"YOU WILL RECEIVE THE UNFADABLE CROWN"

Those who read the October 1, 1960, issue of this magazine will recall the life story there published of Giovanni DeCecca. Brother DeCecca died on the morning of November 26, 1965, at the age of 85. Before immigrating to the United States in the year 1900, he had been a shepherd boy in Italy from the age of five. In 1906 he dedicated his life to Jehovah God and shortly thereafter began spending his full time in feeding sheeplike persons with Bible truths, particularly in Italian-speaking areas. He was called to the Watch Tower Society's Brooklyn headquarters in 1909, where he continued to serve until his death. In 1918, he was among a group of eight principal members of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society who were unjustly sentenced to imprisonment in the United States penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with the others, he was exonerated and released the following year. Thus for nearly sixty years Brother DeCecca faithfully served as a true shepherd of God's sheep, as one of the anointed remnant of Christ's followers. He trusted in the Scriptural promise that "when the chief shepherd has been made manifest, you will receive the unfadable crown of glory." (1 Pet. 5:4) We rejoice with him in the fulfillment of this promise. - Jan. 15, 1966 Watchtower

"One sister in the truth, Grace Harris, impressed with the zeal and energy that I gladly put into the Drama talks, fell in love with the speaker. We were married by Brother Russell [founder of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society in 1881] in 1916. Grace has been a real helpmate to me for over forty years and still is. For all this I am very grateful to Jehovah . . . . . . . . . Back in Brooklyn my wife and I are happy to have a regular part in the door-to-door, back-call and home Bible study work. We also appreciate the importance of attending the meetings and assemblies provided by Jehovah. Though sometimes tired at meeting time, we always return home greatly refreshed". - Oct. 1, 1960 Watchtower