Chapter 16

Meetings for Worship, Instruction, and Encouragement

CONGREGATION meetings are an important part of the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Even when circumstances make it very difficult, they endeavor to attend their meetings regularly, in harmony with the Bible’s exhortation: “Let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you behold the day drawing near.” (Heb. 10:24, 25) Where possible, each congregation holds meetings three times a week, for a total of 4 hours and 45 minutes. However, the nature of the meetings, as well as their frequency, has varied according to what has been needed at the time.

In the first century, manifestations of the miraculous gifts of the spirit were a prominent feature of Christian meetings. Why? Because by means of these gifts, God bore witness to the fact that he was no longer using the Jewish religious system but that his spirit was now on the newly formed Christian congregation. (Acts 2:1-21; Heb. 2:2-4) At the meetings of early Christians, prayers were offered, praises to God were sung, and emphasis was placed on prophesying (that is, conveying revelations of the divine will and purpose) and imparting instruction that would upbuild those who heard it. Those Christians lived at a time when there were marvelous developments in connection with God’s purpose. They needed to understand these and know how to work in harmony with them. However, the way in which some of them handled matters at their meetings was not balanced, and as the Bible shows, counsel was needed so that things would be done in the most beneficial way.—1 Cor. 14:1-40.

Were the features that characterized the meetings of those early Christians also evident when the Bible Students met together in the 1870’s and thereafter?

Filling Spiritual Needs of Early Bible Students

Charles Taze Russell and a small group of associates in and around Allegheny, Pennsylvania, formed a class for Bible study in 1870. As a result  of their meetings, they gradually grew in love for God and his Word and progressively came to know what the Bible itself teaches. There was no miraculous speaking in tongues at these meetings. Why not? Such miraculous gifts had accomplished their objective in the first century, and as the Bible foretold, they had ceased. “The next step of progress,” Brother Russell explained, “was the manifestation of the fruits of the Spirit, as St. Paul most clearly points out.” (1 Cor. 13:4-10) Furthermore, as also in the first century, there was urgent evangelizing work to do, and for this they needed to be encouraged. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Before long, they were having two regular meetings each week.

Brother Russell realized that it was important for Jehovah’s servants to be a unified people, no matter where they might be scattered around the globe. So, in 1879, shortly after the Watch Tower began to be published, its readers were invited to make request for Brother Russell or one of his associates to visit them. A clearly stated stipulation was “No charge made nor money taken.” After a number of requests came in, Brother Russell set out on a month-long trip that took him as far as Lynn, Massachusetts, with meetings for four to six hours a day at each stop. The subject featured was “Things Pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”

Early in 1881, Brother Russell urged Watch Tower readers who as yet had no regular meetings in their area: “Establish one in your own home with your own family, or even a few that may be interested. Read, study, praise and worship together, and where two or three are met in His name, the Lord will be in your midst—your teacher. Such was the character of some of the meetings of the church in the days of the Apostles. (See Philemon, 2).”

The program of meetings developed gradually. Suggestions were offered, but it was left up to each local group to decide what was best for their circumstances. A speaker might occasionally deliver a discourse, but greater emphasis was given to meetings in which everyone could freely participate. Some classes of Bible Students did not at first make much use of the Society’s publications at their meetings, but traveling ministers, the pilgrims, helped them to see the value of doing so.

After some of the volumes of Millennial Dawn had been published, these began to be used as a basis for study. In 1895 the study groups came to be known as Dawn Circles for Bible Study. * Some in Norway later referred to them as “reading and conversation meetings,” adding: “Extracts from Brother Russell’s books were read aloud, and when  persons had comments or questions, they raised their hands.” Brother Russell recommended that at such studies participants make use of a variety of translations of the Scriptures, marginal references in the Bible, and Bible concordances. The studies were often held with groups of moderate size, in a private home, on an evening convenient to the group. These were forerunners of the present-day Congregation Book Study.

