Year Book of Jehovah's Witnesses - Watchtower Archive

Yearbook 181
All of these attacks not only have strengthened the
brethren, but have caused the people of good will to
seek them out. The average nnmber of publishers in
Hungary increased from 1,410 to 1,910 during the
past year. This was a 35 per cent increase in a land
behind the iron curtain. There were 5,593 individuals
in attendance at the Memorial. Now the brethren are
looking forward to the year 1951 with joy and delight
to have a share in Theocracy's increase. The branch
servant sent through some information which will be
of interest to all Yearbo{)k readers and will stimulate
Jehovah's witnesses to press on in the work whether
the season be favorable or unfavorable to preach the
gospel.
The clergy watch with gnashing teeth the fearless advance
movement and the growing numbers of God's people, and
although they are themselves under pressure and hate the
present political system very much, they flatter it In order to
use It in their even greater hatred toward Jehovah's witnesses.
Two sisters worked some rural territory with good
success. They were just having a Bible study with 25 attentive
listeners when the local priest, accompanied by two
young men, burst into the meeting and Immediately asked
the two sisters what right they had to hold a meeting here.
After the sisters had put the priest to shame by their
quiet answers, he addresse() the householder with the
words: "I consider it my moral duty to warn you not to
listen to these false doctrines." The interested man, none
abashed, answered Ironically: "WeJI, Mr. Priest, you consider
it your moral duty to warn us now, but you didn't
consider It your moral duty to warn us when In this very
same house we feasted and reveled and wasted our time In
uselessness." At this the priest and his two companions
cleared out of the house. A little later police officers came and
8nested the two Sisters, and they were then sentenced to
60 days' imprisonment for "vagrancy".
In another place seven persons informed the priest that
they were leaving the church. He was very arrogant and
caJIed these people of good will "imperialists". When they
went to the civil authorities to settle the matter finally according
to law, the official received them angrily and with
hostility said: "You are hirelings of the imperialists, aren't
you 1" The brethren learned later that the priest had phoned
telling the official to expect them and flagrantly misrepresenting
them. The brethren handed the irritated Illan a