Bulletin, February 1933
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FEBRUARY 1, 1933
TESTIMONIES TO BATE, 4,216,013
The Name of JEHOVAH Is a Strong Tower
To Those Who Trust in. Him
The Lord Has Given the Angels Charge over the Remnant
The Lord has provided bountiful protection for his people, and we believe it would be of interest to every one to read the little write-up that appears in the calendar for February,
“As Boaz charged these young men concerning Ruth, so the Lord has given his angels charge over the remnant in this day, using them to convey to his workers the reviving and life-sustaining waters of truth, that they might go forward doing the work of Jehovah’s witnesses in the earth. The remnant now rejoice to see how the Lord, during the years recently past, has employed his angels to place before them his life-giving message of truth and permit them to have something to do with passing it on to one another.” —Preservation, page 269.
The Devil is not at all pleased with the remnant’s passing this truth on to others, and is making every effort to attack the remnant and cause them to be arrested or hindered In the progress of this work. We relate here how the Lord has protected his people who arc making every effort to carry the life-sustaining truth to the people of good will.
In Alexandria, Va., a Greek brother was arrested while preaching the message to a colored man. It happened that he had offered the Prohibition booklet. He was arrested, brought before a judge, and the local brethren took It upon themselves to pay his bail. The judge said that it would be necessary to have a regular attorney appear at the hearing; therefore the brethren hired a local attorney. At the hearing, the hired attorney cross-examined the complaining officer and the colored witness in tbe usual technical style. Then he placed an English-speaking brother on the stand who tried to outline the nature of the Society's work. The brother said he knew the defendant to be a sincere and true follower of Christ. The judge then angrily snapped, “Cut that out; I don’t want to hear a sermon.” The attorney theu had to go into technical questioning and tried to bring out some of the facts about the Society’s work, but was cut off by the judge and threatened to be committed for contempt if he persisted in that line of testimony. After brief questioning of the Greek brother by the attorney, the judge requested one of the booklets. The Prohibition booklet was given him. The attorney summed up the case at great length. Finally the judge said in conclusion, “After examining this book I find that it is utterly impossible to sell this for a profit at 5c. In addition, the foreword of this pamphlet is very pleasing to me. It I
Method of Presentation Should Be Uniform
is stated that there Is no connection between prohibition and religion. I heartily agree with this and I wish that more people could be educated on that point. Case dismissed.”
Another arrest had taken place In Jersey City, N, J. There it happened that three colored brethren had been taken to police headquarters for several hours' questioning and then released. On advice from the Society, three brethren in a New Jersey company called upon the chief of police, outlining to him the nature of our work, and cited the needless interruptions. The chief of police said he know nothing about the matter, aud arranged an interview for the committee of three with the head of the detective bureau, to whom he spoke and said that the committee would explain about the arrest of some colored people who should not have been arrested. The committee was received at the detective office. After explaining the work to him, the committee was assured that he was sorry for the trouble and that it would not happen again. These are only two of many arrests which have occurred recently. The Devil and his organization are trying hard to stop the Lord’s work; but by putting full trust in Jehovah, His protection is provided and the work of tiie Kingdom progresses.
A New Year Celebration
That Is a Celebration!
Jehovah’s witnesses Take Advantage of Holidays
One of our most joyful and thrilling experiences in a long time was the assembly of the January 1 divisional campaign reports. It is impossible in the limited space available to give you anything like a complete picture of this event with its many characteristics which made it stand out as one of the most notable events to date,
Consider the weather conditions at that time. Most of the assemblies were held in the east, north and northwest, with a few in the west and southwest. The temperature in ilie east, north and northwest varied from 15" below zero to 25“ above, and that is cold for assembling and working out of doors in any man’s country. Under those conditions 39 campaigns were put on, in 21 different states, with almost 7,000 of Jehovah's militant soldiers in action. About 1,700 automobiles participated in these campaigns, covering approximately 25,000 miles over ley pavements, hills and mountains, with only one or two ears reporting minor accidents, and all of the brethren as they came to their respective as-
Contributions Received Are for the Purpose of Aiding in Bearing the Expense of Carrying On the Kingdom Work
Throughout the country the clergy have bitterly opposed the witness work. They have gone to the officers who exercise police power and have complained that Jehovah’s witnesses are selling goods, wares and mer-
Local Broadcasting Arrangements
Local companies and individuals that use radio stations at regular intervals for programs other than the transcription periods as listed in 77ie Watchtower are requested to send at once to the radio department a copy of their schedule for such broadcasts as will be in effect during ihe next six months.
