Informant, December 1936

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DECEMBER, 1936

BROOKLYN, N.Y,

All Ready for “His Victory”?

Special Period Begins December 5

Cold Weather Does Not Stop Publishers Riches and Three Booklets

What to Do After “His Victory” Period

dabs, or great multitude, will hear and also join in the witness work, saying to the people, ‘Come.’ Everyone who loves Gon will have a part in this witness work.”

When Riches cannot be taken, drop to the booklets. This is important, and every publisher is to make a practice of offering booklets, so that in addition to combinations including Riches, and Riches books themselves, a large number of booklets will be left with the people. If the person witnessed to cannot take the combination or Riches, do not leave at once without calling his attention to the three-booklet combination, or, finally, one booklet. If you do this consistently you will place a good number of booklets. We are responsible for making good use of this literature which Jehovah has put in our hands. So remember the booklets at each call.

Even in the homes where Riches has been placed previously, the work in connection therewith is not finished. Additional calls there will enable the publisher not only to stimulate interest in the book if it should be that some of the family have not read it yet, but to present additional literature to them, explaining the necessity of further Bible study. The phonograph used in these homes will aid in this, and in presenting the Watchtower and Golden Age magazines to them with the view of obtaining the subscriptions.

This means that in addition to Riches and the booklets mentioned, you will, during “His Victory”, as at other times, carry a good assortment of booklets, and one or more other bound books if you can do so; also the phonograph. This latter you can introduce and use whether the people have previously procured Riches or not.

Back Calls During "HIS VICTORY”

During “His Victory” testimony period, make back calls (preferably on those evenings when you are not doing the regular house-to-house witnessing) on interested persons you have found during the day, or on others whose names have been previously obtained. Such names and addresses should be furnished with the territory assignment to the publishers. At all back calls take the phonograph; and if you know you will be back in the territory the following day, you can often leave it overnight with some interested, reliable persons, for them to use until you pick it up the next day for your field service.

Even those whose extreme age or feeble physical condition prevents them from carrying the new, light phonograph from house to house

Jehovah gives to those who love him a vision of his purpose to completely destroy all who defame his name, and to gain for himself complete victory and vindication at the battle of the great day of God Almighty. With the King, Christ Jesus, and sharing in the victory, are those people upon whom God has put his name. They are now engaged in the preliminary warfare in their work of proclaiming Jehovah’s praises and his kingdom. In this war now on their victory is assured. In the battle of Armageddon victory is assured. Those sharing in His victory are the courageous ones, who by faith see it now.

Courage means to have implicit confidence and trust in the supreme power that backs you up. This is shown by willing and joyful obedience to the instructions of the organization of the Higher Powers, on whom you confidently rely. There will be no slacking of the hand by the courageous ones. Using the equipment the Lord has provided these now enter a period of special effort in which, by their efforts in bearing testimony, they proclaim the sure victory of the Lord: “His Victory” testimony period, December 5-13, inclusive.

As has been announced, the book Riches will be stressed during this period, the special combination of literature being Riches, Choosing, Universal War Near, and Loyalty or other self-covered booklet, on a contribution of 35c. There is much work to be done with Riches. It has been available for but a few months, and while the companies have been using it in their territory during the past summer with good results, it seems they are, as it were, just getting started. “His Victory” period offers another opportunity to concentrate on this publication. The Watchtower states:

“The forward movement throughout the land is progressing. The Lord has caused to be published a book entitled Riches, setting forth the plain truths of and concerning his kingdom and fully exposing the enemy, and particularly the modern Philistines. That book is now ready in many languages, and all over the land the faithful go forth as one man joyfully putting that message in the hands of the people, that they may see and know that Jehovah is the only true God and that his kingdom is the only hope of man.”

Who Will Take Part?

