Informant, August 1944
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INFORMANT
AUGUST, 1944 "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God.”—Ps. 143: 10 BROOKLYN, N. Y,
United Announcers' Theocratic Assembly, August 9-13,1944
The Most Important Event of the Year
Every convention gets better! From every convention, God’s favored people return home convinced that it was the best yet, and indeed they are milestones in our lives, foretastes of that glorious time when sin and wickedness shall have been for ever destroyed and only those in harmony with righteousness shall be alive. The present time of stress and difficulty in the earth will certainly cause many hardships and obstacles to beset the way of those determined to attend this year’s glorious gathering of .Tehovah’s servants at the United Announcers’ Theocratic Assembly. The zealous people of God, however, will let nothing interfere with their attendance and will do all in their power to aid all others of good-will to join with them also.
Convention Rooming
Without doubt, many will not be able to obtain exactly the kind of room they desire, and many may have to experience hardships. In old times under similar conditions of overcrowding our Lord himself was even born in a manger.
The rooming committee at Buffalo reports that up to this time they have been unable to arrange for even half of the hotel reservations the brethren requested. This is
“Free Education” Testimony Period
August Provides Opportunities for Peak in Publishers
Every Educator Will Freely Respond
In contemplation of the full significance of what the month of August means to the Lord's zealous army of free educators, no true servant or educator will find occasion to slack the hand or refrain from full participation in the present blessed educational campaign, during the month. On the contrary, they will put forth every effort to guarantee a full share in the “Free Education” Testimony Period.
In the midst of trouble and desolation such as never has been seen before, our Great Provider calls those who love him to associate in peace and quietude for worship, and to receive an abundance of instruction and learning. Being so equipped, they will be in position to push the campaign of free education.
Education the Main Feature of Activity
The campaign for August will be a continuance of the offer “The Truth Shall Make You Free", Religion Reaps the Whirlwind, and The Coming World Regeneration, on a contribution of 30c. This affords all educators the joyful opportunity to press on with the distribution of that grand textbook which so ably lays the foundation for return visits to develop the first interest manifested, and enable the people to know the truth which shall make due in part to the hotels’ giving preference to the American Legion State Convention delegates for the week-end and partly to crowded housing facilities in Buffalo. Some of the brethren asking for hotel accommodations will have to accept rooms in private homes. We feel sure the brethren who cannot get hotel accommodations will be satisfied with the best accommodations the rooming committee can provide.
Atlanta has also reported housing shortages, but they are doing the best they can. This year, we feel certain, the brethren everywhere will recognize the circumstances and gratefully accept what is available.
Points of Instruction
Because of travel conditions, allowance will be made both in coming and going for delays and hindrances. Start early and make sure of arriving on time. While on the journey use every opportunity to witness to all with whom you come in contact. Reflect the joyful spirit of those on their way to worship God, and carry a supply of booklets and literature to leave the Kingdom message with all showing interest. Be sure to report all placements. Be careful to carry with you all necessary registration and identifithem free. Theocratic educators will thus extend to persons of good-will the privilege of heeding the admonition of our Scriptural text for the month, “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” This text, Galatians 6: G, appears in the foreword of the question booklet for “The Truth Shall Make You Free”, enjoining those being visited to contribute or communicate good things in these study meetings, that they may be built up and in turn teach others.
Increased Opportunities In August
Many that would not ordinarily have the opportunity to engage in field activity during weekdays will find themselves with five days during the great assembly of God’s people, in which they may devote much time to field service in conjunction with all “united announcers”. The enthusiasm and stimulus there gained will be properly spent in zealous action on the part of all receiving such bounty at God’s hand. Not only will all share in field service at the convention cities, but, returning home, full of appreciation and gratitude and seeing more clearly than ever their position as announcers of God’s kingdom and educators in freedom, no one with any spark of love toward Jehovah will remain idle, but will put forth cation cards, also your ration books. Musicians should bring their instruments to Buffalo or whatever other convention city they attend. Go determined to share fully in service, some on the convention grounds, and all others zealously active in field service. Let the spirit of zeal for God and of co-operation with each other control all. and let each one go to the convention in faith that it will be the most blessed event in his life. We stand at the crossroads of world events. This convention will stand forth as a beacon guiding men into God's new world of life. Everyone who loves God will be there.
Additional Assembly Auditoriums ATLANTA, GEORGIA (Colored) Leete Halt, Old Clark University McDonough Blvd. S.E., at Capitol Ave.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON Finnish Hall, 1239 Washington St.
