Informant, January 1944
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INFORMANT
JANUARY, 1944
“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God.”—Ps. 143; 10
BROOKLYN, N. Y.
Continue Keeping Truths!
Jehovah’s Purpose Shall Be Sustained
January Activities Should Increase and Prosper
“There is no furlough in war.” With this principle in mind, the members of the Free Nation and their associates press forward. Although having just finished another Testimony Period, proving themselves “more than conquerors”, there is yet much work to be done.
The offer for the month of January is the book “The Truth Shall Make You Free” and the booklet Freedom in the New World, on a 25c contribution. If your stock of this is depleted, use the latest book you have until your new supplies arrive. When making your first back-call on the book obtainers, be sure to present the Study Questions booklet and show them its advantages.
Those companies who have a supply of the 1944 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses, above the needs of those associated with the company, should arrange to distribute these during January to those persons of good-will who are interested in the truth, at the rate of 50c.
Company Organization
The servants of the company should serve their brethren. Territory should be lined up, giving particular attention to that city and business territory not already worked with the latest book. January provides an excellent opportunity to thoroughly work this, especially the business. Group witnessing should be arranged for those brethren who are unable to hold an individual assignment. Group back-call arrangements should also be made to call back within the month on those book obtainers, by the same group. Perhaps demonstration at service meetings could be given to aid this, showing the presentation of the book and the directing of their attention to pages 375-370 of the book, and then the follow-through back-call, using the Study Questions booklet.
Personal Publisher Organization
In order to be assured of sustaining your purpose for the month, prepare. Do not leave matters to chance. Obtain territory near your home. See that you have an adequate supply of literature and Kinp-dom News. Your phonograph should be supplied with records and needles. Have your Testimony Card properly filled out and signed. Your Jehovah’s Servants Defended booklet should be available. Get back-call slips, followup reports, House to House Record forms, book marks, and other personal witnessing equipment, handy for use. Do not always have to ‘search’ for these before you go witnessing. Keep all instruments in ‘firing position’ and confine your ‘searching’ to the territory. Further, budget your time. Be systematic and arrange for a dependable schedule
and then follow it out. Routine accomplishes the real work.
The most important part of the personal preparation is your own study, mental preparation. Be able to discuss the message intelligently. Know the contents of the publications you offer. Have clearly in mind what you want to tell the people concerning the literature, arrange it in logical order, and then present that, brief though you may be, to the best advantage. In order that you may be an able minister, always ready for defense, a thorough knowledge and understanding of the contents of the booklet Freedom of Worship is necessary: hence, advance study.
This preparation cannot be done by any other than the individual Kingdom publisher, and we feel sure that each one will gladly do this, ever appreciating the serious work ahead. Of course, when made, this must be carried out. However, It is first realizing the purpose, and then making practical preparation for upholding that purpose, that will sustain it. This will bring Jehovah’s blessing, and the prosperity of increase will result. Concerning this, the October 1 Watchtower says:
“As Jehovah’s witnesses, in obedience to his command to preach, have gone to as many of the nations as they could penetrate by personal house-to-house witnessing, and by printed page, radio, telephone, and underground, our only Lord God has added to the nation. . . . The increasing of the Lord’s Nation has therefore not yet reached to the populousness he lias decreed for it be-
fore Armageddon finishes off the envious opposers of such increase. The increase thus far is to Jehovah’s glory.”
November Report
Tlie field service report for November, 1943, which appears below, ! should be carefully considered by leach individual publisher as well as by the company at the service meeting. It is better than the previous November's report; however, having in mind the April peak, the report shows that there still are a considerable number who permit a month to slip by without once heeding the call for service. Each publisher should resolve to be a tegular publisher and not to let a week go by without participating in some feature of the field service, even though it be only for an hour, and then report same. Did you do your part in November? What are you doing now? Make January the best!
PREVIOUS ALL-TIME PEAKS
Pubs.
Company Pubs.
66,079
20.3
4.6
Apr. ‘43
June '40
Oct. ’40
Company Pioneers
90,000 Book Studies a Week!
Conduct Your Quota of Book Studies
During the year 1943 there were, on an average, 40,000 book studies conducted every week. This is very gratifying indeed, and the brethren who conducted these studies received a rich blessing from the Lord. The coming year, 1944, promises to be far greater in this vitally important feature of the witness work. It may well be stated that book studies are the most important part of the witness work today, as it is there that the work of “free education for men of good-will” is most effectively carried on. Here is where, through His Word and the Watchtower publications, the people learn the Lord's requirements and how to properly serve him. Everyone should concentrate on starting and conducting book stt'dies. Let every placement and every effort in other features of the work be a step in the direction of starting a book study.
