Bulletin, October 1930
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October, Nineteen Thibtt
Two Months of October and November Excellent for Witness
Small Towns and Country Territory to Be Worked
Light a Wonderful Book to Work With
The new fiscal year, beginning with 750,000 Testimonies Week, finds the remnant ciass rejoicing in their privileges as never before. While the Devil Is bringing misery and woe upon the people of earth in his effort to turn them against God, the Lord is serving his people with greater blessings than ever.
From every part of the country reports are being received concerning the serious condition which the farmers are facing. In large areas the drought has been so severe that many have seen their entire crop destroyed. In sections where they have been favored with a good crop, the markets have been flooded and the prices driven down so that they have received barely enough to pay for the raising and harvesting. In industrial centers manufacturers have cut down on their production, meaning -rita-t large--atm.-her s of men and women have been thrown out of employment. This is not mere accident, but a definite policy on the part of the Devil to turn the minds of the people against God by causing these conditions to come about and then using his ecclesiastical representatives to blame them on the Lord. The newspapers report how the preachers have petitioned the politicians to make public a proclamation that the people should pray to God for rain and for relief of various sorts, leading them to believe that Jehovah is the one responsible. In this way the Devil really presents a challenge to the Lord's people, who know that he, not Jehovah, is accountable. The remnant does not remain silent In the face of this challenge, but accepts it by singing out the praises of Jehovah and hy telling the people of his righteous purposes. These conditions are causing many people to think as never before. To be sure, many are allowing tills trouble to embitter them; but others are seeking the answer. The only true remedy for the entire situation has been given by the Lord in his Word, and he instructs Ids remnant to carry the message to others. While the world suffers, Jehovah says to those who have forsaken him: “Behold, my servants shall eat, but yc shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, . . . and vexation of spirit.” (Isa. 65: 13. 14) Therefore in spite of the financial depression and hard times, the Lord’s faithful ones are pressing forward in his service, trusting in him and joyfully proclalmlng.the kingdom message. Instead of being discouraged by the outlook they are overjoyed because they see the day rapidly approaching for the complete vindication of Jehovah’s name.
Now Is the time to put in two good months in the country sections, in small towns and rurals which will not be reached during the winter season. The months of October and November are generally the most favorable for this kind of work on account of the farmers’ getting some returns for their crops. While these returns may be small, still in many sections the workers have been asked to return at this season so that the books may be obtained. The drought and severe financial conditions are causing many of them to wonder whal It Is all about and to listen with interest to God's true remedy. Classes, therefore, should plan their activities in the remote small towns and rural districts of their assignment, giving preference, of course, to sections thus far during 1930. In working such sections the full set of 9 books should be offered by the workers for $3.2i>, unless the territory' Is In an extremely poverty-stricken condition. If such is the case, each witness should be opened with Light 1 and 2 and Prohibition for 95^. The set of “Jr” should be offered where special interest Is evident. Opening each witness with au offer of Light, even though the canvass be for the 9 books, affords the worker a convenient way to drop to the smaller combination for 95£. The slight difference in the style of binding can be nsed to offset the objection of “I would rather wait until I can take all of them”, which is so often encountered. It can be pointed out how the S3.25 price is really for the two sets, one being of 7 books and the other of 2 books.
If the class has completely covered its rural and small town territory during the past summer with the full set of 7, then this territory should be recanvassed with the 95(i combination of Light and Prohibition, always bearing in mind that a supply of full sets of “Jr” should be available with which to supply any interested party. Some of the best results are obtained in territory that is canvassed repeatedly. Surely the farmers should be given this opportunity of getting the books at the season of the year that finds them in the best position to do so.
The same general plan of procedure should be followed by the colporteurs. While the weather is pleasant and the roads are good full advantage should be taken to get the Kingdom message to the remote sections. If the people are so hard pressed that the nine-book combination seems Inadvisable, then drop to a smaller one, bearing in mind that all territory can be considered as virgin for Light and Prohibition. God gave the revelation to Jesus Christ that he might joint out to his servants the things it Is necessary to have done speedily. Since he has now enlightened his servants concerning this revelation, the time is at hand.