How can one share in the victory of the present warfare without making use of the most effective instrument against the modern Philistines to date: Riches? “Who will have a part in that witness work? Jehovah’s remnant, being of the bride class, will engage in this work. The Jona-1

Order Your 1937 Year Book and Calendar NOW

Special Offer of Booklets Seven on 25c Contribution

Get All Your Booklet Stock Out on the Counter

Devote the Remainder of December and All of January to Witnessing with Booklets

The inventory of the companies’ stock shows that they have approximately 5,500,000 colored-cover booklets on hand and a fair supply of self-covered booklets. Beginning with December 14, until the end of January, every company servant and stockkeeper should see to it that a good supply of your booklet stock is put out on the counter so that the brethren can see them and take them into the field. In order to make up the special combination of seven, on 25e contribution, take two selfcovered booklets, Loyalty, Government (or any other self-covered booklets that you have on hand), with Choosing and four other colored-cover booklets. This makes a total of seven. A special testimony card for seven booklets is being sent with this Informant, and the brethren should use it during the period stated above.

For some time now we have been offering booklets, three on 10c contribution. What we desire everyone to do during the winter months is to offer seven booklets on a contribution of 25c, or fourteen on a contribution of 50c, which many have reported is a very attractive offer. Always carry Riches and other bound books with you, and if you can place them, do so; but your main and first offer should be seven booklets on 25c contribution. Do not carry only seven different booklets with you, but have the complete assortment, so that you can offer fourteen. That combination of fourteen booklets should include four self-covered booklets and ten coloredcover booklets.

On your back calls with the phonograph, have a full array of booklets with you, as well as bound books. You can spread the booklets out on the table and let them have their choice of seven or more, thus giving can participate in the phonograph work by locating interested persons in the field service for back calls to be made either by themselves or by other publishers. Of course, all publishers should be familiar with the Riches studies and other studies in the territory, so they may invite persons to attend, using the invitation slip for that purpose. “His Victory” testimony period presents many fine opportunities for inaugurating the winter campaign in the most efficient manner, including evenings set aside for phonograph witnessing parties. them a good supply of reading material. Reports have been received from various sections of the country that the brethren fail to carry with them more literature than that used in the particular campaign in effect. The Lord has provided us with many publications, and everyone should always have a good assortment, so that when we meet persons who have the books we are offering, or the booklets, we can always show them something else.

It is rather easy to handle booklets in the winter months, when it is cold. You can display them well in your hand, and can carry a lot of booklets in your bag. It is much easier to display seven booklets than three bound books; so let’s place booklets this winter.

We can’t overstate the importance of carrying Riches at all times; so stockkeepers should inquire of each publisher if he has Riches with his assortment of booklets.

In another article in this Informant you will find what the brethren did in October. Please note the tremendous drop in booklet distribution. October has always been about the best month in the year, but for some reason it has taken a terrible drop this year. Every person interested in the Kingdom should now be a publisher and help to get the booklets off the shelves of the company stockroom and into the hands of the people. If all the company publishers put in a good number of hours during December and January. we should be able to dispose of most of this booklet stock. According to the figures we have on hand, all the booklet stock of the companies could be put out during this period of seven weeks if each publisher placed but 210 booklets, which would be only 30 placements per publisher. That’s not many for seven weeks, is it? Some companies may not have as big a supply of booklets on hand as they need; so the company servant and the stockkeeper should check their literature immediately and order such quantities as they require. Have a full assortment of all booklets, particularly Loyalty and Government. Remember, now, and get ready for it: seven booklets on a contribution of 25c for the next seven weeks after “His Victory”.

It is His victory, the victory of Jehovah by and through Christ Jesus and his kingdom, that is the earnest desire of everyone who takes the right side in this present warfare. These are charged with the obligation and responsibility of giving a good account of the many things which have been given and entrusted to them, and must put forth an earnest effort to support the organization of Jehovah’s people, even as the Israelites of old were obligated to pay their tithes for the support of the temple work. Let each one make a good showing of service during “His Victory” testimony period now at hand, December 5-13.

Here It Is: the Same Month for Three Years!

What Happened?

Why the Slowdown?

Fewer Hours—

Fewer Publishers

FIELD SERVICE REPORT FOR OCTOBER 1936 1935 1934

Total Total Total

Books 175,597 130,684 86,374

Booklets 769,319 1,990,900 1,670,225

Total lit----

erature 944,916 2,121,584 1,756,599

Pub’rs 23,761 24,776 24,599

Hours 489,811 597.835 545,043

Obt’rs 526,006 1,082,267 1,153,622

Sound at-

tend’ce 767,129 1,306,205 379,233

The foregoing table tells an eloquent though unexplainable story that is anything but encouraging. There was a very definite drop in the witness work in this country for the month of October—1,177,000 pieces of literature less than for October last year. Some will undoubtedly say that that is easily accounted for in that we offered three booklets on a 10c contribution in 1935 and featured the Riches book in 1936.

