Informant, April 1939
Download: PDF — Informant, April 1939
INFORMANT
APRIL, 1939 “But they shall not prevail against thee.”—Jer. 1: 19. BROOKLYN, N. Y
“New Heavens/' April 1-30, Outstanding Period of Year “Fascism or Freedom” Released to Public
Faithful, Intense Activity Required of Those Who Serve Under Theocratic Government
We Must Put Out More Booklets
The “New Heavens” Testimony Period, April 1-30, is the last month of the Watchtower Campaign. During that time, we hope, there will be upward of 40,000 persons in the United States engaging in the proclamation of the Kingdom. The new booklet Fascism or Freedom will be released to the public, for the first time, in April. With this new booklet, plus the benefit of three months’ experience in offering The Watchtower, Face the Facts and a bound book to the people, the publishers will be well equipped to make the month of April the greatest yet in the distribution of literature. There will be no slacking of the hand by those who are on the Lord’s side.
Shall We Make Our Quota?
The quota set for the world for the Watchtower Campaign was 12,000,000 booklets, 1,000,000 books and 100,000 new subscriptions. Taking into consideration the number of publishers in the United States compared with that of the rest of the world, the publishers in the United States should assume the following part of the world-wide quota: 7,000,000 booklets, 600,000 books, and 75,000 subscriptions. That means that during each of the four months we should put out 1,750,000 booklets, 150,000 books and 18,750 subscriptions. Examining the report for January, we find that 34,123 publishers in the United States put out 1,130,779 booklets and 130,478 bound books and obtained 28,930 subscriptions. We are doing very well on subscriptions, but we are lagging somewhat on books and are considerably behind our quota of booklets. That means that during the remainder of the campaign we must put out more books and booklets, without slowing down on getting new subscriptions. How can we do this? Here are some suggestions:
1. Each publisher should strive hard to reach his individual quota.
50,502 New Watchtower Subscriptions Received at Brooklyn Office by March 8
Northern Europe Printing Plants, 5,006 New Subs.
Total to Date, 55,508 New Subs.
If the record you are keeping, “My Daily Kingdom Service,” shows that you are behind in your individual quota, try to make it up by the end of the campaign. If you are ahead of your quota, then keep on going to help raise the general average.
2. Try to increase your efficiency. If you have been averaging only one or two booklets an hour, try to raise it to three or four. At your service meetings, let the publishers who are having the best success make demonstrations as to how they present the special offer; then let all publishers note the good points and adopt them. Remember to place a booklet in every home, if possible. If during your presentation of the special offer you see that the person is about to dismiss you, immediately drop to the two booklets, Face the Facts and Fascism or Freedom, on a contribution of 5c. Emphasize the importance of their reading these two booklets. If one is unable to contribute anything, but manifests interest and a desire to read, leave Face the Facts free.
3. Put more time In the field. April is the best month of the campaign, as far as weather is concerned, and every publisher should be able to put in considerably more time than in the preceding months. Work more hours in your regular witnessing on Saturdays Sundays and weekdays.
4. Set aside one evening a week to concentrate on booklets. Get some territory that can be quickly reached, and specialize on the two booklets, Face the Facts and Fascism or Freedom, on a contribution of 5e. Make your testimony brief, and hasten on to the next place. Have a bound book or two in your bag, and if you meet someone who shows special interest, offer the book and two booklets on a contribution of 25c. If you find interest, take the name and address and make a back-call on another night. If there are new ones in your company who have not yet engaged in the service, invite them to take part in this special evening work. It is a splendid way to get them started in the regular witness work.
5. Distribute booklets in “sandwich sign” parades. (See detailed data on this elsewhere in this Informant.') When advertising your public meetings in this manner, let each parader carry a supply of booklets to offer to passers-by on a contribution.
6. Place booklets with people on the streets. This can be worked very successfully in small towns on days when country folk come to town to do their shopping. If you have a sound-car, it can be used effectively in introducing the booklets Fascism or Freedom and Face the Facts to people on the streets, and other publishers can go through the crowd and place booklets. Another method that has been used successfully in some places is to let a publisher stand on a corner with a poster announcing the two booklets. Such poster, mounted on two sides of a frame and held up so passers-by will have to notice it, could be worded as follows:
[Fasten [Fasten
booklet 17 17 A TA booklet
here] lv ll.A 17 here]
FASCISM OR FREEDOM
and FACE THE FACTS
By Judge Rutherford
Get Your 2 Copies Here
Only 5c
If a group of brethren work in a crowded area with such signs it will make the matter still more impressive to the people.
