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Colin Browne

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Everything posted by Colin Browne

  1. Brother Barry English and his wife at Bethel, Krugersdorp South Africa volunteered to travel to the northern part of South Africa to learn the Venda language, before setting up congregations among them. See Watchtower, 1st April 1999 pp 26-27. Below is the first part of his story: For the past ten years, my wife and I have worked as full-time evangelizers among the Venda. The Venda dwell south of the Limpopo River in the north of South Africa, and their nation is made up of a number of tribes that crossed the Limpopo during past centuries. Some Venda claim that their forebears settled here over 1,000 years ago. Indeed, this region was once part of an old civilization called the Mapungubwe Kingdom. It was South Africa’s first large urban settlement, and it controlled the vast Limpopo River valley, from Botswana in the west to Mozambique in the east. From about 900 C.E. to 1100 C.E., Mapungubwe provided Arab traders with ivory, rhino horn, animal skins, copper, and even gold. Skilfully sculptured objects plated with gold have been unearthed on a royal burial hill called Mapungubwe. These are among “the earliest indications of gold mining in southern Africa,” suggests one encyclopaedia.
  2. Brother Andrew had some good and bad experiences. Hereunder are a few links you can type in at the 2017 WT Library: Jack, Andrew: yb07 183 (dx86-16 Latvia) w09 7/15 p. 24 Ninety Years Ago I Began to ‘Remember My Grand Creator’ Here's part of it: In 1931 at a convention in London, Brother Rutherford called for volunteers to spread the good news in foreign lands. I volunteered, and along with Andrew Jack, I was assigned to Kaunas, then the capital of Lithuania. I was 18 years old.” At the time, Lithuania was an impoverished agricultural society, and preaching in the rurals posed challenges. Accommodations were difficult to obtain, and some lodging places we remembered for a long time. For instance, one night Andrew and I woke up because we felt uncomfortable. After we lit the oil lamp, we saw that the bed was covered with hundreds of bedbugs. We were bitten from head to foot! Each morning for a week, I had to stand up to my neck in the cold water of a nearby river to ease the pain. Still, we were determined to carry on in the ministry. Soon thereafter, the lodging problem was solved when we met a young couple who had embraced Bible truth. They took us into their home, which was tiny but clean. We gladly slept on the floor, and what a relief it was!
  3. Good to hear about the 'anointed Brothers'. Brother Andrew Jack (anointed) studied with me in 1956, and we had the pleasure of inviting him him regularly to have meals at our home. (Matt. 25:35) Brother Jack who came from Scotland was present when the equivalent of the circuit overseer in those days asked whether any of the brothers present would like to move to South Africa. He immediately jumped up and shouted, "Here I am, send me." (Isa. 6:8)
  4. Whether fornication, swearing, gambling, etc, any witness who needs to go for counseling at a worldly institute has no faith in the power of prayer. He would be saying to himself, "I'm hooked and can't stop. I prayed, but God didn't help me. It's not just the prayer, it how one prays, how earnestly and in faith. Although I too had a few addictions, I had faith - and patience. It it was noticed that Jehovah doesn't always respond immediately. He answers when the person is in a situation, place, time or a vicinity where attention to the person's needs will receive attention. It one case, it was flu which developed into bronchitis, then pneumonia. That helped me stop smoking. The doctor told me I'm in a terrible state which could end fatally. I stopped, and in six months I took up surfing. Yes, I did thank Jehovah.
  5. We often hear people respond with, "Well good luck to you" concerning any venture. Is it not better to say, "Jehovah willing", or similar? We cannot blame our society for investing. Not all that many brothers donate to the World Wide Work. Why did our Society have have to sell it's magnificent building with, "Read the Bible today" and move to a cheaper area? We ourselves are investing our money when we open a savings account.
  6. Thank you for your wise thoughts. We all know about those determined to get rich. (1Tim. 6:9) No sense in debating on such matters - rather help the poorer brothers and sisters, then you are lending to Jehovah. (He will repay you)
  7. My friend and brother (Psalm 17:17) has a beard for most of his adult life. An overseer approached him late last year and told him that he would not be considered for any privileges due to his beard. My brother kept the beard to allow himself time to check the society's latest views seeing I told him that there was optimism at this website. Yesterday an overseer approached my friend and asked him to handle the microphone during the Watchtower study. Seems that the congregation overseer had received advice from Bethel allowing beards - perhaps initially for observation purposes.
  8. According to what I've seen, these are often for piercing.
  9. Was that prayer during the meeting or while mom gave you a hiding at home. While on that subject, Psalm 2 proves true in our day. The nations have cast off most of Jehovah's cords, especially discipline with the rod, as well as far as certain sexual activities which the whole world now condone. How worse can they get? 2 Tim. 3:13
  10. Many of us would have been shocked had we been there to witness this. It is hoped that the elders visited him personally at his home. The congregation is "A house of prayer". Matt 28:13
  11. There is a very old proverb, "Nature hates a vacuum". Look at the Welwitchia plant below. Read more about the plant here: http://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/welwitschia_facts/556/ Our God created plants to fill the entire earth, and each of these have a built in ability to survive under the weather conditions peculiar to that particular environment.
  12. Until we receive this direct from JW.ORG most would treat it as, "Hoping it will be allowed." I have a dear friend who is also a brother who has been wearing a beard for many years. His beard is so neat and short that it does not immediately attract attention. Our Governing Body is most likely aware that once it is allowed, some may go overboard, wearing anything from the common worldly masculine unshaven look to upturned waxed corners which would not appeal to any sincere Christian. Brothers who have skin problems would surely welcome being able to hide their condition until the skin condition improves. Short and sweet: Vice Versa:
  13. Aloe Variegata. Afrikaans name Kannie dood (Can’t die) This may be true if thrown on a very sandy roof. But it will die very quickly if watered too often. We saw this aloe on an inland trip growing in sand at an isolated shack and the owner readily accepted our cash offer. When we returned about a week later along the same route past the same shack, we were surprised to see that owner had planted about twenty of these plants right in front of their house. We never took any more, but warned them that they may have problems should someone report them, and suggested that they rather plant them far from their home. By contrast to the above, Aloe Thrashkii grows in pure sea sand right above the high tide mark, in the Port Shepstone area, on sand dunes. It thrives despite the salty spray from onshore winds.
  14. Tiny Viking crucifix could rewrite history By Arden Dier Published March 18, 2016 Newser Facebook1193 Twitter0 livefyre408 Email Print http://www.foxnews.com/science/2016/03/18/tiny-viking-crucifix-could-rewrite-history.html
  15. The above covers of Watchtowers with a cross and crown in the top left corner ended during the year of my birth. As a young lad of 16, I stayed at the Dunroamin Private hotel in Pretoria while at my first job. The landlady Mrs Kinsella may have been a Jehovah's Witness, or Witnesses called at the hotel. Bedsides various magazines, her library contained a few Watchtowers. Although schooled at the Catholic Marist Brothers, I only had basic Bible knowledge but was keen to learn more, so I took one of the above magazines to my room. At that stage it was believed that all religions lead to God, so the contents didn't impress me, but the picture at the top left of the corner did, so, like all adventurous young boys I sewed together three needles and tattooed the cross and crown on my left arm. Mrs Kinsella came into my room just as I had finished and busy cleaning my arm. She was shocked and gave me a hard slap as well as a lecture. The tattoo has remained there ever since. Cross and crown.docx
  16. > The other plant I also have in my flat, one Aloe Vera, the real one Hi Queen E, you seem to be aware that many short aloes are often sold as, Aloe Vera. There are so many varieties even Reynolds had both photos and illustrations in his book. At one time I had both Reynolds books, Aloes of South Africa and Aloes of Tropical Africa. A collector near year gave me two Aloe Buhrii, one with red flowers the other yellow. An aloe common to our area is Aloe saponaria. (Soapy) Nearby ones have red flowers. Those further to the East have yellow flowers. Seemingly, colour changes according to the animal or insect that pollinates them. There are many honey sucking and sugar birds here, and the yellow variety depend on insects. The Buhrii aloes were new discoveries from South West Africa. (Now Namibia) As for Aloe Vera, These are short plants with thick leaves, of which there are many varieties. Cosmetic manufacturers claim that the products are good for skin problems. I've only heard of one medical use of aloes. The aloe arborescent. It's said to cure radio active burns.The leaves are sliced in layers and bandaged over burns. Aloe arborescent varieties In the Transkei area these tall growing plants. (Two meters) surround the houses for protection.It's a most brilliant sight for travellers. They are all bright red. Would you believe this. Third aloe in the original picture sent, (rotating leaves) comes from the high Drakensburg mountains in Botswana. (Basutoland) These are covered with ice during the winter. Brrrrrrrrrother.
  17. Thank you for helping with the problem. I think most frangipani smell the same, maybe not the red one, I preferred only the flower. Out roses gave us fragrance. The Afrikaans Bibles do not include God's name, they use the word, HERE. Please read the Divine Name” brochure 1984. You will hear how the Nederlandse Gehervormde Kerk removed God's name from the cornerstone of their church in Paarl, SA. However, there was a time when the Afrikaner Bible used God's name. I was given a copy of a note by a loving sister Nienaber, Gonubie congregation, who passed away in 2015. It was very old, dirty and tattered, so I cleaned it up a little using Microsoft Paint. You may pass it on so that the world can see this shameful act.
  18. Yes I also had some in my gardens. Cultivated varieties are better, such as the giant yellow. The red variety is one I liked the most. We also had green houses with orchids and bromeliads, and a large collections of aloes - over the years and not all at the same time. As our children grew we had to sell up and move nearer to their schools. Please help me with this problem. Whenever I upload something like the picture above, I get the message: "You have uploaded without formatting" If I leave the picture all is well. Others also upload so I don't understand. No one has yet complained.
  19. In our country all varieties of Strelitzia's are so common people dig them out when other plants are fancied. Its useless trying to sell them. In fact, the white variety spreads and grows very tall I've seen them take over almost half the garden, leaving the rest in darkness. By then, it's very costly to call in someone to cut them down and carry them away. Even more costly if the roots have to be dug out to stop them sprouting. Not so with the orange/yellow varieties. The similar Madagascar strelitzia is magnificent.
  20. We cannot have insight to Jehovah’s mind, (Rom. 11:34) but we do have imagination, so, we can think that he was humorous during the creation. (Gen 1:20, 21) This came to mind while watching this interesting video - Thank you. After making the fish and birds, he may have had his angels guessing when told that he will create flying fish and birds that swim like fish. (Penguins) When it came to the animals they may have wondered how some could fly like birds and others would live under water permanently. (Bats, dolphins and whales)
  21. Whenever opportune in the preaching work and people tell us they are going to heaven, we ask, "Where would you and others go for holidays? Surely few would say that they go to church every day, or do religious work day and night. Most would say they go to national parks, to the mountains, to the seaside or travel around the country, not so." When they agree, so we explain to them that it's because they love this earth. God has put the love of his 'footstool' in their hearts. (Eccl. 3:11) It makes them think.
  22. Hi, and good (whatever time of the day it is on your side).

