This is my personal story, of how I would come out of darkness into His wonderful light, from a gospel of works, to the gospel of the finished work of Christ on the Cross.

My parents, Eugenio and Marianne Zenone came from Sicily in 1915 with their first son, Antonino, a few months old, to settle in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pop was a master mason, bricklayer, and quickly found plenty of work, as many immigrants did in those days when Philadelphia was a 'boom town'. In time, 14 children would be born, 4 dying before I was born, 3 from the Spanish Influenza of the 1920's, and one, a sister, Helen, from an eye tumor in 1934.

 

Finally, on December 30, 1939, I was born, the last child. Mom was in her 40's and World War II was already storming Europe. I would see 5 of my brothers, Antonino, Vincent, Rosario, Eugenio Jr, and Carmen in that war, and all returned safely in 1945.

My parents were nominal Catholics, but never went to Church. They were very superstitious, as the Sicilian culture was steeped in such things as visions, omens, the 'evil eye', and of course, the Mafia. It was into this amazing environment of fear and superstition that I was born.

Because the Bible was a book to be feared among many Sicilians, there was nothing in my childhood to acquaint me with God's Word. But, this would change by a very simple act in a purchase of a book. In 1944, Jehovah's Witnesses were going door to door in our neighborhood in Southwest Philadelphia. When they came to our row house at 2122 South 60th Street, my Mom gave a contribution of 25 cents for a copy of their publication, "The Truth Shall Make You Free". Mom put that book in my brother Alex's room. He came home that day, read the book from cover to cover, and became convinced that he had found the 'truth' of the Bible and immediately began association with the Witnesses at a local Kingdom Hall, taking me with him to the meetings. Thus, my contact with this group began in that year, 1944, when I was 4 years old. I came under my brother's strong personality and influence in teaching me the doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses, and I loved to hear anything from the Bible. This was the earliest recollection that God was working in my heart, in that I immediately was drawn to His Word.

Of course Mom and Pop were violently opposed to all this, and I would often get a beating with a leather strap for going to meetings or reading Witness publications, which I would often do in my bedroom, under the covers, with a flashlight, because I was afraid of being caught. 

This only made me more determined. I was baptized at Yankee Stadium on July 22, 1955 when I was 15 years old. Over 1200 others were baptized along with me that day. 

I was then totally committed to my faith, and worked very hard in door to door "preaching." The local leaders felt I had some unusual gifts, and so, at the young age of 16, I was appointed to teach at the local "ministry school" in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where I was then living with my parents who had retired there from Philadelphia in 1955.

I left home in 1957 and began full time "preaching" (100 hours a month, minimum), and on September 30, 1958, I was invited to serve at the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York, known as "Bethel," at their massive printing complex. I worked in the Bindery Department, and later, in the Composing Department, setting type on a machine called a Linotype. Along with all the other workers, we had all agreed to a written commitment of 3 years minimum service. No wages were paid. We were provided with room and board, and an allowance of $15 per month. I left on September 30, 1963, exactly 3 years to the day at the conclusion of my third year, having fulfilled my obligations. I had found my experience at Bethel very trying as I saw so many unhappy people doing what I came to see as forced labor. It was not the "spiritual" place I had imagined it to be. Most came to this same conclusion and left, some leaving Jehovah's Witnesses; most, like myself, trying to get on with their lives and serve as a faithful Witness.

Along with my former roommate from Bethel, I went to Houston, Texas, where I met my wife, JoAnn, who was and remains a devoted Witness. We were engaged on May 18, 1962 and were married in her home state of Oregon, at Grants Pass, on November 17, 1962 in the Kingdom Hall. We will celebrate our 47th anniversary this year (2009).

 

After a short honeymoon in Oregon, we moved to Atlantic City, N.J. in November of 1962, where I resumed leadership duties in the local Kingdom Hall. JoAnn gave birth to our first child, a son, Ernest Jr. on January 3,1964. Our second son, Michael, was born in 1965, and our last child, another son, Robert, was born in 1971.

I was appointed a "congregation servant" (equivalent to a Pastor in a Church), in 1968. During this time I became increasingly agitated at the abuse of power over the members of the congregation by those in leadership, who would ride roughshod, treating the members with no tenderness. It seemed to be happening all the time. I didn't know how to deal with it, but I was becoming emotionally and physically sick due to the inner turmoil over the chasm I felt between the Bible's view of shepherds and what was actually going on. Also, the workload I was carrying in my leadership capacity was unbearable, and I was never a person to say "no" to any added duties. This finally caught up with me, when I had a nervous breakdown in 1975, and was removed from all my duties. This is where I saw in my own treatment the harsh reality of unloving shepherds and rejection by friends. I had seen this for some time, but now, to personally experience all this was, to say the least, devastating. After all the years of faithful service, I was being relegated to the ash heap, and my family was being socially avoided.