Re the Combining of Orders
Companies, sharpshooters, pioneers and auxiliaries who wish to have their orders shipped together should make out the orders on their respective order blanks and mail the orders to us in one envelope. We cannot very well combine orders which are sent to us in separate envelopes.
sembly point reported passing any number of cars in ditches along the road.
The personnel of this army comprised old men and old women, young men and young women, some robust and others frail, but all of them young men in the Lord and strong in the power of his might, valiant soldiers in the King’s army. This army served notice on over 50 different police officials and testified to over 101,000 homes, placing more than 42,500 pieces of literature, and, out of the 7,000 soldiers In action, the casualties comprised 9 arrests, 7 of whom were released immediately and the other 2 were released and ordered to appear for trial within a few days. But the enemy’s representatives were filled with foreboding and dread; fear took hold of them. To date this trial has been postponed twice, with no assurance as to when it will conic up in the future. Surely, He that sitteth in the heavens is laughing at the enemy’s efforts; the Lord is having them in derision. They do not realize or appreciate that He has set His King upon the holy hill of Zion.
Were you one of these 7,000 warriors'? or did you permit weather conditions or some other obstacles (Continued on page 2, column 1) ehandise as peddlers and hawkers and doing so without a license. Many of them have laid hold of the expressions “if you contribute a dollar for any four or $2.50 for any ten”, or, "the money received for the hooka,” or, “the contribution received for I.he books," to try to sustain their claim. Their claim is false and instigated by the Devil. We are not hawkers or peddlers ; we are Jehovah’s witnesses preaching the gospel of his kingdom according to his commandment. Nevertheless the Lord admonishes his people to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves”.
To this end the Society recommends that all such expressions as the above be eliminated from our presentation or testimony. The people do not really contribute for the books, but rather the contributions are received for the purpose Of aiding in bearing the expense of carrying on the work of preaching the gospel Of the Kingdom in printed form. To illustrate; Those who contribute a dollar to the work and advancement of the Kingdom message we give a choice of any 4 books or any 2 books and 13 booklets or any 3 books and 6 booklets. Those who contribute 25c to the work are given their choice of either 6 booklets or one book. And to those who contribute only 5c to the work we give any one of the booklets they choose. lu other words, they voluntarily contribute to the work ns without expecting any equal material reward for their contribution; and we give them the literature merely as an acknowledgment of their contribution, in harmony with the Lord's rule that “he that watcr-eth [the contributor] shall be watered also himself Iwith the spiritual blessing, the printed message in the books],"—Prov. 11:25.
The time is here for unity. Let each one push the battle to the gate fearlessly; victory is assured. Jehovah is now permitting the clergy and their allies to openly identify themselves with Satan's organization. No matter how you present the Kingdom message they are going to fight it, but it is a wise precaution to remove every weapon possible from them as they do so and make them go to greater extremes of injustice to accomplish their end. The Lord foreknew’ and foretold these conditions. Therefore, even though Jehovah’s witnesses may be arrested and haled into court and tried, there is no cause for worry on their part. The real trial in that event is not before the earthly courts, but your persecutors are being tried before the judgment seat of Christ. Therefore let each one be of good courage, knowing that the Lord is at the helm,
Pioneers Start Planning for Spring Work
There Is Plenty of Territory
While February is generally blus-.erlng and a month of ice and snow, 11: draws near the time when the pioneers should start thinking about and making plans for their spring activities. Many of them have been working in company territory7 during the winter and will be anxious to get out into the rural sections of the north as spring begins. While Jehovah’s witnesses have gone into many sections like a swarm of locusts and cleaned up the territory repeatedly, there are still certain seclions of the country which have rarely received the witness. To he sure, some of these sections are difficult to get to on account of being in the extreme northern parts of the country, which partly accounts for : the little work done therein. Hence the necessity of making plans early, if the territory is to be thoroughly covered.
Some excuse themselves from entering the pioneer work on the grounds that there is no more territory; but in tin's they deceive themselves, for the Lord says that this ' Kingdom gospel must be preached , in all the. world as n witness and I that when this is done, then Ihe end will come. Thore is still much work to be done right here in the United Stales. Do you know that in South Dakota there are three counties that ' have never been covered; five that have had no witness since 1928; three not worked since 1929 ; eight, not since 1930; nineteen, not since
1931, and still'others open for as- : s™Lout
slgnment but worked last year? j l?.... eOnlPnniRS,... Shaipshooters,
Thcre are many oilier states also having much tin assigned territory.
cling mer, same with spite
To be sure, the reason for the little work done in some of this territory is that it is sparsely settled, some of it is mountainous, some inhabited by Indians on Indian reservations, some in an area, where there have been repeated crop failures, some where the roads are poor, and all of which takes considerable trav-to reueh. And yei, last sum-into similar sections of the states a few' pioneers went, the Kingdom message and, in of all these Innntieaps, were wonderfully blessed in placing the Kingdom message with the people. We were very agreeably surprised to see the- amount o£ literature distributed among the people who had not heard the message from one of Jehovah’s witnesses before. Michigan, Minnesota anil Vermont all have remote territory in need of workers.