To accomplish this effectively each publisher should set a goal and strive to attain it. To aid each one in this respect the following quotas in back-call book studies for all Kingdom publishers have been set forth. The special pioneers will strive for a goal of at least one back-call book study each day, or seven studies a week; general pioneers. a goal of at least four back-call book studies a week; and company publishers, at least one back-call book study a week, during the coming year. If this schedule is kept it will mean that between 85.000 and 90,000 studies in the book “The Truth Shall Make You Free” will be conducted every week in the United States.
ies by simply following the questions in the Question booklet and the paragraphs in the book. Everyone can conduct book studies, and you will be amazed at how many studies you can start by merely being “study-minded”. Make every statement and every placement one step in the direction of starting a book study. Merely placing literature does not free men of good-will from the bondage of religion; it requires book studies. It is as much your covenant obligation to the Lord to conduct book studies as it is to engage in the regular house-to-house witness work.
The quota for book studies is a righteous requirement of the Lord. If all publishers will conduct their quota of book studies, then they will | be better able to make their quota I in back-calls, as every individual | study can be reported as a back-call j each week. This should also see the , back-call average increase considerably. Let us all keep our quota for studies uppermost in mind during this year and carry the ‘truth that makes free’ into every home possible. Remember, “90,000 book studies a WEEK !”
Consider 1944 Yearbook in Service Meetings
That every publisher may be thoroughly familiar with what is being
done i keep it is pany pages
in conducting studies and may a check on his own activity, recommended that each com-consider the 1944 Yearbook, ; 66-67, on “Book Studies”, for
at least twenty minutes of a service meeting in January. It should also be referred to from time to time throughout the year. The company servant will assign in advance some capable brother to consider this section of the Yearbook. This brother will then prepare for this portion of the meeting, and the company will be advised in advance what is going to be considered. He will arrange to bring out all the points mentioned in the Yearbook article. The Yearbook will not be read in service meetings; the entire discussion should be extemporaneous.
The progress of the local company in number of publishers conducting book studies should be mentioned
6,7riIOJueiyrS’43 !lnd compared with the above quotas, 138.2 July ’42 1 and plans be made to bring the com-
Nov. 1943 Av. Av. Pubs. Hrs. B-C 54,165 15.3 3.6
6,085 125.6 34.3
39.3 Apr. '42 pany activity up to the quotas. Book
Nov. 1942
Av. Av. Hrs. B-C 14.6 3.2
120.5 32.3
studies can be carried on even when it is difficult to engage in other features of the service. Some children, as well as adults, can conduct stud
Theocratic Ministry Library
The “Course in Theocratic Ministry” has been in operation in most companies nearly one year. The enrollment generally is very gratifying and the progress made by the individuals applying themselves to the course is very marked, and clearly shows the Lord’s blessing upon their efforts. Our younger brethren not only are better publishers, but also excel in their school work as a result of this course.
One drawback that some brethren encountered was the lack of proper reference works. To overcome this, many companies have installed what they call a “Theocratic Ministry Library” at the company headquarters. This library is accessible to all the brethren at certain convenient times, usually Saturday afternoon and evening before and after magazine street work, and at other times mutually agreed upon.
This library usually contains a complete set of the current hooks from The Harp of God to “The Truth Shall Make You Free"; a complete set of the booklets; a file of the Watchtower and Consolation magazines (they generally take these copies from their distributors’ supply) ; a good concordance and a Bible dictionary ; as many different translations of the Bible as they can obtain ; a good dictionary; some good books on composition, outlining and grammar, and any other material that will assist the brethren in their studies. These books are marked “The Property of the ________________________
Company of Jehovah’s witnesses". Many local brethren who have such works contribute them to the library for the benefit of the company. The Society is in full accord with and thoroughly approves these arrangements.
(Continued on page 2, column 4)
“Feed the Flock” Testimony Period
How to Plan a Service Meeting
Education in God’s Word
Watchtower Campaign Begins
How fitting the name “Feed the Flock” Testimony Period I For many years past Jehovah God iias fed his “little flock”, and educated them in his Word, using as his instrument The Watchtower. In recent years that food has been extended to the “other sheep”, the "stranger” outside of the “little flock”, by means of an extensive offer of The Watch tower to such ones. February 1944 marks the beginning of another Watchtower Campaign, this time to be more extensive than ever before The “elders" (those of the remnant), the mature “Jonadabs”, and the servants in the companies will take the lead in this campaign and will “feed the flock” of God among you in your own individual territories. The tremendous proportions that this campaign will reach are well indicated by the quota the Society has set: for The Watchtower alone, 100,000 new subscriptions. So you see, brethren. it will require real hard work and organization.