Brother Russell realized that more was needed than just study of doctrinal matters. There must also be expressions of devotion so that people’s hearts would be moved by appreciation of God’s love and by a desire to honor and serve him. The classes were urged to arrange a special meeting for this purpose once a week. These were sometimes referred to as “Cottage Meetings” because they were held in private homes. The program included prayers, hymns of praise, and testimonies related by those in attendance. * These testimonies were sometimes encouraging experiences; included, too, were the trials, difficulties, and perplexities confronted during recent days. In some places these meetings fell considerably short of their objective because of excessive emphasis on self. Kindly suggestions for improvement were set out in The Watch Tower.

Recalling those meetings, Edith Brenisen, the wife of one of the early pilgrims in the United States, said: “It was an evening for meditation upon Jehovah’s loving care and for close association with our brothers and sisters. As we listened to some of their experiences we grew to know them better. Observing their faithfulness, seeing how they overcame their difficulties, often helped us in solving some of our own perplexities.” In time, however, it became apparent that meetings designed to equip each one to share in the evangelizing work were more beneficial.

The way in which the Sunday meeting was handled in some places was of concern to the brothers. Some classes tried to discuss the Bible verse by verse. But at times the differences of opinion as to meaning were not at all upbuilding. To improve the situation, certain ones in the congregation in Los Angeles, California, developed outlines for topical Bible study, with questions and references to be examined by all the class before coming to the meeting. In 1902 the Society made available a Bible containing “Berean Bible Study Helps,” including a topical index. * To further simplify matters, starting with the March 1, 1905, Watch Tower, outlines for congregation discussion were published, with questions as well as references to the Bible and the Society’s publications for research. These continued until  1914, by which time study questions on the volumes of Studies in the Scriptures were published for use as a basis for Berean Studies.

All the classes had the same material available, but the number of weekly meetings varied from one to four or more, according to what was arranged locally. In Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), beginning in 1914, meetings were actually being held seven days a week.

 The Bible Students were encouraged to learn to do research, to “prove all things,” to express thoughts in their own words. (1 Thess. 5:21, KJ) Brother Russell encouraged a full and free discussion of the study material. He also cautioned: “Never forget that the Bible is our Standard and that however God-given our helps may be they are ‘helps’ and not substitutes for the Bible.”

 Commemoration of the Lord’s Death

Beginning in about 1876, arrangements were made each year by the Bible Students for commemoration of the Lord’s death. * At first, the group in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and vicinity met in the home of one of the friends. By 1883, attendance had grown to about a hundred there, and a hired hall was used. To accommodate the large audience expected in Pittsburgh in 1905, the brothers decided to secure the use of the spacious Carnegie Hall.

The Bible Students recognized this to be an annual observance, not something that was to be done every week. The date they kept the observance corresponded to Nisan 14 on the Jewish calendar, the time of Jesus’ death. Over the years, there were some refinements in the way in which that date was calculated. * But the principal matter of concern was the significance of the event itself.

Although Bible Students met for this commemoration in groups of varying sizes in many places, any who could join the brothers in Pittsburgh were welcomed. From 1886 to 1893, readers of the Watch Tower were especially invited to come to Pittsburgh, if possible, and they did, from various parts of the United States and from Canada. This not only enabled them to celebrate the Memorial together but also helped them to cement ties of spiritual unity. However, as the number of classes grew, both in the United States and in other parts of the world, it was no longer practical to try to meet in one location, and they realized that more good would be accomplished by assembling with fellow believers in the area of one’s home.

As the Watch Tower pointed out, there were many who professed to be believers in the ransom, and none  of these were turned away from the annual commemoration. But the occasion had special significance to those who truly belonged to Christ’s “little flock.” These are the ones who would share in the heavenly Kingdom. On the night before Jesus’ death, when he instituted the Memorial, it was to individuals to whom such a hope was being extended that Christ said: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 12:32; 22:19, 20, 28-30.