Bethel Closed for Convention Work
The Bethel home, factory and office will be closed from August 7 to August 23 inclusive. No orders will be filled or correspondence answered during this period. If you have some corresponding to do with this office, please forward it so as to reach here either before or after the above : period, but not during such.
energetic and faithful effort to engage in service as free educators.
August being the last month of the service year 1944, provides another reason why all will wish to join in the educational campaign; so we confidently look forward to having the greatest number of publishers in action for the year. Certainly no occasion was ever more fitting, nor the need greater than the present, for a peak number of publishers to manifest their gratitude to the Lord for all his benefits by communicating to others that which they have been taught. Without discounting the difficulties involved, every servant of Jehovah will diligently present the campaign literature during August, ever alert to observe and follow up all interest manifested by men of good-will by freely educating them in back-call book studies. No hindrance or obstacle will turn aside the zealous announcers and educators from their clearly outlined privileges.
June Report
PREVIOUS ALL-TIME PEAKS Publishers Av. Hrs. Av. B-C Sp'l P. 1,580 2/43 178.0 3/42 65.7 3/42
Gen. P. 5,322 8/43 151.3 5/44 38.8 4/44
Co. P. 66,079 4/43 20.3 6/40 4.610/40
June 1944 June 1943 Av. Av. Av.
Pubs. Hrs. B-C Hrs. B«C Sp’l Pios. 1,181 172.0 60.6 163.1
Gen. Pios. 3,302 149.9 37.8 119.7
C«. Pubs. 56,784 15.9 3.6 14.9
New Company Chart and Its Use
Most of the companies have by this time received their company chart for the service years 1945 and 194G. Detailed instructions have already gone forth to you on the sheet headed “Company Chart Instructions”. A careful study of this should be made by each company at the last service meeting in August. Thirty minutes should be set aside for this, and a capable brother should thoroughly consider this with the company assembled.
Bear in mind that this chart is prepared for your benefit. It is simple, easy to understand, and lays the facts clearly before you. That the full benefit of the chart may be derived by all, at the beginning of each month, after the previous month’s totals have been posted on the chart, a capable brother will consider the past month’s report, taking up the weak and the strong points, analyzing the activity of the company, comparing the month’s report with the previous year’s average monthly activity figure, and with the monthly quota, as well as other pertinent points relating to local Kingdom activity.
Establish Practical Individual Budget
During the coming month keep an accurate record of how you spend your time; that is, how much in Kingdom work, secular work, housework, etc. Then, at the end of the month, go over this record and see just what you accomplished; or, in other words, make a check-up on yourself. Using this month’s actual record as a basis, make a budget of your time for the coming month, striving to make it call for GO hours and no less than the average hour quota shown on the chart. Alongside this budget, keep actual record of how you have conformed to it, and, at the end of that month, again check up on yourself, and make proper adjustments for the coming month. Thus make your work progressive and systematic, and each month conform more and more to New World requirements. Carefully and conscientiously following through in this manner, we believe, will aid you to render your “reasonable service” unto the Lord.
August Report and Inventory
Included with this Informant all companies and pioneers will find an Inventory of Stock sheet. On August 28, 1944, a complete physical inventory of your stock on hand should be made in accordance with the Instructions appearing on your respective inventory sheets. Each company and pioneer should forward this inventory to the Society immediately after the close of the month’s activity. Each company publisher should see that his field reports are all turned in to the company no later than August 31, so that the company report can be compiled and forwarded as above. This would be a good time to audit all company accounts, too.
Course in Theocratic Ministry Embraces All Kingdom Activity
Field of Unlimited Service
During the month of September, which immediately follows the great United Announcers’ Theocratic Assembly, our calendar calls our attention to the fact that the item for consideration that month is “Course in Theocratic Ministry”. Quoting from Proverbs 9:9: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet w’iser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” Because of the great blessing the people of the Lord have received from tlie course In Theocratic ministry which is taken up regularly at each company meeting place, we are inclined to limit our conception of the Theocratic ministry to those meetings; whereas in truth and in fact tlie course in Theocratic ministry embraces the entire life and action of every consecrated creature on the Lord’s side. It is our life’s work.
