Year Book of Jehovah's Witnesses - Watchtower Archive

114 Yearbook
attacks made on the pioneers as they have moved about
on the streets, and concerted efforts made by the clergy
and their allies in some of the towns to have the pioneers
evicted. In one town the vigilantes have followed the publishers
from door to door and done everything Imaginable
to hound them out of town. True to Catholic policy, subtle
schemes have been set afoot to intimidate the Kingdom
publishers, and only by the Lord's spirit has it been possible
to work and maintain a foothold in these places.
The two missionary homes operating in Dublin and Cork
have done splendid work and the missionaries in these
homes have by steady hard work succeeded in building up
home Bible studies which are now bearing fruit. The progress
is slow, but nonetheless definite. So often it is found
that the Catholic person called upon has never before
handled a Bible and knows nothing about its contents, due
to the constant reiteration that the priests alone have the
right to use and interpret it. Little by little the truth is
gaining ground and those enlightened by the good news
of the Kingdom are ready to show their appreciation, but
when persecution begins it is only those who have the
courage to stand firm against all relatives and friends that,
by the Lord's grace, continue.
In Dublin there is comparative freedom and the company
has grown to a peak of 50 publishers. All features of Kingdom
activity are engaged in and a circuit assembly was
held in the city during the year. On this occasion the publishers
from all Ireland were in attendance and a splendid
witness was given, but following the assembly pressure was
brought to bear and the press published the usuai crop of
lies to counteract all the interest aroused. The chief accusation
being "Communists".
Up and down the country the call was made upon the
government to ban Jehovah's witnesses. In Drogheda a
massed meeting of Catholics was convened. This was presIded
over by the mayor and "a resolution was unanimously
passed calling upon the department of justice to take the
necessary steps to instigate legislation which would ban
from the country a sect known as Jehovah's witnesses".
A vigilance brigade was formed with hundreds of young
men and women enlisted to fight against these activities.
The next day the public press carried headlines as follows:
"Drogbeda Meeting's Call to the Government." Such is the
practice in Eire when a few pioneer sisters take up the
quiet and peaceable proclamation of the Bible truths. During
the course of the meeting it was stated by one speaker, "It
is unfortunate that there were Catholic people in the town
who were prepared to listen to these people," and 1;0 there
was admission that interest was aroused.