Particularly beginning in the 1930’s, prospective members of the “great multitude,” or “great crowd” of other sheep, began to manifest themselves. (Rev. 7:9, 10, KJ; John 10:16) These were at that time referred to as Jonadabs. For the first time, in its issue of February 15, 1938, The Watchtower specifically invited them to be present at the Memorial, saying: “After six p.m. on April 15 let each company of the anointed assemble and celebrate the Memorial, their companions the Jonadabs also being present.” They did attend, not as partakers, but as observers. Their presence began to swell the number of those on hand at the time of the Memorial of Christ’s death. In 1938 the total attendance was 73,420, while those who partook of the emblematic bread and wine numbered 39,225. In the years that followed, those present as observers also began to include large numbers of newly interested persons and others who had not yet become active Witnesses of Jehovah. Thus, in 1992, when the peak number of those sharing in the field ministry was 4,472,787, attendance at the Memorial was 11,431,171, and the number of partakers of the emblems was just 8,683. In some lands the attendance has been as many as five or six times the number of active Witnesses.

Because of their deep regard for the significance of Christ’s death, Jehovah’s Witnesses commemorate the Memorial even when they are confronted by very difficult circumstances. During the 1970’s, when wartime curfews in Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe) made it impossible to go out in the evening, the brothers in some areas would all gather in the home of one of Jehovah’s Witnesses during the day and then celebrate the Memorial in the evening. Of course, they could not return home after the meeting, so they would stay overnight. The remaining evening hours were used to sing Kingdom songs and relate experiences, which was a source of added refreshment.

In concentration camps during World War II, the Memorial was celebrated, even though doing that could have resulted in severe punishment if the guards found out. When isolated in prison in Communist China from 1958 to 1963 because of his Christian faith, Harold King celebrated the Memorial the best way he could under the circumstances. He later said: “From my prison window I watched the moon  grow full near the start of spring. I calculated as carefully as I could the date for the celebration.” He improvised the needed emblems, making a little wine from black currants and using rice, which is unleavened, for the bread. He also said: “I sang and prayed and gave a regular talk for the occasion, just as would be done in any congregation of Jehovah’s people. So I felt that each year I was united with my brothers all over the world on this most important occasion.”

Where Young Ones Fit In

During the early years, the publications and the meetings of the Bible Students were not particularly geared to young people. They could attend the meetings, and some of them did so and listened eagerly. But there was no special effort to involve them in what took place. Why not?

The understanding of the brothers at that time was that only a very short time was left until all the members of Christ’s bride would be united with him in heavenly glory. The Watch Tower, in 1883, explained: “We who are in training for the high calling cannot turn aside from the special work of this age—the work of preparing ‘the Bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ The Bride is to make herself ready; and just at the present moment, when the last touches of adornment are being put on preparatory to the wedding, every member’s service is required in this all-important, present work.”

Parents were strongly urged to shoulder their own God-given responsibility to care for the spiritual instruction of their children. Separate Sunday schools for youths were not encouraged. It was obvious that Christendom’s use of Sunday schools had done much harm. Parents who sent their  children to such schools often took the view that this arrangement relieved them of the responsibility to give religious instruction to their children. The children, in turn, because they were not looking to their parents as a primary source of instruction about God, were not motivated to honor their parents and obey them as they should.

However, from 1892 to 1927, the Watch Tower did set aside space for comment on the text featured in the “International Sunday School Lessons,” which were then popular in many Protestant churches. These texts were for many years selected by F. N. Peloubet, a Congregational clergyman, and his assistants. The Watch Tower discussed these texts from the standpoint of the Bible Students’ advanced understanding of the Scriptures, free from the creeds of Christendom. It was hoped that in this way the Watch Tower would find its way into some of the churches, that the truth would thus be presented, and that some church members would accept it. Of course, the difference was evident, and this angered the Protestant clergy.

The year 1918 came, and the remnant, or remaining ones of the anointed, were still on the earthly scene. The number of children at their meetings had also greatly increased. Often the youngsters had simply been allowed to play while their parents studied. Yet, young people, too, needed to learn to “seek righteousness, seek meekness,” if they would be “hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.” (Zeph. 2:3, KJ) So, in 1918 the Society encouraged the congregations to arrange for a juvenile class for children from 8 to 15 years of age. In some places there were even primary classes for those too young to attend the juvenile class. At the same time, parental responsibility toward the children was again emphasized.