Make Full Preparations Now
That we may press forward with unbroken ranks, the company organizations and the individual publishers composing such will of necessity need to get “streamlined” for this special campaign. Company servants, each acquaint yourself thoroughly with the work to be done during this campaign, and see also that each of the servants assisting \ on is well acquainted with his respective duties. The servants or “elders” will first take the lead in I he field, but their additional responsibilities and privileges, such as office work, must be taken care of also. The assistant company servant should have plenty of Subscription Record Sheets on hand. Also, see that plenty of Watchtower and Consolation subscription slips are provided for the publishers. The back-call servant will thoroughly check his files and get them in readiness for the campaign. See that each present subscriber and each back-call name in the file is given an opportunity to get The Watchtower. rlTie stock servant should see that plenty of stock is on hand or, if not on hand, should arrange with the company servant to immediately order a good supply of the needed publications for this campaign. The territory servant will see that each territory in the company is thoroughly worked at least two times during the campaign. The advertising servant should check immediately upon receipt of this Informant and see that an order is sent in for sufficient additional distributors’ copies of The Watchtower and Consolation to supply the publishers with plenty of sample copies for the door-to-door work with the campaign offer. This order should reach Brooklyn by the 10th of January. Also, see that all phonographs available in the company are put to use, and all records, particularly the "Instruction” (P-154) record. Push the doorstep setup.
The offer will be The Watchtower for one year (at the regular rate) with a gift of a book and a booklet. Offer “The Truth Shall Make 'You Free” and Freedom in the Few World first. If they have these, then offer The Few World or some other book and booklet. If their Watchtower renewal is due, offer to renew it at the regular rate, find then offer Consolation at the campaign rate. The special offer does not apply to renewal subscriptions. The campaign offer is good for all foreign-language subscriptions, giving a subscription and a book and booklet at the regular subscription rate for such language.
Directions
Space will not permit detailed instructions here. However, the February, 1943, Informant article on “Timely Directions for Sending in Subscriptions” should be thoroughly covered during a service meeting in January.
Let every publisher walk close to the Lord and His organization and redeem the time. Withhold not the food from the scattered flock, but feed them I Use your freedom to show the ungathered flock how they can make their break for solid ground and substantial food under The Theocracy. Faithful elders, "feed the flock” I Let all other publishers follow their example!
Open Pioneer Territory
Today there are many people who are ‘seeking after God, if haply they may find him’, who have not yet been reached by the good news of Jehovah’s kingdom. This is so even in the United States, where the ratio of publishers to the population is approximately one to two thousand. True, if all the publishers were evenly distributed, and if all the pioneer and company publishers engaged regularly in the house-to-house work and made diligent efforts to meet their quotas, the accessible population of this country would come fairly close to being covered four times in six months.
But the publishers are not evenly distributed and many are not meeting the requirements. As a result, there are sections of the country (counties and small cities) that, year after year, are not receiving proper attention. Through the “special publisher” arrangement practically all of the isolated cities of four thousand or more population have been witnessed to at least four times. But for isolated counties and cities under four thousand, the witness depends upon general pioneers.
We feel sure that there are many general pioneers who would be glad to fill this breach of isolated territory so long idle, if they had more information on the matter, particularly the location and the length of time since it was last witnessed to. Many of these counties have towns with populations ranging from 2,000 to 3,500, which general pioneers with only limited facilities could easily work. For the benefit of all who would like to respond to the call for service where the need is greatest, we are beginning, with this issue of the Informant, to publish a list of counties available, showing the location and the date last covered. When making request, please give two or three selections, as others may also be considering the same. Also state who will work with you in the assignment and when you will begin to work. 11’110 will respond with, “Here am I; send me”?
KENTUCKY: Cumberland.
KENTUCKY: Casey VIRGINIA: Accomac.
ALABAMA: Clay, Peny, Wa.-.h)ngbin GEORGIA: Gilmer, Peach.
Advance Preparation Necessary
The service meeting should be one of the most interesting meetings held by’ a company of the Lord's people. The very name “service meeting” suggests a meeting that, above all, stresses service. It is the one meeting that applies in a practical manner the information contained in the columns of The Watchtower. It aids us as Jehovah’s servants to effectively’ carry out our covenant obligations in a manner pleasing to the Almighty God and in harmony with his visible organization on earth. It is one of the most important meetings held by’ the company, and, for this reason, should be carefully planned in advance.
The Central Theme
The main thing around which a service meeting should be centered is, of course, the Informant. All ar-tides appearing in the Informant should be carefully studied at the service meeting. They are to be discussed thoroughly, and then tiie information contained therein applied locally. The publishers should be shown how that information affects them as individuals and how it will aid the company as a whole in its service activities. As soon as the Informant is received, the company servant should go over all the material and plan the order in which each article is to be used during the month. If the main article is one dealing with the current Testimony period, this article should be considered at the beginning of the Testimony period, so that the publishers will be thoroughly’ familiar with the offer and be ready to start off the campaign with all the zeal and enthusiasm they can muster.
