Year Book of Jehovah's Witnesses - Watchtower Archive

138 Yearbook
to the great nations of the world, but even to the
small, less-progressive islands of the sea. In the
Mediterranean there is a well-known, ancient island,
Chittim, now known as Cyprus. It was often referred
to in the Hebrew Scriptures as well as in the Greek.
Since there are people living there, it is the responsibility
of Jehovah's witnesses to carry the message
to the people of that island just as Paul carried it
there in the first century of our Christian era. It is
11 joy to know that there was a 45 per cent increase
in number of publishers and that a new peak of
242 was reached during the year. These publishers
have caused their fellow islanders to take notice of
the activities of Jehovah's witnesses, and the branch
servant gives us some of their experiences.
By far the most outstanding event of the year was our
circuit assembly held at Paphos. As soon as it was known
that Jehovah's witnesses would be holding an assembly,
the bishop who resides in the town together with other
prominent personalities set about to stop the assembly.
However, knowing that Jehovah's hand is ever overshadowing
his servants, we went forward determined to overcome
every obstacle that our enemies would put before us and
by his grace we held the most blessed assembly to date.
A few days before the assembly started the hall we had
engaged was denied us, but providently at the last minute
another place was secured. The bishop then issued a leaflet
warning the people against this "satanic invention of the
unhealthy imagination of the last century", namely. Jehovah's
witnesses. "Strictly prohibit their entrance to your
homes," he warned, else "diseased as they are they communicate
... their incurable and soul-destroying disease".
These leaflets were distributed throughout the town and
:stuck to walls and telegraph poles. However, the leaflet did
not have the desired result, so the bishop issued two others
and also addressed warnings to the religious and nationalist
clubs in the town. The Young People's Christian Association
eame to the bishop's aid with another leaflet and these young
people did "street work" with their leaflets alongside each
publisher doing pavement work. The people finally showed
their lack of interest in the warnings of the bishop when
:;00 filled the largest cinema in the town to hear the pubUc
talk.