This led to other developments. The Golden Age, in 1920, carried a feature entitled “Juvenile Bible Study,” with questions accompanied by Scripture citations in which the answers could be found. That same year, The Golden Age ABC was published; it was an illustrated booklet for use by parents in teaching basic Bible truths and Christian qualities to their youngsters. A book entitled The Way to Paradise, written by W. E. Van Amburgh, followed in 1924. It was adapted to “intermediate students of the Bible.” For a time it was used at the meetings for younger ones. Additionally, in America, “Junior Witnesses” had their own arrangements for field service. In Switzerland a youth group formed an association called “Jehovah’s Youth,” for those between 13 and 25 years of age. They had their own secretary’s office in Berne, and a special magazine, Jehovah’s Youth, was edited and printed on the Society’s presses there. These youths had their own meetings and even put on Bible dramas, as they did in the Volkshaus in Zurich for an audience of 1,500.

What was taking place, however, was that an organization was developing within the organization of Jehovah’s servants. This would not  contribute to unity, and it was discontinued in 1936. In April 1938, during a visit to Australia, J. F. Rutherford, the Society’s president, found that a class for children was being held apart from the convention for adults. He immediately arranged for all the children to be brought into the main convention, which was greatly to their benefit.

In that same year, The Watchtower reviewed the entire matter of separate classes for young folks in the congregation. That study again emphasized the fact that parents are responsible to instruct their own children. (Eph. 6:4; compare Deuteronomy 4:9, 10; Jeremiah 35:6-10.) It also showed that the Bible provides no precedent for segregating young ones by means of junior classes. Instead, they were to be present with their parents to hear God’s Word. (Deut. 31:12, 13; Josh. 8:34, 35) When further explanation of study material was needed, this could be given by the parents at home. Furthermore, the articles pointed out that arrangements for such separate classes were actually detracting from the house-to-house preaching of the good news. How so? Because the teachers were staying out of the field service to prepare for these classes and to conduct them. So, all separate classes for youths were discontinued.

Right down to the present, it remains the custom among Jehovah’s Witnesses for the entire family to attend congregation meetings together. Children are helped by their parents to prepare so that they can participate in appropriate ways. Additionally, a fine array of publications has been provided for parents to use in giving young folks instruction at home. Among these have been the books Children, in 1941; Listening to the Great Teacher, in 1971; Your Youth—Getting the Best Out Of It, in 1976; My Book of Bible Stories, in 1978; and Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, in 1989.

Equipping All to Be Active Evangelizers

Ever since the first issues of the Watch Tower were published, its readers have been regularly reminded of the privilege and responsibility of all true Christians to proclaim the good news about God’s purpose. The congregation meetings have helped to prepare their hearts and minds for this activity by building up their love for Jehovah and their knowledge of his purpose. Especially, however, following the convention at Cedar Point, Ohio, in 1922, greatly increased emphasis was placed on what was being accomplished in the field service and how to share in it effectively.

The Bulletin, * a folder containing information directly related to the  field service, contained a brief testimony, then called a canvass, that was to be memorized and used when witnessing to people. During the greater part of 1923, at the first of each month, as a stimulus to united efforts to advertise the Kingdom, half of the Wednesday-night Prayer, Praise and Testimony Meeting was set aside for testimonies regarding the field service.

At least by 1926, monthly meetings where field service was discussed were called Workers’ Meetings. Those who actually participated in such service were usually the ones that attended. At these meetings, methods being used to witness to others were discussed, and plans for future activity were made. By 1928 the Society was urging the congregations to have such meetings each week. In another four years, congregations were beginning to replace the Testimony (or, Declaration) Meeting with what had come to be called the Service Meeting, and the Society encouraged everyone to attend. For over 60 years, this weekly meeting has been held by the congregations. By means of discourses, discussions involving audience participation, demonstrations, and interviews, specific help is provided in connection with all aspects of the Christian ministry.