Now is tlie time for the pioneers working in conjunction with companies to turn their thoughts to these matters, to see whether or not they can arrange to carry the Kingdom message into isolated sections where Jehovah’s witnesses do not dwell. Those who are young and strong, equipped with automobiles, trailers, etc., undoubtedly will stand ready to serve in such territory even though it presents many problems and difficulties. The Kingdom message must be preached to the people who live their entire lives in such parts as well as lo those in the more thickly populated areas. The Lord always blesses those who put the Kingdom interests first, above their own personal preferences, because of their Jove for him.
(Continued from page 1, column 3) | to hinder you from participating'? j There were a great, many, of course, who were not in 1 lie campaign area and could not participate in these campaigns; but to those who were not in that territory, lot them be of good courage: their area will be or-
ganized shortly and they will be blessed with the privilege of participating in these campaigns on the first Sunday of each month also. Happy is the lot of those who were in Ihe ranks ^f this army.
Does nol this seem to be a long way off from the day when we thought I hat it was proper to hibernate from December J to May 15 of each year, that in winter weather it was too difficult to witness, and the, idea of witnessing on New Year’s Day, Lincoln's birthday, Washiug-ton’s birthday, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas, whs an unheard-of thing’? But |
now fill these misconceptions and obstacles that the Devil tried to put in the way of the anointed have vanished like smoke before the wind. We know that as time goes on these monthly campaigns are going to Increase and be a source of greater joy and blessing to the anointed. Let every one endeavor to have a part therein, by Jehovah’s grace, and use these so-called “holidays" to the praise of His name.
Questionnaire Sent Out
Many orders are being received from the companies especially, and some few from the pioneers, for the portable transcript ion machines. Tliese machines can be used in country schoolhouses, halls, parks and other places where assemblies can be gathered to hear Brother Rutherford’s lectures.
A questionnaire setting out de-
pioneers and auxiliaries. If the brethren can see their way clear to obtain one of these machines the Society would like to know at an early date, so that these machines can all be made at one time, because this will make them somewhat cheaper in production costs.
Order of Trial
Re Sure to Correct Your Copy
Enclosed with the February Sul-Jet-in is a letter and n corrected
Order of Trial form. This is being sent to all directors, pioneers, auxiliaries and sharpshooters.
Knell service director should see that this letter is promptly brought to the attention of the company and, also, that each company worker ’ corrects his Order of Trial sheet as indicated. Sharpshooters should like-। wise see that the ones witnessing with them correct their sheets.
Totals for First Quarter of 1933: Oct., Nov. and Dec., 1932
Results of Praise Testimony Period, Nov, 12-20, In Japan
Our brethren in Japan engaged In a strenuous campaign during this period, the same aS in the United States and other countries, and a report of their activity shows that they have a deep appreciation of their privilege of representing the King and the Kingdom. There 80 workers, 68 of wliotn were pioneers, devoted a total of 4,124 hours, gave 63,86(1 testimonies, and placed a total of 18,727 books and booklets among 4,302 families during this period. That means that on an average each worker spent 51.5 hours in the service, delivered 798 testimonies, and placed 234 books and booklets, in this short time. The branch manager reports that this is tho highest record for any testimony period ever had in Japan.