Use Care in Ordering Books
The colporteur department has found that some of the colporteurs have been confusing Light with lAfe, ordering one when they mean the other. It is Important that particular care be taken in making out orders for books, so as to avoid misunderstanding. Please he sure to order Light Book 1 and Light Book 2 when this publication is desired. When an order is received which reads “24 Light" we do not know whether the party desires 24 copies of each hook or 24 hooks all together, making 12 of each.
. The -now--booklet is called “Prohibition" ; not "Probation", which some have been ordering. Be sure to give complete address on nil orders. When street address Is omitted shipments nre addressed in care of general delivery.
New Books in Stock
The following new publications do not appear on January 1 class and colporteur price lists:
Government, Finnish
Prophecy, German
Reconciliation, Polish
Prosperity Sure, French
Desirable, Government, .Serbian
World Distress, Serbian
Standard for the People, Slovak
Judgment, Swedish
The following item is permanently out of stock:
Scenario (cloth and paper)
Get Your Authorization Card
Special Letter Sent to All Colporteurs and Directors Recently the Society forwarded to each ecclesia a number of ‘'Permit and Authorization” cards. These were forwarded to the director, and the director Is responsible for seeing that they are distributed among those who participate In the field service work. Underneath the date line each card is to be countersigned hy the director of the ecclesia, and before he issues or countersigns any cards he should be sure that they are Issued only to those who are actively engaged In the field service.
The following Is an illustration how this should appear:
Date ......... —...........
Countersigned ......................
of
Director.
Colporteurs, pioneer and auxflla-
Advertising the Radio
Beginning December 1, 1930, the Society will have ready for distribution the new radio slip which can be used in all parts of the country. In a letter mailed to most of the classes, dated September 23, the new arrangement for the nse of the radio has been outlined.
It would be well if all the friends using the present radio slips would try to dispose of their stock and whatever other slips they may order in the meantime, before November 22. This will leave one week until the time that the new radio slip is to be distributed. These new slips will be ready for shipment about the 17th of November.
Directors for 1931
There are a number of classes that have not sent in their recommendations for the year 1931. Those who have not will please arrange io do this Immediately.
Regional Service Directors to Serve Sharpshooters
The Society is arranging to have the regional service directors serve the sharpshooters throughout the country during the year 1931. These will be one-day appointments in which the regional service director will give you the benefit of his experience in the field and show those Isolated brethren how to bring their canvasses up to date and in a general way witness more effectively to the glory of the Lord and the establishment of his kingdom. Sharpshooters who desire such regional visits will please write the regional service department, stating that they wish to be placed on the list.
ry, received their cards from this office direct. They were mailed to them first class; so all should have received them by this time.
A copy of a letter which Brother Rutherford wrote to the service directors regarding Ids correspondence with the International Association of Police Chiefs and a photostat copy of their reply has also been mailed to them. These should be used by the service director or colporteurs in case of interference. If any of the class workers are stopped they should get In touch with the service director at once In order that he might follow these instructions in their behalf. As stated in the letter to the directors, some of the brethren have acted unwisely wiitle out In the work. If one is abusive and ugly he arouses the antagonism of the officer and it is difficult to get on.
The Important Features of a Class Service Organization
All Should Be Familiar with These
For the benefit of the classes and their service committees and Individual members, we give here a resume of the essential features of a class service organization.
CLASSES ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICE ORGANIZATION
In order to be able to properly maintain a service organization, a class should have at the very least four members who can and do participate in the house-to-house witness service with some degree of regularity.
THE TWO PARTS OF A CLASS SERVICE ORGANIZATION
Each service organization is composed of two parts, botli of which must function together in order to give the witness most effectively. These two parts are the service cow mittee and the workers. The service committee consists of the service director, the stockkeeper, and the service treasurer. (In a small class it is all right for the director to serve as stockkeeper also, but the position of service treasurer should be held by another member of the class and should not be combined with any other office In the service committee.) It is the responsibility of the service committee to formulate the plans of action. These plans are to be presented to the workers for their discussion and approval. It will then be the responsibility of the workers to carry into action the plans finally agreed upon by the majority.