This type of meeting certainly did not originate in the 20th century. Jesus himself gave detailed instructions to his disciples before sending them out to preach. (Matt. 10:5–11:1; Luke 10:1-16) Later, they built one another up by gathering to relate experiences they had while engaging in the ministry.—Acts 4:21-31; 15:3.

As for training in public speaking, in the early years this was not done at the regular congregation meetings. However, at least by 1916, it was suggested that those who felt that they had some potential as public speakers might hold classes by themselves, with perhaps an elder present as a moderator to hear them and to offer counsel for improvement in content and delivery of their talks. These gatherings, attended only by males in the congregation, later came to be known as Schools of the Prophets. When reviewing the events of those days, Grant Suiter recalled: “The constructive criticism that I got at the school was nothing compared with that which I received from my father personally after he had attended one of the sessions to hear me try to make a speech.” To help those who were trying to make progress, brothers privately compiled and printed a textbook of instructions on speaking, along with outlines for a variety of discourses. In time, however, these Schools of the Prophets were discontinued. To fill the special  need that existed at that time, full attention was being focused on equipping every member of the congregation to share to the full in house-to-house evangelizing.

Was it possible to equip each member of this growing international organization not only to give a brief witness and to offer Bible literature but also to speak effectively and to be a teacher of God’s Word? That was the objective of a special school established in each congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, beginning in 1943. It had already been in operation at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses since February 1942. Every week, instruction was given, and students delivered talks and were counseled on them. At first, only males gave talks in the school, though the entire congregation was encouraged to attend, to prepare the lessons, and to participate in reviews. In 1959 the sisters were also privileged to enroll, for training in discussing Bible subjects in a one-on-one setting.

Regarding the effect of this school, the Watch Tower Society’s branch in South Africa reported: “This very fine arrangement succeeded in a short while in helping many brothers who had imagined they would never be public speakers to become very efficient on the platform and more effective in the field. In all parts of South Africa the brothers welcomed this new provision of Jehovah and put it into operation with enthusiasm. This was done despite great obstacles of language and lack of education on the part of some.”

The Theocratic Ministry School continues to be an important meeting in the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Nearly all who are able to do so are enrolled. Young and old, new Witnesses and those with much experience participate. It is an ongoing program of education.

The Public Invited to See and Hear

Jehovah’s Witnesses are in no sense a secret society. Their Bible-based beliefs are fully explained in publications that are available to anyone. Additionally, they put forth special effort to invite the public to attend meetings to see and hear for themselves what takes place.

Jesus Christ gave personal instruction to his disciples, but he also spoke in public—along the seashore, on a mountainside, in synagogues, in the temple area in Jerusalem—where the crowds could hear. (Matt. 5:1, 2; 13:1-9; John 18:20) In imitation of this, as early as the 1870’s, the Bible Students  began to arrange meetings where friends and neighbors and others who might be interested could hear a discourse about God’s purpose for humankind.

Special effort was put forth to have these discourses at places that would be convenient for the public. This was known as class extension work. In 1911, congregations that had sufficient talented speakers were encouraged to arrange for some of these to go to surrounding towns and villages to put on meetings in public halls. Where possible, they arranged for a series of six discourses. Following the final one, the speaker inquired as to how many in the audience felt sufficient interest in Bible study to come together regularly. Over 3,000 of such discourses were held the first year.

Starting in 1914, the “Photo-Drama of Creation” was also taken to the public. The brothers charged no admission. Since then, they have used other motion pictures and slide showings. Beginning in the 1920’s, extensive use of the radio by the Watch Tower Society enabled people to hear Bible discourses in their own homes. Then, in the 1930’s, lectures delivered by J. F. Rutherford were recorded and played at thousands of public gatherings.