Pioneers
Auxiliaries Companies Total
Last Year
Harp
21,029
2,339
7,156
30.524
39.032
Deliverance
17,641
1,946
5,547
25,134
31,915
Greation
22,749
2,487
6,609
3.1,845
39.082
Reconciliation
14.939
1,717
4,309
20,965
29.153
Government
35,175
3,793
9,640
48.608
42.050
Life
23,342
2,534
6,777
38.238
Prophecy
18,451
1,856
4,540
24,<847
3”, 669
Light (Book 1)
16,391
1,835
4,500
2:‘.7Ti
‘>8,431
Light (Book 2)
15,527
1.616
3,890
21.033
27.645
5 indication (Book
1) 24.297
4.592
11,076
39.965
Vindication (Book
2) 15,784
3,658
8,155
27,597
Vinification (Book
3) 11,425
4,255
7,0'15
.2o.7^5
Mise. Books
3,867
4,103
8,533
10,458
Toi al Books
243,617
33,191
83,347
360,155
403,823
Total Booklets
765.224
163,685
664,344
ln503,253
.1,801,350
Total Literature
1,008, <841
196,<876
747,691
1,953,408
2,208,173
Total Hours
539,253
126,483
391,240
1,056,976
Testimonies
1,889,016
512,261
1.814,706
4,216.013
4,584,396
Obtainerg
469,305
79,612
394,510
943,427
1,767,018
Average Workers
1,868
11,813
14,614
8,094
100,000 More Hours Put in Work, but Fewer Testimonies
News from Foreign Lands
Pioneering in Mexico
Jehovah's witnesses will be interested in knowing that tho work is progressing In Mexico. Decently a convention was held In Mexico city, which proved to he quite a stimulus to the friends in that country, and now they are zealously proclaiming (he good news of God’s kingdom to a people who have manifested their disgust for the clergy. According to tiie report for the Kingdom Testimony Period, last October, there are now more than 30 pioneers in Mexico, and we have the following report from the Society’s branch in Mexico city:
“In Mexico there are not many good roads. Some of them can be traveled over only by oxcarts. Some roads in the mountains are mere donkey or foot paths. Even so, these remote districts are visited by a few faithful pioneers. One sister in the southern part of the country reports that in the mountains where she was witnessing she came across some savage Indians. She declares that she is determined to take the message of the Kingdom to every village, no matter how little she places. This pioneer sister Is Indian herself, but belongs to another tribe.
“Here in Mexico city two pioneers are witnessing in the office and gvv-ernment buildings. They place at least two sets a day, anil the result is that practically every high official has the literature.”
We’ll Have to Do Some Catching Up!
The report for the first three months of the fiscal period shows a total of -1,216,013 testimonies having been given, hy an average of 14,614 workers who have engaged in tiie work each month. No doubt last year’s w-orlt with the Ifinydom booklet, especially by company workers and auxiliaries, accounts for the fact that this number Is 368,383 testimonies short of that of tho same period last year. With a larger quota for 1933, this will mean that all of Jehovah’s witnesses must look to the interests of tire Kingdom If this shortage is to be made up. Last year, during the first three months, almost 29 percent of the year’s total testimcmie.s were given. On this basis, to be up to the quota, we should have had nt least 5,000,000 reported. In other words, we are about 800,000 testimonies short of the quota for the first three months.
While the pioneers reported almost 100,000 hours more in the work, and the auxiliaries about 20,000 more, tiie companies showed a decrease of 20,000 hours. The increase in the former was due not only to an increased enrollment in both of these branches, but to an increased effort on the part of those engaged in the work. The literature placed has shown a decline from 2,208,173 pieces of literature to 1,953,408, the latter I total for this year being made up : of 360,155 books and 1,593,253 booklets.
Instead of being discouraging, these figures should really fire the Lord’s anointed to press on in the work with a greater determination than ever, for they demonstrate th a I. if the hours are put In the testimonies are given and the literature will be placed with the people. Fewer testimonies means fewer books distributed.
There is n big job ahead of us if the quota of 18,000,000 testimonies | is to be reached. Starting out on the second quarter of the year, Jehovah’s witnesses In the United States are faced with the problem of whether they not only cun make up this 800,000 shortage but can keep up with their quota for the second three-month period as well. By the Lord’s grace it can be done. Each one must do his part to result in the giving of such a tremendous witness. Two holidays come in February, Lincoln's and Washington's birthday. Those who have this time off from work can make good use of it. Holidays are excellent
. Clergy of West Africa Greatly
i Disturbed by Jehovah’s witnesses
The preachers of West Africa arc greatly afraid that their congregations will soon be leaving Uicm, because the faithful witnesses of Jehovah are zealously carrying the message of truth to the people of that land. To counteract the message of truth they are resorting to all manner of lies. We quote a few excerpts from an item appearing in a Lagos newspaper, no doubt written by a clergyman, which shows their fear and how they are lying.
Speaking of Jehovah’s witnesses, the article says, “ ‘these that have turned tiie world upside down are come hither also' for there is to be seen now at Ijebu Ode a body of enthusiastic Russellite book-sellers. These will certainly start soon to preach their bogus doctrines such as ‘Christians owe no allegiance to anybody, Government or Christian authority’. . , , Russellistn, in short, is a curse to any country that nt-cepts it, and the Ijehus must beware of buying their specious books or of following their dangerous doctrines. The promoters sell a. lot of cheap: books with a view to raise money for their business, . , . Rus-sellism (Jehovah’s witnesses) is the worst religious movement ever brought here and should not be given a foothold.”
| occasions for witnessing.