SERVICE DIRECTOR
The director is appointed by the -SocieiJ' ami serves as.its representative. He is also the representative of the class, inasmuch as he is chosen hy the Society upon the recommendation of the class. lie is therefore a servant of both the ecclesia and the Society. The duties of the director are twofold. His responsibility to the class is that of directing its witness activities in the territory assigned to it; and his responsibility to the Society is that of carrying out the instructions he receives from the office from time to time through Watch Towers, Bulletins, letters, etc.
CLASS SHARPSHOOTER
A class sharpshooter is a sister serving in the same capacity as a brother serving as director. Her duties are therefore the same as those of a director. The occasion when a sister serves as a class sharpshooter is iu instances where, in an organized service class, there is no brother able to serve as director, whether that is due to the fact that there are no brothers in the class or is because the brothers in the class are ineligible or unwilling to serve ns director. Iu such cases the classes make their recommendation to the Society accordingly.
SUBDIVIDING THE TERRITORY
One of the director’s chief duties is to see that the class territory is properly subdivided. This division should be so made that the class can witness to it most effectively. In order to do this the director must know the territory; the nationalities In the various sections; the class of people, whether rich, poor or middle class; when the people are paid; what are the days or seasons when the most effective witness can be given, and why: the approximate number of homes in each assignment, etc. This will enable him to determine how many workers can
cover a certain part of the territoryin a given period of time, and will eliminate much waste of time occasioned by sending too many workers into an assignment, or not enough. This information should be recorded on the workers’ “Territory Data” slip.
TERRITORY TO BE GIVEN THE BEST POSSIBLE WITNESS
Having properly subdivided the territory and knowing it, the director is charged with the responsibility of arranging to have It witnessed by the workers best suited to the different, sections. Some workers are better fitted to meet the wealthy and educated; others, the middle class or the business people.
WORKERS TO BE KEPT IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH INSTRUCTIONS
It is the duty of the director to bring to the attention of the class all Instructions and communications from the Society, so that the class may know what each worker should do to give the most effective witness.
CLASS BOOK ACCOUNT
It is the privilege, and to the convenience, of the class to avail itself of the Society’s credit arrangement for campaign literature. Each class whose account is in good condition may order as much literature on account as may be required, making remittance for same as placed.
An account is considered to be in good condition when the class remits once each month for the value of the literature disposed of within that period of time; presuming of course that the class is reasonably active.
An account Is considered to be in poor condition when the class fails to remit at least once within three months, dne to inactivity or any other reason. A failure to remit at least once within three months automatically places such a class on the suspended credit list. No credit will be allowed such a class until proper remittance is made. Each class should therefore endeavor to follow the rule of remitting once a mouth for the literature placed; small classes, at the very least once in three months.
Each month a statement of the class account is forwarded to the class in care of the director. It is the special duty of the service committee to examine this statement of the condition of the class account. Further, the service committee shall give to the ecclesia, through its service treasurer, an account of the amount of money that has been remitted to the Society during the month, the value of the books still In stock, and the amount of money on hand. The last two items should be sufficient to balance the amount dne the Society.
REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE
Promptly each week the director is to make a report to the Society of the class field activities on the regular weekly report card, regardless of whether there has been any w itness work done or not. Workers, by their sitbinitling prompt weekly reports of activities, will greatly aid the director to submit prompt and accurate reports, as required.
All correspondence of the service committee with the Society Is to be done hy and through the director.
Once each month the director should make a report to the ecclesia of what has been done during the month and of the plans outlined for the ensuing month.
The director is to see that a proper record Is kept of the litera-
The Sharpshooter Service
Isolated brethren rwsldljg outside the confines of orginlzni service class territory, and also Brethren in classes too small to maintain a service organization who are similarly located, cun engage in the witness work under the direct supervision of the Society by availing themselves of the Society’s regular sharpshooter arrangement.