By 1945, there was a large number of public speakers who had been trained in the Theocratic Ministry School. In January of that year, a well-coordinated campaign of public meetings was launched. The Society provided outlines for a series of eight timely discourses. Handbills, and sometimes placards, were used for advertising. In addition to using the congregations’ regular meeting places, the brothers made special efforts to arrange for these public meetings in territories where no congregation existed. All in the congregations could share—by advertising the meetings, by personally supporting them, as well as by welcoming newcomers and answering their questions. During the first year of this special activity, 18,646 public meetings were put on in the United States, with a total attendance of 917,352. The following year the number of public meetings rose to 28,703 for the American field. And in Canada, where 2,552 of such meetings were arranged in 1945, there were 4,645 the following year.

In the majority of congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Public Meetings are now part of the regular schedule of weekly meetings. They are in the form of a discourse during which everyone is encouraged to look up  key Scripture texts as these are read and discussed. These meetings are a rich source of spiritual instruction for the congregation and newcomers alike.

People who attend the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses for the first time are often pleasantly surprised. A prominent politician in Zimbabwe went to a Kingdom Hall to find out what was going on there. He was a man with a violent disposition, and he deliberately went unshaved and with hair uncombed. He expected that the Witnesses would chase him away. Instead, they showed genuine interest in him and encouraged him to have a home Bible study. Now he is a humble and peaceable Christian Witness.

There are millions of persons who, having attended the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, have felt moved to say: “God is really among you.”—1 Cor. 14:25.

Suitable Places in Which to Meet

In the days of the apostles of Jesus Christ, Christians frequently held their meetings in private homes. In some places they were able to speak in Jewish synagogues. In Ephesus the apostle Paul gave discourses for two years in a school auditorium. (Acts 19:8-10; 1 Cor. 16:19; Philem. 1, 2) Similarly, in the latter part of the 19th century, the Bible Students met in private homes, sometimes spoke in church chapels, and used other halls that could be rented. In a few instances, they later purchased buildings that had formerly been used by other religious groups and made use of these on a regular basis. That was the case with the Brooklyn Tabernacle and the London Tabernacle.

But they neither needed nor wanted ornate buildings for their meetings. A few congregations purchased and renovated suitable structures; others built new halls. After 1935 the name Kingdom Hall gradually came into use to designate these places for congregation meetings. These are usually attractive in appearance but not pretentious. The architecture may vary from place to place, but the purpose of the building is functional.

A Unified Program of Instruction

During the latter part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century, spiritual growth and activity varied considerably from one congregation to another. They shared in common certain basic beliefs that set them apart from Christendom. Yet, while some of the brothers deeply appreciated the means by which Jehovah was feeding his people, others were easily swayed by the opinions of individuals who had strong personal views on matters.

Before his death Jesus prayed that his followers would “all be one”—at unity with God and Christ and with one another. (John 17:20, 21) This was not to be a forced unity. It would result from a unified program of education  that found response in receptive hearts. As had long ago been foretold: “All your sons will be persons taught by Jehovah, and the peace of your sons will be abundant.” (Isa. 54:13) To enjoy that peace in full measure, all needed opportunity to benefit from the progressive instruction that Jehovah was providing through his visible channel of communication.

For many years the Bible Students used the various volumes of Studies in the Scriptures, along with the Bible, as a basis for discussion. What they contained was, indeed, spiritual “food at the proper time.” (Matt. 24:45) However, continued examination of the Scriptures under the direction of God’s spirit made it evident that there was more to learn and that much spiritual cleansing was still needed by Jehovah’s servants. (Mal. 3:1-3; Isa. 6:1-8) Furthermore, after the establishment of the Kingdom in 1914, many prophecies were being fulfilled in rapid succession, and these pointed to urgent work in which all true Christians should be engaged. This timely Scriptural information was regularly provided through the columns of The Watch Tower.