Theocratic Ministry In Action
Prior to Armageddon particularly we must work at this job with great diligence. There are millions of people who must be ministered unto regarding The Theocracy. In this work all of the Lord’s consecrated people are instructors and counselors, and the people of goodwill upon whom they call are the student body. As these people of good-will increase in knowledge and understanding of The Theocracy they also become instructors and counselors in the great work of Theocratic ministry to others, and step by step this Theocratic ministry grows and expands until the mighty river of truth emanating from the throne flows outward and onward to become a mighty torrent engulfing every creature who will live.
The wise man says that this Theocratic work will benefit the wise and the just; for it states, “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will Increase in learning.” These wise and just people of good-will must be searched out and assisted. The Theocratic ministry work now going on at the various company headquarters and in some homes in each community will ultimately expand and embrace every home of every person of good-will until all who will live upon the earth have been reached.
This opens up to us the vast magnitude of the work ahead of us in this country and other countries where the surface has hardly been scratched to date. We must all give
Part-Counties That Have Not Been Worked Recently
There are a number of partcounties, particularly throughout the northern and western portions of the United States, that have not been witnessed to in recent years. There are people of good-will in these counties who need the provisions the Lord has made for them.
The obligation rests upon the servants of Jehovah to see that these provisions are not withheld from these people. This is isolated territory and naturally becomes the responsibility of general pioneer publishers. This group should carefully consider this territory and see what they can do toward carrying the Kingdom message to the people of good-will living there this summer and fall. Those who can accept this privilege should write the Society immediately, making a first and a second choice of the territory that they can care for. careful attention to the preparing of ourselves for this ministry by attending and participating regularly at the course in Theocratic ministry at the company headquarters and by regularly and faithfully applying the information gained in our house-to-house work, back-call work, and book studies.
Theocratic Ministry a Life Work
This life work must always be kept in the forefront. Everything else must take a secondary place. We must examine ourselves continually to see how we are discharging this ministry committed to our care. Everyone is required to analyze his activity in the territory assigned to him and ask, “Am I a dependable and efficient instructor and counselor to the people of good-will in the homes of my assignment? or do I simply go over the territory placing as much literature as I can and
neglecting to call back upon and assist those who manifest interest? Do I conscientiously use my House to House Record, keeping proper track of the Interest manifested so that I can give them the necessary attention?”
All of this is part of the Theocratic ministry and the stewardship coming to the Lord’s people at this time. Everyone must expand in accordance with the Theocratic requirements, just as the student enters college, takes his course, progressing from one class to another until he is graduated, and then is privileged to enter wider fields of service; so those attending the course in Theocratic ministry start out by enrolling, and attending and participating in the meetings. As they become more proficient they are given the privilege of instructing and counseling others within the company. This is only a miniature use of this training. Their big work is their counseling and instruction work that they do in the territory assigned to them aiding others to become more able ministers.
The Offer
During the month of September the combination to be used in this work is "The Truth Shall Make You Free”, Religion Reaps the Whirl wind, and The Coming World Regeneration, all on a contribution of 30c. These should be taken to the homes of the people and placed in their hands as directed by the Lord through His organization, and the people called back on and assisted in accordance with our Theocratic obligations.
PART-COUNTIES AVAILABLE 1934 IOWA: Palo Alto.
SOUTH DAKOTA: Jackson, Stanley.
1935 IOWA: Emmett. MONTANA: Blaine, Phillips. NEBRASKA: Wheeler PENNSYLVANIA: Montour. SOUTH DAKOTA: Cordon.
1936 MISSOURI: Ripley. VERMONT: Lamoille. WISCONSIN: Door.
IOWA- Ringgold.
MAINE: Knox, Somerset. MARYLAND: Worcester NEBRASKA: Greeley.
SOUTH DAKOTA: Dewey, Ziebach. WISCONSIN: Forest.
WYOMING: Campbell.
1938 ILLINOIS: Williamson. IOWA: Fayette.
MICHIGAN: Branch, Cheboygan. MINNESOTA: Benton.
MISSOURI: Iron, Madison, Monroe, Ozark, St. Clair, Sullivan.
NEW YORK: Franklin.
VERMONT: Addison, Chittenden.
Room for More Pioneers!
The Field Is Large and the Laborers Are Few
For several years a number of pioneers carried on the list did not appreciate the points clearly defined in Organization Instructions that all Theocratic publishers do the same work; that they are grouped according to the amount of time spent in tlie field; and that the requirement for general pioneers is 150 hours a month. (Anyone unable to meet that requirement is not a pioneer in the true sense of the w’ord, regardless of what list carries his name.) As a result, the average in hours for pioneers in the United States for the year 1943 was the lowest of any country. To remedy this situation a check-up was made and all those pioneers who were unable to be pioneers in fact were transferred to other service. This largely accounts for the drop in number of pioneers and also the splendid increase in hours, etc., in recent months.
