From Our Readers

Vasco da Gama I enjoyed tremendously the article “The Remarkable Voyage of Vasco da Gama.” (March 22, 1999) It was well illustrated and informative. You state that he had three little ships on his voyage, but there were actually four. Also, you say that Da Gama returned to Lisbon on September 8, 1499. However, he arrived toward the end of August.

P. N., Kenya

It is true that Da Gama’s journey began with four ships. However, the part of the voyage described in the introduction took place after the fourth ship was destroyed. As to the date of his arrival in Lisbon, most sources place it in early September. Interestingly, “Portugal and the Discoveries” states: “Vasco da Gama arrived on or near August 29th, being received by the King with all due ceremony on September 8th.” This may reconcile the seeming discrepancy.—ED.

Crossword Puzzles I want to write you about the crossword puzzles in Awake! I enjoy them because they keep my brain occupied, and at age 78, one needs to keep the mind active. When we read the Bible, our minds do not usually store such detailed information as is presented in the puzzles. So I take the time to look up all the cited scriptures. Thank you for this feature.

J. W., United States

Comenius I am teaching a group of adults to read. Your excellent article “Comenius—The Grandfather of Modern Education” (May 8, 1999) helped me to understand why some have difficulty learning. The information in the accompanying box, “Some Teaching Principles of John Comenius,” will be very useful.

N. A. F., Brazil

Thank you for the informative article. I learned more about Comenius from four pages of Awake! than I had from ten lectures during my course of study at the university.

H. P., Germany

Native American Bible When I read the article “Native Americans and the Bible” (May 8, 1999), my interest was especially stirred by your references to John Eliot’s Bible for the Massachusett Indians. My husband and I saw a copy of that Bible on a visit to the Huntington Library, in San Marino, California. It was opened to the book of Psalms, and the name Jehovah could be seen repeatedly. What a thrill it was for us to see God’s name in this 17th-century Bible!

B. J., United States

Child Labor Thank you for the series “Child Labor—Its End in Sight!” (May 22, 1999) When I first saw the cover, my honest opinion was that the articles had nothing to do with my country. But once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. To put it more plainly, I was horrified. I recently bought a hand-sewn teddy bear for a fraction of what it would have cost if it had been made in Japan. It is heartrending to think that behind its cheap price may be the heartless treatment of small children.

S. O., Japan

Weight I am ten years old. Thank you for the article “Young People Ask . . . How Can I Conquer My Obsession With Weight?” (May 22, 1999) I have always thought that I was too heavy. By reading this article, I came to understand that a person’s figure is not the main thing. More important are a person’s qualities.

M. S., Russia