Realizing that not everyone in the congregations was benefiting from these articles, some of the traveling representatives of the Society recommended to the headquarters office that at regular weekly meetings the congregations all study The Watch Tower. That recommendation was passed along to the congregations, and “Berean Questions” for use in study of principal Watch Tower articles became a regular feature of the magazine, beginning with the issue of May 15, 1922. Most congregations had such a study one or more times each week, but the extent to which they really studied what was in the magazine varied. In some places, because the conductor had much to say, this study ran for two hours or more.

During the 1930’s, however, theocratic organization replaced democratic procedures. This greatly influenced how study of The Watchtower * was viewed. Greater attention was directed to understanding what was in the study material provided by the Society. Those who had used the meetings as opportunities to air personal views and who resisted the responsibility to share in the field ministry gradually withdrew. With patient help the brothers learned how to confine the study to an hour. As a result, there was greater participation; meetings were more lively. A spirit of genuine unity also came to pervade the congregations, based on a unified spiritual feeding program in which God’s Word was the standard for truth.

In 1938, The Watchtower was being published in about 20 languages. Everything appeared first in English. It usually was not available in other languages for several months, or perhaps even a year, because of the time  required to translate and print it. However, with a change in printing methods, during the 1980’s, simultaneous publication of The Watchtower was achieved in many languages. By 1992, congregations understanding any of 66 languages were able to study the same material at the same time. Thus the vast majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide partake of the same spiritual food week by week. In all of North and South America, in most of Europe, in a number of lands in the Orient, in many places in Africa, and on a large number of islands around the globe, Jehovah’s people enjoy a simultaneous arrangement for spiritual feeding. Together, they are being “fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.”—1 Cor. 1:10.

Attendance figures for their congregation meetings indicate that Jehovah’s Witnesses take their meetings seriously. In Italy, where there were about 172,000 active Witnesses in 1989, weekly attendance at Kingdom Hall meetings was 220,458. In contrast, a Catholic press agency says that 80 percent of Italians say they are Catholic but that only about 30 percent attend church services with any degree of regularity. Viewed proportionately, the picture is similar in Brazil. In Denmark, as of 1989, the National Church claimed 89.7 percent of the population as members, but only 2 percent were attending church once a week! Among Jehovah’s Witnesses in Denmark, weekly attendance figures at that time ran 94.7 percent. In Germany, a poll by the Allensbach Opinion Research Institute in 1989 indicated that 5 percent of Lutherans and 25 percent of Catholics in the Federal Republic attended church regularly. However, at the Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses, weekly attendance exceeded the number of Witnesses.

Those in attendance have often put forth great effort to be on hand. In the 1980’s, a 70-year-old woman in Kenya was regularly walking six miles [10 km] and wading through a river to get to the meetings each week. To attend meetings in her own language, a Korean Witness in the United States regularly traveled three hours each way, riding a bus, a train, and a boat, as well as walking. In Suriname, one family with little income spent a full day’s wages for bus fare each week in order to get to the meetings. In Argentina, a family regularly traveled 30 miles [50 km] and spent one fourth of the family’s income to attend meetings for Bible study. Where illness completely prevents some from attending congregation meetings, arrangements are often made for them to be tied in by telephone or to hear a tape recording of the program.

Jehovah’s Witnesses take seriously the Bible’s counsel not to forsake gathering together for spiritual upbuilding. (Heb. 10:24, 25) And it is not only for meetings in their local congregations that they are present. Attendance at conventions is also a highlight of their annual program of events.

[Footnotes]

[Blurb on page 237]

Meetings that called for personal participation

[Blurb on page 238]

Not merely a mental philosophy but expressions that would move the heart

[Blurb on page 246]

All in the family are encouraged to attend meetings together

[Blurb on page 252]

Unifying the program of spiritual feeding

[Blurb on page 253]

The Witnesses take their meetings seriously

 [Box/Pictures on page 239]

Early Congregations

By 1916, there were some 1,200 groups of Bible Students worldwide

Durban, South Africa, 1915 (top right); British Guiana (Guyana), 1915 (middle right); Trondheim, Norway, 1915 (lower right); Hamilton, Ont., Canada, 1912 (bottom); Ceylon (Sri Lanka), 1915 (lower left); India, 1915 (upper left)

[Box/Pictures on page 240, 241]

Praising Jehovah in Song

As the ancient Israelites and Jesus himself used songs in worship, so do Jehovah’s Witnesses in modern times. (Neh. 12:46; Mark 14:26) While expressing praise to Jehovah and appreciation for his works, such singing has helped to impress Bible truths on both the mind and the heart.

