Year Book of Jehovah's Witnesses - Watchtower Archive

Yearbook 67
tended some of the convention sessions. A similar upsurge
of interest is reported across the breadth of the nation as
the result of witnessing done en route to the convention
and the favorable reports on the assembly that appeared In
scores of local papers and national magazines. Certainly
the International convention was a fitting conclusion to a
happy service year, a year marked by increases in almost
every possible respect. Whlle the Theocracy's Increase
Assembly was the outstanding field service event of the
year, there were many other interesting happenings, and a
few of these are related, too.
While serving a company in South Dakota, a circuit servant
contacted a man who was superintendent of a Protestant
church and chairman of the Council of Protestant churches
in Poland. He was touring that part of the country giving lectures
on "Why I Left the CathOlic Church" and seeking aid
for the Polish war orphans. In the discussion this man said
that he was once a Catholic priest but broke away when he
saw the hypocrisy. For this he was sorely persecuted. During
World War II he spent three months In a Nazi concentration
camp where he became acquainted with Jehovah's witnesses,
saw how they were mistreated, and greatly admired their
strong faith in God, for which he praised them. After the
war he attended some of the district assemblies in Poland
and said he enjoyed assembling with Jehovah's witnesses
because he knew God was with them. He gladly took literature
and promised to attend the public lecture Sunday.
This man kept his promise, came for the public talk and
remained for the Watchtower study, which he greatly enjoyed.
Later he was called upon to relate some of his experiences
with Jehovah's witnesses in Poland. He readily
responded, his talk being a stirring service talk in Which he
urged the brethren to continue in their wonderful work of
comfort and soundly denounced religious leaders Who are
largely responsible for the world's present state. He afterwards
remained with the brethren for about two hours,
in all of which time he made no mention of his war relief
efforts, and expressed the hope that he would be able to
attend the New York convention.
Of course, interesting experiences almost without number
were enjoyed by the brethren coming to and returning home
from New York. One sister relates that on their train coming
to New York were 180 Japanese stUdents who were In this
country to study "Freedom and Democracy". The witnesses
were told not to discuss religion with them, but Ilomehow
or other all things led to a discussion of the Bible! These
students took much literature, and one girl said she believed
it Wftl; a prOVision of .Jehovah the Creator that they should