednesday morning, December 2, when fifty-five travelers on Watch Tower Tour 4 were warmly greeted by many brothers at the airport. The best bus in the country was waiting to take our guests to Monrovia. But first a visit to the Firestone Plantation. Many of the visitors were surprised to behold the rather modern aspect of much of Monrovia, with late-model autos, expensive homes and multistoried buildings.

For the benefit of the visitors, a special program was presented that afternoon at the Pavilion. This included talks giving a history of our work in Liberia, interviews of missionaries, and a description of the four basic ethnic groups of Liberia’s tribal peoples, with representative brothers displaying characteristic native garb and explaining tribal peculiarities. Then came a colorful presentation, “The Way of Life on the Farm,” by Bassa and Kpelle publishers, acting out with plenty of rhythm and singing how a rice farm is prepared, the seed sown, the ground scratched, the birds scattered, the crops harvested, and finally the rice beaten in a mortar and made ready for cooking. Each visiting sister was presented with a real Liberian fan artistically woven from dyed palm-leaf strands and edged with chicken feathers. The brothers received rings made from the hard kernels of palm fruit.

 At the Kingdom Hall there followed a sumptuous banquet of African and Lebanese “chop.” Travelers dined on such delicacies as jallaf rice, potato greens, fried plantain and ginger beer. Real fufu made from fermented cassava was sampled. Commented one traveler as the first day in Africa ended: “If we don’t go any farther, we have been well rewarded!”

The Liberian brothers enjoyed witnessing with the visitors the following morning in field service. They were from different worlds, so to speak, but felt truly united in the spirit of loving brotherhood.

During this assembly, 62 persons were baptized in the Atlantic Ocean. What a variety of backgrounds was represented in the baptismal candidates! One was a well-known lawyer, another an American woman who came to Liberia with the Peace Corps. There was pretty seventeen-year-old Neini, from Ganta, who had recently been expelled from school because of her faith, as well as Angeline, a young wife who lived through severe beatings and was finally put out of her home by an enraged husband, all because of the truth. Then there was seventy-seven-year-old “Pa” Beckles, formerly a Protestant preacher.

As Watch Tower Tour 4 departed that Friday morning, a second tour arrived. It consisted of forty Witnesses, including M. G. Henschel, who had faithfully endured persecution along with his Liberian brothers on the field at Gbarnga seven years earlier. He had recovered from the hard blows to his head and neck from rifle butts, and that Friday afternoon he spoke on the appropriate subject “We Worship What We Know.” At the conclusion of the afternoon session, scores of those who had been on the field at Gbarnga came forward to shake hands and “snap fingers” with their faithful brother. There was some recounting of the sufferings, and laughter at some of the names the soldiers had given to various brothers. Present also were some of the well-behaved children who had endured that persecution and had become good Kingdom publishers. It was a unique and joyful occasion, filled with words of encouragement and determination to continue steadfast.

The next morning, as the plane carrying Brother Henschel and this second group became airborne, another plane landed. A man and a woman had emerged with other passengers, but now were seen hurrying across the field. Familiar figures they were​—Brother and Sister Knorr! Their plane was enroute from Freetown to Accra, and this brief stopover in Liberia provided a little time for delightful fellowship.

 AGAIN, THE FLAG ISSUE

Since 1963 much had been done to explain the stand of Jehovah’s Witnesses on the matter of saluting the flag. Repeatedly, this was the subject of radio and television broadcasts and interviews. While the government eventually ruled that it was permissible for adults to stand respectfully during the flag ceremonies, no consideration was given to the schoolchildren. Consequently, numerous Witness youngsters were expelled from school. Many fair-minded citizens did not feel it right to deny these children their education. But the expulsion of Witness children from the schools, combined with the industriousness of a certain Liberian Christian, resulted in a discussion of this matter with the president himself.

For years, Spencer Thomas had worked for the Liberian government as a construction engineer. Because of the good quality of his work, he became personally known to President Tubman. In time, the most important construction jobs were routinely put under his supervision. After the death of President Tubman, his successor, William R. Tolbert, drew up plans for building and repairing many places throughout Liberia. And who did he want to direct this construction work? Why, Brother Thomas! When summoned before the president and offered this assignment, Brother Thomas respectfully declined. Why? He explained that he was in the process of leaving Liberia and that his family already had gone. When asked why he was leaving, Brother Thomas cited the problems his children had encountered in getting a good education because of the flag issue.