7. Carry a few booklets with you wherever you go. On your way to work, or return, you may have opportunity to place a few.
Don’t Let Up on Subscriptions
The above suggestions are offered primarily to increase our placements of booklets. However, keep in mind that we want to get as many subscriptions as possible, too; so, in your regular witnessing work from house to house, continue to stress the special offer of a bound book, two booklets, and a year’s subscription for The Watchtower, on a contribution of $1.00. During April, call on all the interested persons whom you have met that have not yet subscribed for The Watchtower. Remind them that the time of the special offer is drawing to a close.
Make Every Hour Count
All of this, of course, means much more time in the field service. It means careful planning and being on the alert at all times. But those who have faith that the Kingdom is here, that the new heavens are in operation, will gladly render this extra service. The Brooklyn office and factory have been working in two shifts, day and night, during March to supply all the publishers with Fascism or Freedom for the April campaign. Now it is up to you to do your part, and the Bethel family will be in the field, too, at every opportunity, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the rest of their brethren to make this the greatest month to date.
Philippines Report
Since Brother Rutherford's letter of January 1 every effort has been made by the publishers to meet the 60-hour quota. “Results astonishing . . . placements more than doubled . . . Jonathan class are fast appearing through their faithful attendance to back-call service.”
40,000 for April Our Goal
34,123 Publishers Report in January
It is a real pleasure to announce that during the month of January there were 34,123 publishers in the field in the United States. That is the highest number to date, and it is still more remarkable in view of the severe weather in many sections. These publishers did well, too, averaging (exclusive of the pioneers and zone servants) a little better than 15 hours per publisher. That shows what can be done when we have the zeal of the Lord, and further proves that now is the time for a steady increase among the ranks of the Lord’s people. All of this brings us much joy.
If, in one of the worst months of the year, we had 34,123 publishers, then surely in April, when conditions are much more favorable, we should have 40,000 or more. Our purpose is not to drive anyone to serve the Lord, but to properly do what we can to assist one another in proclaiming the Kingdom message, and especially to aid the newly interested ones in taking their stand on the Lord’s side. Reports from the zone servants show that there are more than 37,000 regular and irregular publishers in the various companies. In addition, there are many thousands more who have recently associated with the companies but have not yet become active. Therefore, 40,000 for April is not an unreasonable quota.
How many regular publishers are there in your company? How many irregular? How many associated with your company have never been active in the field service? What are you doing to aid these irregular and inactive ones? There are some, of course, who, because of old age, infirmity or illness, find it difficult to engage in the service in midwinter; others, in isolated sections, are hindered because of impassable roads; but with the return of better weather many of these will become active again. The company servant of each company should make a personal check-up to see what can be done to aid the irregular publishers. Zone servants should also assist in this. Additionally, aid the newly interested persons. Encourage these people to attend your service meetings, supply them with the Informant, conduct model studies, and try to get them to the company meetings. There they will get the spirit of the organization and a desire to engage in the Kingdom work. Get acquainted with them; make them feel at home. Give them every assistance you can. Let them accompany other
(Continued on page 2, column 2)
Watchtower Campaign
Subscriptions Coming In Fine
Books and Booklets Lag
The distribution of books and booklets in January 1939 far exceeds that in January of any previous year. The work accomplished is splendid. However, it is considerably under the quota set, and it means that each publisher must make an extraordinary effort to catch up. Each one should check his personal record, “My Daily Kingdom Service,” and note how many more Watchtower subscriptions must be obtained, and how many more books and booklets placed, to reach his individual quota of 4 Watchtower subscriptions, 20 bound books, and 250 booklets. It looks very much as though we would exceed our quota on Watchtower subscriptions, but some extra effort must be made with books and booklets. The progress of the campaign in the United States and several other countries may be seen in the figures below:
New January W.T. Pub-
Only Books Booklets Subs. Ushers U. S. 130,478 1,130,779 28,930 34,123
British Is. 23,698 495,964 2,053
Canada 7,523 102,878 1,513
Japan 368 23,665
Mexico 3,705 35,417 304
No. Europe 7,665 348,694 5,006
Assisting the Office
Pioneers and company servants can assist the office here in handling mail, by observing the following instructions:
1. All subscriptions must show the name of the company or the pioneer sending them in.
2. Be sure to list all new and all renewal subscriptions on the Subscription Record sheets supplied by the Society.
3. See that all subscription slips are filled out completely and written legibly. Do not abbreviate names of post offices. Please use typewriter, if possible. Please check on slips whether new or renewal, and whether for one year or for six months. Also state language; otherwise English edition will be mailed.