Building Up Your Wet-Battery Portable

Transcription Machine

Can You Use a Sound Car Equipment?

We are pleased to advise that the Society is in position now to rebuild the wet-battery portable transcription machine into No. 3 sound equipment. We can handle this work this winter so that any who desire to take advantage of the opportunity and have a No. 3 equipment instead of just the wet-battery portable transcription machine by next spring may make arrangements now. The additional equipment can be built up from your present wet-battery portable transcription machine. If your machine has a serial number lower than 451 it will be necessary to send your machine to the factory here and have it altered. It will be equipped with two-speed motor and microphone and be generally overhauled and put in first-class condition, and then the additional sound equipment will be placed on it to make it a No. 3 equipment. If your machine has a serial number above 451 it will not he necessary to return the machine to the factory, as all of that series have two-speed motor and microphone already attached.

The cost for building up your equipment is $90 where a microphone is required, or $80 if you have your own microphone. Write the office for full information regarding this matter and the Society’s arrangement for time payments on this work. Do not send your equipment to the factory, however, until you are definitely instructed to do so by the Society’s office. Present orders will require our entire output of No. 3 equipments for December and January, but during February and March, we believe, we can take care of all rebuilt jobs.

While that is true and accounts for some of the difference in the amount of literature placed, it by no means accounts for a great many other details in this report. For illustration : It does not account for the fact that we had over one thousand fewer publishers in the field this October, or account for the fact that we put in over 108,000 fewer hours in the work during October this year. Nor does it explain why the publishers averaged 3j hours less time in the field than last October; nor does it explain the deficit of over a half million in sound attendance this year. All these facts are really unexplainable. For some reason the brethren did not take hold of the witness work in October this year in the manner they should. October is the best month of the year, generally. It is the one month of the year when the Lord’s witnesses everywhere should be storing up a reserve of time which they could draw on during the severe winter months that follow.

However, there is nothing that can be done about what has taken place In the past. Nothing can be accomplished by bemoaning the condition. The thing to do, therefore, is to face the fact that we have a very decided deficit in every branch of the work and for each and every one to accept his responsibility in overcoming that deficit and bringing

Do You Take Subscriptions?

The frequent repetition of an important matter which is part of our service to Jehovah should impress us with the necessity of giving heed thereto.

Continually our attention is called to the importance that all publishers not only subscribe for The Watchtower and The Golden Age themselves, but, in their witness work, take subscriptions for these publications whenever possible.

Not only should sample copies of The Golden Age and The Watchtower be carried for demonstrating to the interested persons, but the fine description of these two journals in the Society’s catalogue may be brought to the attention of the people as an aid in pointing out to them the Importance of regularly receiving these magazines in their homes.

If the person to whom you witness has the publications you present at the time, make it a point to present other books, booklets, and The Watchtower and The Golden Age. Many of the people who have some of the literature and like it do not realize that there are available more than thirty of the booklets, fifteen of the bound books, and, in addition, The Watchtower and The Golden Age. Part of our work is to acquaint them with these publications.

Lost and Found

There are still on hand a few odds and ends from the Newark convention which some of the brethren apparently have forgotten or have entirely lost track of. There are keys, gloves, dresses, and other things. If you are missing anything of this nature, please write this office, describing it, and if what we have on hand fits the description we shall be glad to forward it to you.

Order Your 1937 Year Book and Calendar NOW the 1936-1937 activity to the fore as it had been in the past.

The figures themselves are self-explanatory. There is very little else to be said about the proposition, beyond the fact that we are faced with a big handicap and have a very definite job before us to overcome the deficit that exists.

Look at 1934 report for October and compare it with 1936! Again we find a drop. Fewer publishers! Fewer hours! What will November be? We shall soon know. December? Let’s make “His Victory” month the best.

Phonograph Activity

Are You Using One?