Every six months a class of special publishers graduates from Gilead, and as the way opens up for them they are sent to fields of service in other lands, thus making room for more special publishers in the United States.
While the field has ever been large, and the laborers few’, today, more than ever before, there is room for those who are willing and aide to leave all anil become “fishers of men”; to become full-time teachers giving free education in freedom to men of good-will.
It Is Worth the Cost
All who have the glorious treasure of full-time service can truly testify that it is the thing dearest to their hearts. True, there are trials and obstacles peculiar to such a life of service; but is it not far better to suffer these for the privilege of full-time service than to suffer the trials associated with serving some worldly master? And while there are many who w’ould i give their right eye to be in the full-time service, but who cannot because of Scriptural obligations, there are also many who are so situated as to be able to be In the full-time service but lack the perception or the ability to see that the full-time service is for them. Are you among such?
The Lord, through the columns of The Watchtower, has, particularly in recent months, given us a greater appreciation of the value of the “glorious treasure of service” and the importance of the “foolishness l of preaching”. As we read and study these matters do w’e merely give a mental assent to them, or do we
----- believe witli the heart? If these wonderful truths sink down into our hearts, they will impel us to act in harmony with such belief by doing all the preaching we possibly can do, and by laying hold on that glorious treasure of service as fvl-as we can. For “if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them”.
Therefore let each company publisher take inventory of his situation and squarely ask himself: “Why am I not in the full-time service? Is it because of lack of faith that the Lord will carry out his promise to provide all things needful if I seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness? Is it lack of love for Jehovah, failing to appreciate what he has done for me and the privilege he extends to me? Am I really so weighted down w’ith such weights as the Scriptures recognize that I cannot enter the full-time service?” ‘Today if ye hear Phpips, । mg vOiCe, harden not your hearts,’ but heed the call and become a full-j time servant of Jehovah.
The Territory Servant
Far from being in possession of an ‘easy’ job of merely assigning or renewing a territory when desired by a publisher, the territory servant finds himself actually with the responsibility of seeing that the entire assignment of company territory is properly mapped out, divided, and assigned to company publishers in such a manner as to insure its thorough and systematic coverage in accordance with Organization Instructions. Like all other servants, he has excellent opportunity to demonstrate proper diligence in working an assignment of territory as an example in faithful field service.
Proper Division and Assignment
Large tracts of territory that cannot possibly be cared for by the publisher will be divided into portions properly suited to frequent going over; the ideal arrangement being that the individual publisher be assigned to his own territory with full responsibility to care for all door-to-door work, back-calling and magazine distribution therein. Book-study groups will also be assigned territories by the territory servant where all attending the study meeting may co-operate in stimulating interest and directing it to the study. Likewise, the territory not assigned to individual publishers will be carefully charted and prepared for company group witnessing, care being taken by the territory servant and back-call servant working in conjunction with each other to see that all back-calls in such assignment are issued and properly followed up.
The territory servant will also see that each issue of Kingdom News is used to prepare territory by advance distribution, that portion of territory about to be covered with literature being gone over a week in advance by a distribution of Kingdom News. To have a fully tabulated picture of conditions in the territory, the territory servant will see that diligent use of the House to House Record is made, the slips properly filled out being essential to efficient performance by the individual publisher in properly working his territory.
Check Kept on All Territories
Every three months all territories will be checked by the territory servant and back-call servant to determine tlie progress being made in the various localities. The number of times worked will be shown, four times each six months being the ideal aim. Of course, reassignment of territories for all so desiring will lie made immediately after cheeking. Company territories not being covered the required four times every six months will provide the territory servant excellent opportunity to appear before the company in service meetings to devise ways for increased co-operation of all in the company to remedy the situation. The same applies to business territory; he will see that it is properly looked after, being worked either by pioneers or by company publishers.
In this connection the territory servant will check the publishers’ record cards to determine whether the amount of time spent, the number of back-calls made and book studies being held, and the amount of literature being placed, are sufficient to properly care for the territory.
A neat map clearly showing the boundaries of all territories of the company will be displayed in the hall, and the territory servant will do all possible to see that the territories are worked by those to whom they are assigned.