4. Make proper remittance for foreign-language subscriptions. See that the remittance corresponds with the rates set out in the December Informant.
5. All subscriptions should be accompanied by a remittance. If remittance is larger than the amount required to cover subscriptions, please state what the balance is for. No credit memos will be sent to acknowledge remittances for subscriptions.
6. Pioneers will please mark on the envelope, “Pioneer Desk,” if you are not using the pink envelopes supplied by the Society.
Carefully checking all subscription slips and making remittance with your subscriptions saves much time in the Watch Tower office. Won’t you please assist us?
Memorial Report
Company servants are to send in a report of the Memorial both to the Society and to the zone servant, on the regular April report card. Pioneers attending the Memorial with companies will be included in the company report; therefore they will make no report; but isolated pioneers should do so. Where two or more isolated pioneers celebrate the Memorial together, only one pioneer is to report this on his April card. Use the following method in reporting:
“Memorial attendance ............
Partakers of emblems ..........”
“Honrs of Field Service” Defined
Report All Time Advertising the Kingdom
Many of the publishers are making inquiry as to what time may be reported as “Hours of Field Service”. Brother Rutherford’s personal letter of January 1 addressed “To All Kingdom Publishers” and the Watchtower article on “Kingdom Activities” bring to mind so forcefully the need of directing every attention toward the Kingdom and its interests and, therefore, increased hours in the field. To attain 60 hours a month witnessing means harder work on the part of every company publisher. In order to reach this goal, more time must be put in in regular door-to-door witnessing and in back-call service. These are the two important means of witnessing today.
The question has arisen as to whether time spent in “sandwich sign” parades, in handing out announcements and in other similar service can be counted as “Hours of Field Service”. As these features have directly to do with advertising the Kingdom, all should be included. Beginning April 1, “Hours of Field Service” will be counted and reported according to the following definition, which definition applies to company, pioneer and special pioneer publishers. Have in mind this new goal :
Hours per month
Company publishers
Pioneer publishers
Special pioneer publishers
Definition
“Hours of Field Service” will be counted and reported for any time In which the publisher makes a conscientious effort to proclaim the message of the Kingdom to the public In any manner approved by the Society.
Under this rule the following will properly be reported:
1. Actual time spent in witnessing from door to door.
2. Time spent in back-calls or in model studies as explained in pages 3 and 4 of the Model Study booklet. One person can handle the back-call satisfactorily, but if another one wants to go along merely to see how the back-call is conducted, the second person would not count his time.
3. Time spent in operating soundcars or portable transcription machines. (This will include the time of the operator and announcer using this equipment outdoors, where two persons are required. The operator of a PTM and the chairman of a meeting may also count their time if sound equipment is used at a public meeting arranged somewhere in the territory other than the local headquarters.)
4. Time spent in “sandwich sign” parades from the time the parade begins until completed.
5. Time spent distributing handbills, such as radio program announcements or public meeting announcements.
6. Time spent placing placards in business-house windows, such as at conventions for large public meetings.
7. Time spent in interviews relative to securing halls, parks, pavilions, schoolrooms, etc., to be used for (Continued from page 1, column 4) publishers in the door-to-door or back-call work, to see how it is done, and they will soon be able to carry on alone.
The Informant
All company organizations should receive sufficient copies of the Informant for each of their publishers public meetings, which meetings are arranged solely for the public.
8. Time spent in going to and from territory, going to and from back-calls, to and from “sandwich sign” parades, to and from distribution of handbills. Such time may be counted as hours of field service if this time does not exceed one HouB. Otherwise stated, a half hour may be counted going to the territory and a half hour returning from the territory ; total one hour. Quick action in getting to one’s territory should be the rule. Time should not be wasted. Our big objective is to inform the people of good will, either in door-to-door work or on back-calls, or to invite them to the meetings through advertising prescribed by the Society. In making back-calls the publisher should try to make two or three in an evening or on a Sunday afternoon, or as many as possible consecutively, and in such instances a publisher would count the time from his first call to his last call.