Back Calls Real Aid to Jonadabs

Those who have really taken advantage of the phonograph work find it the most thrilling and effective means of proclaiming the Kingdom message. Similar to all other features of the Lord's work, we must, of course, creep before we can walk or run. We cannot hope to be proficient and have the most effective method all at once. We must keep at it, become accustomed to introducing and using the phonograph so that we do it in a natural and an effective way; and when this is mastered it will be found that this is one of the best means of preaching the Kingdom gospel.

It is one of the best, first, because the phonograph is a provision made by the Lord to be used at this time to the glory of His name, and, secondly, because it is a practical and reasonable method of presenting the Kingdom message. It enables one to make a clear and concise presentation of the truth without interruption, which is something that can rarely be done by the witnesses if they try to do it themselves. No one should become discouraged because the use of the phonograph is a little awkward at first. The same is true of the witness work in general. When we first started out we were awkward and nervous and found it difficult. The same is true of our use of the testimony card and other features of the work that the Lord brings to our attention from time to time. If we had rebelled back there and refused to avail ourselves of the Lord’s provisions, -where would we be today? Not participating in the Kingdom witness work, that is sure.

Let us recognize, then, that the phonograph is the Lord’s provision for His people and that the use of the phonograph is really organization instructions, which are not discretionary, but entirely mandatory, and let us apply ourselves to its use, and the Lord will bless us with success. Note how one brother has used his phonograph to advantage:

“I take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the last radio folders, with the eight questions at the top and the special service note at the bottom. Before I had these to work with it seemed almost hopeless to engage a phonograph meeting in the homes, but with the method I’ve been using along with these slips I find enough interest among those who will hear long enough to place a book or booklets with them, and sometimes more, especially if they don’t have the radio.

“I take the slip and ask them to please read the questions at the top

Keep on Shouting Against Her

If you have not sent in your letter of protest to Governor Hoffman, Mayor Hague or congressional representatives, do so at once. In addition, another letter should be sent to the committee of the United States Senate which is investigating the subject of infringements on civil liberties of the people. Address this letter to:

Hon. Robert M. La Foeeette, Jr. Chairman Sub-Committee of Committee on Education and Labor

Senate Office Building Washington, D. C.

Follow the general outline for your letter as given in the November Informant and ask that this committee investigate thoroughly in order that the subversive influences directing the lawlessness in New Jersey and other states may be brought to light and their activities checked. Don’t delay. Do it now.

of the slip, and follow up by saying, ‘Now if you would be Interested in hearing these all-important questions answered from the Biblical standpoint, we, Jehovah’s witnesses, would enjoy aiding you to an understanding of these all-important subjects by bringing to your home phonograph records explaining these questions.’ Then I call their attention to the special service note at the bottom. It has proved very helpful with the ones I have been privileged to meet with. I’ve so much enjoyed working with the sound work, and especially the phonograph, as each subject is so short and sharp it just seems to wade right through and tread down Satan’s lies and false doctrine. As I always watch the Informant for helps from others along the phonograph line, I felt that these radio folders with the questions on were really a blessing to me, as I’ve been able to open several more meetings. I take only three questions for one meeting, have my scripture and facts copied down, and have the records that most nearly explain them; as, for the first three questions I use “Rebellion” first, “Armageddon,” “Sheep and Goats.” It usually takes half an hour to get under way enough to get them to open up and start asking questions. Then the evening is always well spent, and I am invited back, as they always notice I have other records that I haven’t played the first night. Words fail to express my joy in all the service, bending every effort to use each equipment that the Lord sends forth to use.”

We are pleased to be able to tell you that we have practically caught up with all back orders for the new, 9J-pound phonograph and from now on we are ready to fill new orders as they come in.

The cost of the phonograph with three double-faced discs (six of Brother Rutherford’s recordings) is $10.00. The phonograph alone, for those who already have the records, is $8.00.

Care of Phonographs

Quite a few of the brethren have lost the set screw which holds the needle in the reproducer of their phonograph. In order to prevent this, so that we shall not have to replace them, we suggest that before you close up your phonograph after using it you turn the needle screw of the reproducer all the way in. Don’t turn it too tight, but just tight enough to know it can’t be turned any more. If you do this the screw will not be lost. Do not leave needles in the phonograph reproducer head when not in use.