Jehovah s Witnesses containing report for the service year of

Yearbook 253
there is no God. They just worship themselves
and the state and try to make slaves of all the
people. And especially do they try to make slaves
of those who believe in a Kingdom of righteousness
that will bring peace and prosperity to all
mankind. The dedicated servants of Jehovah
world-wide will continue to pray to their God in
heaven to pour out an abundant measure of his
spirit upon those who are in servitude, those who
are suffering and going through great trials; for
we know of their difficulties, and as days go by
and months and years still more experiences come
to our ears from out of Russia. A few brief ones
are published herewith:
We can say that in the course of the service year
1956 much has been done in Russia in the interests of
the Kingdom. Although there was a lack of organization
and the brothers had to contend with many serious
difficulties, we in Russia think that apart from those in
exile and in concentration camps there are many others
who are preaching the good news of the Kingdom, engaging
in the work of comforting those that mourn.
Of all that are known to be in the truth today in Russia
it is concluded that forty percent have received the truth
in prison and in camps. Among them there are even
officers of the army, police, prison officials, lawyers and
journalists. At last they have found a freedom, the truth.
The truth has set them free in their mind, even though
they are still held in these prison camps. One experience
is reported of a woman who worked in a cottonspinning
mill, where she enjoyed general popularity
and sympathy from all her fellow workers even though
she was one of Jehovah's witnesses. She was the only
witness in the factory, and one day while she was
working at her machine the examining magistrate entered.
Everybody knew that the appearance of this
man meant an arrest for someone, and this woman's
name was called out. She was told to put on her clothes
for outdoors and go with the magistrate, but immediately
all the other workers ran toward her and surrounded
her and would not let him take her away.
There was a rebellion because of the removal of one
of Jehovah's witnesses, though she was the only one.
Finally the manager of the plant promised that no harm
would be done to the woman and that she would be
returned to work. It was just a matter of looking into