Time That Cannot Be Counted
1. Do not count time spent by company servants or assistant servants in taking care of their respective duties, such as
A. Preparing territory
B. Taking care of stock room C. Care of records
D. Care of back-call slips
E. Care of treasurer’s accounts and other similar office details.
2. Do not count time spent in preparation for or handling of service meetings, Watchtower studies, or other studies arranged for the company. Model studies or lecture series which are held in your Kingdom hall (local headquarters) should not be counted as time in the field. (The time of the chairman and PTM operator at model studies and public meetings held throughout the city or rural territory may be counted as stated above in section 3.)
3. Do not count time spent in giving an occasional witness, such as while traveling on a train or streetcar, or at one’s place of business. (Exception : In the case of brethren that cannot go from door to door but are doing everything possible to preach the gospel to strangers calling on them. In many instances publishers of this type have used their phonograph regularly every day and placed much literature with the public.)
A simple way to determine whether or not the time should be reported is to ask yourself this question: Is it time spent in proclaiming the message of the Kingdom to the public? If so, it should be reported.
Do not count time spent in connection with your local company organization, attending studies or service meetings. It is not “Hours of Field Service”.
Reporting fractions of hours : It will be a convenience to the company servants if, in making out your reports, you will report only whole hours. When engaging in the field service every publisher should endeavor to schedule his service so as to put in as many hours as possible at one time. Please make out daily a “Publisher’s Field Service Report” I and turn it in as soon as possible.
and those newly interested ones attending studies. If you are not getting enough for this purpose, order them. Pioneers in isolated territory, when meeting interested people who express a desire to become publishers for the Kingdom, see to it that the Interested person writes to the Society regarding company organization and makes request for Informant.
Advertising Meetings
“Sandwich Sign” Parades
Very Effective
New Placards Available
Many companies are reporting splendid results in arranging public meetings for the lectures “Face the Facts”, “Fascism or Freedom,” etc. These public meetings should be arranged not only in your headquarters hall, but at other convenient places throughout your territory. Such meetings require considerable advertising, to be successful.
As announced previously, the Society has printed special folders for advertising this series of lectures, with space for the time and place of meeting. This information, which must be printed or stamped on the leaflets locally by the companies, should be done neatly.
One of the most effective means of advertising is the “sandwich sign” parade. A well-organized parade of ten persons or more is bound to attract attention and interest. For these parades the Society is printing some new placards, which will be made up in packets of 26 each, and these will be supplied at 50c a packet. Order now.
Each packet contains 20 large placards which announce the lectures “Fascism ob Fbeedom” and “Face the Facts” and on which the local company pastes in a strip showing the time and place of meeting. These placards can be used over and over again, until worn out; and when the meeting place is changed, a new strip can be pasted over the old one. In addition, the packet contains six small signs, three with the wording “Religion Is a Snare and a Racket” and three with “Serve God and Christ the King”. These small signs should be mounted on a stick, “Religion Is a Snare and a Racket” on one side, and “Serve God and Christ the King” on the other side.
In a “sandwich” parade each person should have suspended over his shoulders two large placards announcing the public meeting. In addition, every third person carries one of the overhead signs. The first overhead sign has the words “Religion Is a Snare and a Racket” to the front, and the second overhead sign, carried by the sixth person in the parade, has the wording “Serve God and Christ the King” to the front. Thus a passer-by reads first the placard announcing the meeting. Next he reads “Religion Is a Snare and a Racket”; and finally, “Serve God and Christ the King.”
Each one in the parade should have a supply of folders announcing the meeting, to hand out to those passing by. Additionally, each publisher should carry a supply of Face the Facts and Fascism or Freedom booklets and place them with the people on a contribution of five cents for both; or, if anyone manifests exceptional interest and cannot afford to contribute, give him one. This will aid materially in your booklet distribution and extend your witness work to include many people who would not otherwise be reached.
An ideal time for parades is late Saturday afternoon and evening, in the downtown theater district.
Still Some Left
It was necessary to print a second edition of the Year Book. There are still some left, but there will be no more reprints made of it. The Year Book is 50c a copy, mailed anywhere.
We have a few more Calendars. These are 25c each, or five to one address for $1.00.
The Messenger, which is very useful in back-call work, is 5c a copy. Order them now while they last, and put them to good use.