This arrangement provides that an individual, either a brother or a sister, should be able to engage in the house-to-house witness work on an average of at least two hours a week, in order to be eligible to serve as a sharpshooter; in a small class where no one Individual can maintain the two-hour average but the whole class can do so, then one member thereof can on that basis be eligible to act as a sharpshooter. Appropriate territory is assigned to the sharpshooter. Bulletins and other service mail, as forwarded to the organized classes, are sent to the sharpshooter. An account is opened in the name of the sharpshooter, on which may be ordered, on credit at class rates, such literature as may be required to carry on the witness work effectively. Like an organized class, the sharpshooter is to remit once each month (or, at the very least, once within four months) for the value of the literature obtained on credit and placed during that month. Also each month, the sharpshooter is required to submit a report of his field activities (including with his report the activities of any who may be working in conjunction with him), on the regular monthly report card especially provided for this purpose.
pends to a very large extent the measure of success of the plans of action. The service meetings are intended to bring the workers in close touch with the plans of action, so that a united front may be presented to the enemy. The workers can greatly assist the service committee by sincerely endeavoring to carry out the instructions issued to the committee by the Society.
COST OF LITERATURE TO THE WORKERS
Each worker who engages in the field service nn average of three hours a week, and so reports to the service director, will be granted class rates on the books. Workers who do not average three hours a week will pay the regular retail rate for the books.
OTHER POINTS
Workers only should have a vote in the plans of action to he undertaken by them. It depends upon them to carry out the plans, and therefore they should determine what course of action Is to be adopted.
All who vote on service matters indicate by so doing that they intend to participate in the witness work, and the director Is therefore justified In assigning all such a portion of territory and to expect reports of activities from them.
In the event that the director should be unable, neglect, fail or refuse to carry out the instructions of the Society, the workers should bring the matter to the attention of the ecclesia and to the Society ns soon ns possible. It is hoped that this action will not be necessary, but the witness work in any ecclesia should not be hindered by inattention of the director,
Neither the sen-ice committee nor any member of it Is authorized to involve the ecclesia in any financial obligation without first getting the consent of the ecclesia.
Literature is to be ST9red at the price fixed hy the Society, and workers should offer ^literature at that price, known as the retail price.
i ture placed, hours canvassed, number of obtainers, etc., in each town assigned to the class, so that he may be able to make out a yearly report when called upon to do so.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
The director should appoint a worker to act as his assistant. The assistant will aid the director in carrying out all the details of bls office as may be requested by the director, and will act in the place of the director in all matters when for any reason the director is mi-able to act. Particularly the necessary detail work of keeping records, handling reports and making up the class weekly report, etc., should be assigned to the assistant director. The assistant should endeavor to relieve the director of oil the detail work possible, so that the director may have more time for the direct supervision of the witness in progress and for planning the witness in prospect.
The director Is to do everything possible, not only to see that the work is properly mapped out, but also to encourage and stimulate the workers by concerning himself with their problems and offering sympathetic suggestions that will help them to meet the conditions in the field.
STOCKKEEPER
The stockkeeper will have charge of all the supplies of literature furnished by the Society for the witness work. It is the duty of the stockkeeper to keep full and accurate account of the stock committed to his care. All supplies for the witness work will be obtained from the stockkeeper. The best course to follow is for the workers to pay cash for all books ..obtained from the stockkeeper. Credit may be extended to such workers ns cannot advance the money for the books, with the understanding that it is the duty of the service treasurer to collect from them the price of the books as they are placed, and, in case the worker is inactive, to notify the stockkeeper, who will request the return of the books that have not heen placed. The stockkeeper should turn over to the service treasurer all the money received for books.
The stockkeeper will make out orders for literature as may be required, using the regular class order blank provided especially for this purpose, and hand the order to the director for his approval. The director will send in the order to the Society. Always try to place orders for at least one hundred pounds.
LITERATURE IS NOT TO RE STAMPED
Books and booklets are not to be stamped with the name and address of the ecclesia. nor with any other information. Neither should any circular or card be inserted unless such insertion has been approved by the Society.
SERVICE TREASURER
The service treasurer will have charge of all money received from the distribution of the literature shipped to the ecclesia hy the So ciety. The service committee wit1 make up the account once a month, and each month the service treas nr er, as the representative of the ecclesia, will pay for all literature placed during the month, turning the money order over to tbe director to forward to the Society.
WORKERS
Tbe workers are those consecrated ones who take an active part in the witness service, and upon them de-