In time I started feeling better, and in 1978 I was again appointed to leadership, but soon realized that nothing really had changed. I saw the same unloving treatment of members of the Kingdom Hall by those I worked with as a ministerial servant and an elder. So in June of 1979, I submitted my letter of resignation from all duties, simply handing it to one of the elders and saying: "This will explain everything. You will never see me again." I knew exactly what this would involve: losing all my Witness friends, perhaps even my dear wife, and being totally shunned by all Jehovah's Witnesses. You see, my intention was not merely to resign from leadership. I wanted to quit the Witnesses entirely. I didn't want to go through a prolonged ordeal. I knew that the only way to stop my suffering and pain was to just leave, so that I would not experience the endless harassment of what I had seen so many Witnesses go through.

I just wanted to rest. I was so tired! Then, tragedy struck. Our middle son, Michael, who had been having emotional problems for some time, committed suicide on November 17, 1981, on our wedding anniversary. He was 16. Many of you reading this are parents. Perhaps you can have some idea of how devastating the loss of a child can be. Now, after all that happened, I thought I had been totally abandoned by God. Again I could not see God's hand in any of this. I had nothing to stand on. No support from friends, as I had none. To be alone at such a time is beyond comprehension. I was in a time of deep darkness, and wandering through a spiritual wilderness. Where is my God? And yet now, as I look back, I can see how the Lord was breaking down everything in my life and in me and drawing me to His dear Son.

In 1986, I met some people at my job who invited me to go to their church in Concordville, Pennsylvania. Some from this Church were doing work where I was employed at the time here in Folsom, N.J.

I knew very little about different Churches, except that I believed, as Jehovah's Witnesses do, that all Churches, other than Jehovah's Witnesses, were evil and demonic. This was a charismatic Church. My wife, JoAnn, remained very devoted as a Witness, and for me to go to a Church, any Church, was very painful for her to see, and stressful for both of us. But, I was so desperate for friends and spiritual food that I wanted to attend this Church, and so I went despite the turmoil between me and my dear wife.

I was baptized as a member of this Church in that same year, 1986, and attended until 1990, when I left in disappointment. Again, I felt a tremendous letdown as my understanding of the Bible grew, and I found conflict with their view of "wealth and health" views, failed prophecies, as well as their belief in extra Biblical revelation (tongues).

One good thing that came from this was that I began to read the Bible from cover to cover at least once a year, using the King James Version of 1611, with no footnotes or comments. I believe God lead me to do this, for, as I read the KJV Bible and compared it with the Jehovah's Witness Bible, "The New World Translation", I came to see how corrupt their translation was.

About this time, (1992), I came to hear of Reformed doctrines for the first time on the radio. It was during this time that my eyes were opened to God's work of saving me, and that I became convinced of my salvation, and assurance of it. I must say that the doctrine of "election" was most reprehensible to me when I was a Witness, and yet, when I heard this teaching being explained again and again on the radio, I began to believe it and to rejoice in it! In fact, instead of this teaching dampening my zeal to witness, I felt an even stronger desire to share the gospel! So much for the idea that believing in election kills evangelical zeal. And all the other doctrines of grace that came out of the Protestant Reformation became for me sweetness of life. Yet, I had no knowledge of a Church that was faithful to Reformation doctrines.

So, my search for such a Church began. I even typed a form letter, explaining what kind of Church I was looking for to give out to Pastors of different Churches that I would visit. On several occasions I put an ad in several newspapers, "Seeking Reformed believers to fellowship with"!  No one responded to these ads. That really perplexed me! Didn't the Lord want me to be in fellowship with other believers? I kept praying that He would lead me to a faithful Church.

Finally, I called a Pastor that I heard on the radio who had caught my attention by mentioning the word "Reformed." That Pastor was Rev. James Zozzaro, (Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Wildwood, N.J.). Through him I learned about the Orthodox Presbyterian denomination, and on November 25, 2001, I became a member of Stratford Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Stratford, N.J., about 30 minutes from where I continue living here in Folsom, N.J. So, imagine this! A Sicilian Orthodox Presbyterian! Who would have thought of such a thing! Well, God did, from "before the foundation of the world." I thank the Lord for His mercy to me, and pray that many of Jehovah's Witnesses may be shown the same mercy that I was. Also, the Lord healed my anger and bitterness towards Jehovah's Witnesses, and I pray for their salvation always.

So, all the pain and evil intent of some of Jehovah's Witnesses towards me has come to be used for good, in helping those who leave that organization, to put faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and be saved by faith alone, and not by any works of righteousness we have done. I look at the past as Joseph did towards the evil done by his brothers when he said:

I currently am serving as a Deacon and Trustee in my Church. I also teach in our Sunday School on how to witness to Jehovah's Witnesses, how to comfort those who suffer loss, and how to deal with depression. If any wish to contact me, please send E-mails to:

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