Subsequently, in April 1972, President Tolbert welcomed a delegation of six Jehovah’s Witnesses. They appealed for a reconsideration of the government’s position. During the discussion, the president directed a number of questions to a Liberian-born Witness. His replies, marked with poise and calm exposition, moved the president to inquire: “Where did you get your training?” Happily, the brother credited the Theocratic School. Two sisters presented the plight of parents desirous of educating their children well, but also charged by God to instruct them in the principles of pure worship. A detailed ten-page document regarding the flag-salute question later was presented to the chief executive, who promised to study it without prejudice.

This document maintained that the exempting of persons from saluting the flag was not the granting  of “exclusive privileges or preferences.” Rather, it held that such exemption upheld their “natural and inalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience, without obstruction or molestation from others,” as guaranteed by the Constitution.

When the president requested a legal opinion on this point, the Ministry of Justice commissioned a group of lawyers to study the question. Their findings supported the right of Jehovah’s Witnesses in this matter and the Justice Ministry upheld this opinion. However, no ruling was ever published and the issue has not really been raised again.

CONTINUED GROWTH

By 1973, the fine growth of Kingdom-preaching work in isolated areas made it necessary for new congregations to be formed. By that year’s end there were 22 congregations in this country. Many more workers were needed to care for this abundant growth.

Our “Divine Victory” District Assembly held December 5-9, 1973, was special in many ways. To our delight, 88 brothers and sisters from abroad attended the assembly as part of their West African tour. The local brothers put on colorful skits depicting work on a rice farm. Sisters demonstrated the steps taken in preparing the rice for cooking​—drying it, beating it in a mortar, fanning the chaff away and then separating the rice. All the while, they sang native songs that are sung by the Liberian farmer while doing his work. At the end, there was an appetizing display of fruits and vegetables that are grown here.

Even though we had booked the Tubman stadium long in advance, we were informed on Friday that a soccer match had been scheduled for Sunday at 4:00 p.m., the same time as our public meeting. The talk was rescheduled for 11 o’clock Sunday morning. How many would be able to come at that hour? By the time Brother William Jackson from Brooklyn Bethel had finished his discourse, 2,225 were in attendance​—the largest audience ever at a public talk. The fine witness given by this assembly and the joy of having Christian visitors from other countries to share this event with us did much to stimulate everyone here to have an even greater share in Jehovah’s service.

Sunday, April 7, 1974, was most gratifying for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Liberia. The 939 publishers made a concentrated effort to invite as many persons  as possible to attend the Lord’s Evening Meal on that date. Would there be good response? Many expressions of thanks ascended to Jehovah as 3,310 gathered with us in our Kingdom Halls throughout the country. By the end of that service year, 160 new ones had been baptized. What a fine year of concerted effort with Jehovah’s backing!

LOOKING AHEAD WITH OPTIMISM

It was May 1947 when Brother and Sister Watkins arrived here as missionaries. Long had Brother Watkins looked forward to our reaching 1,000 Kingdom publishers in Liberia. Finally, it happened​—twenty-eight years later. In May 1975, 1,027 publishers reported field service. We had come to know something of the joy connected with the words, “The little one himself will become a thousand,” and we were most grateful to Jehovah!​—Isa. 60:22.

January 1976 saw us reach 1,060 publishers. Now we are looking for ways to open up the work in isolated areas that have not yet received a witness. We hope that more Kingdom proclaimers will find it possible to share in the special pioneer work. This would provide workers that could be sent to these places of need.

We continue working toward overcoming two obstacles to progress​—illiteracy and the tendency toward immorality. Approximately 24 percent of the publishers are still unable to read and another 15 percent read with difficulty. During the last five years, 130 persons have been disfellowshiped for immorality. But the faithful are carrying on with the work, and they have plenty to do.

Making up Liberia’s population of 1,670,000 are nominal Christians, Moslems and a considerable number of animists. During the past twenty-nine years the so-called “Christian” field has been well covered. However, there has not been too much done in solid Moslem areas. Also, a large portion of the animist population has not yet been reached, scattered as most of them are in small villages and half-towns throughout the “bush.”

Our preaching and teaching work continues, for the most part, in the areas of population concentration. Yet, as special pioneers become available, we hope that gradually other population centers will hear the good news. It is our continuing prayer to Jehovah God that many residents of this popularly termed “land of liberty” will yet accept the truth that brings real liberty and life eternal.