Many collections of songs have been used by Jehovah’s Witnesses over the years. Words have been updated in harmony with progressive understanding of God’s Word.

1879: “Songs of the Bride”

(144 hymns expressing the desires and hopes of Christ’s bride)

1890: “Poems and Hymns of Millennial Dawn”

(151 poems and 333 hymns, published without music. Most were the works of well-known writers)

1896: “Watch Tower” of February 1 was devoted to “Zion’s Glad Songs of the Morning”

(Words for 11 songs, with music; lyrics written by Bible Students)

1900: “Zion’s Glad Songs”

(82 songs, many of them written by one Bible Student; to supplement the earlier collection)

1905: “Hymns of the Millennial Dawn”

(The 333 songs published in 1890, but with music)

1925: “Kingdom Hymns”

(80 songs, with music, especially for children)

1928: “Songs of Praise to Jehovah”

(337 songs, a mixture of new ones written by the Bible Students and older hymns. In the lyrics, special effort was made to break away from sentiments of false religion and from creature worship)

1944: “Kingdom Service Song Book”

(62 songs. Adapted to Kingdom service needs of the times. No credits were given to authors or composers)

1950: “Songs to Jehovah’s Praise”

(91 songs. This songbook had more up-to-date themes and dispensed with archaic language. It was translated into 18 languages)

1966: “Singing and Accompanying Yourselves With Music in Your Hearts”

(119 songs covering every aspect of Christian living and worship. Music known to have originated with secular or false-religious sources was deleted. Orchestral recordings of the entire book were made and were extensively used as accompaniment in congregation meetings. Some vocal selections were also recorded. Starting in 1980, recordings of orchestral arrangements of “Kingdom Melodies” were produced so that at home individuals could enjoy music that would be upbuilding)

1984: “Sing Praises to Jehovah”

(225 Kingdom songs, with words and melodies composed entirely by dedicated servants of Jehovah from all parts of the earth. Phonograph records and audiocassettes were produced to accompany singing)

At their early Cottage Meetings, the Bible Students included songs of praise. Singing also soon became a feature of their conventions. Some sang one of the songs before breakfast, in connection with their morning worship, as was done for many years at the Bible House. Although singing in local congregations was largely dispensed with in about 1938, it was revived again in 1944 and continues to be a significant feature of the congregation meetings and convention programs of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

[Picture]

Karl Klein leading a convention orchestra in 1947

[Graph on page 242]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

Memorial of Christ’s Death

Active Witnesses

Attendance

11,000,000

10,000,000

9,000,000

8,000,000

7,000,000

6,000,000

5,000,000

4,000,000

3,000,000

2,000,000

1,000,000

1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1992

[Picture on page 243]

Though isolated in a Chinese prison, Harold King continued to celebrate the Memorial

[Picture on page 244]

Juvenile Bible class in Germany, in the early 1930’s

[Pictures on page 244]

In Switzerland, in the mid-1930’s, Witness youths published this magazine (below) and staged Bible dramas (as shown below in the center) for large audiences

[Pictures on page 247]

“Bulletin” (1919-35), “Director” (1935-36), “Informant” (1936-56), and now “Our Kingdom Ministry” in 100 languages—all have provided regular instructions for united field ministry by Jehovah’s Witnesses

[Picture on page 248]

Demonstrations at Service Meetings help Witnesses to improve their personal field ministry (Sweden)

[Picture on page 249]

Young Witness in Kenya gains experience by giving a talk to his father in the Theocratic Ministry School

 [Picture on page 250]

As of 1992, Bible study material for congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses was being published simultaneously in 66 languages, and more continue to be added