    The SABC (the broadcasting society in South Africa) provides access to the German Deutche Welle every night. I watch it from about 5am. Good, clean news. The only part not liked which is shown occasionally is "Europe in concert." All that banging an clashing can be deafening to some.

    Gone are the days when music and songs were gentle. My all time favorites are,  "How much is that doggie in the window." and "Loves old sweet song". Sometimes called, "Just a song at twilight"

    From our song book I love "He will call" (Song 111) I miss my dear wife who passed away after a stroke in 2014 and think of her a few times every day. She was loved by everyone. Even in shops and streets people came asking her for our literature. She knew how to hold people's attention.

    "Till we meet again, my beloved. Your name is surely in Jehovah's book. Psalm 56:8

    1. Queen Esther

      Queen Esther

      Thank  you  very  much  for  your  nice  words  my  Brother !   I  will  answer  about  all  in  a  private  msg. by  your  letter - cover  symbol.  I  tell  you  my  song - fav.  etc. !   But  you  must  wait  some  hours  please...   Wish  you  now  a  nice  day ! :)

  23. Thanks for the video. It is a beautiful plant. Even the leaves are pretty. Compare the plant to the Crowned crane in our country. It regularly feeds on open spaces in our suburb and they breed close to the marshes where we have a bird watching stand. A similar bird, the Hoopoe feeds on insects on lawns in our suburb.
  24. By a stretch of the imagination Mel. As can be seen in the pictures below, even Google doesn't know what a bird of paradise looks like. They've even included a Lyrebird. While on birds, in an article on evolution, a scientist admitted that there's no link from animals to birds, He said they could only have been created. In the new cleansed earth, all flying creatures will be 'Birds of paradise'.
  25. Had Adam and God’s covering cherub remained perfect, we would have eventually known the proper use of all plants, and also which may not be consumed.
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