The company servant should strive for good continuity throughout the service meeting. One subject should logically lead into the one following. If at all possible the brethren assigned parts on the service meeting should get together with the company servant and discuss their assignments in advance so that they will harmonize. As an example of continuity’: The need might arise to show the publishers their individual covenant obligations. First, the territory servant could be assigned to discuss from Organization Instructions that portion dealing with
KENTUCKY: Hart, Menifee, Monroe, Nelson.
MISSISSIPPI: Tunica.
TENNESSEE: Van Buren.
WEST VIRGINIA: Hardy.
ALABAMA: Bullock, Lauderdale, Randolph
GEORGIA: Cherokee, Coweta, Dawson, Liberty, Rabun, Upson.
KENTUCKY: Grayson, Mai shall, Morgan, Todd, Wolfe.
LOUISIANA’ Lincoln, St Mat tin.
MISSISSIPPI: Lincoln, Warren.
NORTH CAROLINA: McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey.
TENNESSEE: Bledsoe, Chester, Giundy, Lewis, Obion, Unicoi.
TEXAS: Donley, Fayette.
VIRGINIA: Bath, Lee.
ALABAMA: Bibb, Ctxba, Madison
ARKANSAS’ Izard, Sevier, Sharp, Stone.
FLORIDA: Libeity.
GEORGIA: Baker, Banks, Bittrow, Beiiien, Bryan, Cook, Franklin, Glascock, Hancock, Jack;on, Jefferson, Long, Murray, Oglethorpe, Pickens, Stewart, Taliaferro, Tajlor, Walton, Wilkes
KENTUCKY: Adair, Carter, Crittenden, Elliott, Green, Lee, Livingston, Lyon, Mr( reaty, McLean, Mercer, Powell, Pulaski, Russell, Union, Washington, Wavin', Webster.
LOUISIANA: Assumption, Giant, La Fourphe, Red River, St Maty
MISSISSIPPI: Claiborne. Holmes, Jefferson, Leflure, Pontotoc, Sliaikey, Union, Yalobusha.
NORTH CAROLINA: Jackson, Swain
TENNESSEE’ Andetson, Blount, Crockett, Decatur, Fayette, Fetitre&<. Giles. Hancock, Hajwood, Henrj,
Johnson, Lincoln, McMinn, McNany, Marshall, Meigs Monroe, Overton, Pickett, Stewart, Tipton, Wayne
TEXAS. Andrew*, Borden, Burleson. Crane, Crockett, Franklin, Hopkins. Kimblf*, Martin, Ochiltree, Pecos, Reeves, San Jacinto, Terrell, Titus.
VIRGINIA: Floyd, Cairo]]. Richmond
WEST VIRGINIA: Tyler. individual territories, calling to mind the publisher's obligation before the Lord to hold an individual assignment, regardless of how small, and to work that diligently, four times in six months; outlining how this can be accomplished. Then the stock servant could continue and briefly outline the offer for the month, using a demonstration to show how it is presented at the door with the doorstep setup, etc. Then the back-call servant could conclude by’ showing that the holding of an individual territory and working it from door to door is only the beginning of the publisher’s responsibility. That, to work this individual territory properly, these placements must be followed up with back-calls and book studies in order to actually carry this “free education for men of good-Yvill” directly to them in their homes.
The Chart and the Poster
Another thing that should be used at service meetings is the company chart. Each month the company's activity’ should be analyzed, using the chart to compare your present activity witli that of previous months, and your present activity with tiie quota your company’ set. Then try’ to increase the service record of your company. Also, posters that the Society sends out should be discussed and the important service features portrayed there brought to the fore. Here the use of good supporting scripture is invaluable. Information contained in the*front of the Yearbook can be utilized to a good advantage, as well as points brought out in the Course in Theocratic Ministry. From time to time Freedom of Worship (as outlined in December Informant) and Jehovah's Servants Defended should be considered.
With these points In mind, and with a careful planning ahead of time, the service meeting will become one of the most interesting meetings held by the company and will be a real aid to the brethren to see and grasp their service opportunities.
(Continued from page 1, column .})
Books Going Out of Stock
company. When these publications
Due to the shortage of paper, and in view of the need of printing only the newer publications for distribution in the field at this time, it will be Impossible for the Society to keep in stock indefinitely’ in English tiie books mentioned below. Some are already out of stock at Brooklyn; but many of the companies have a few of these publications on hand. If any of the brethren desire to have a full set of books from The Harp of God to “The Truth Shall Make You Free” for their use in reference work it would be well for such to try’ to obtain the books they need now from tiie stock servant in the go out of stock it yvill probably’ be impossible for you to obtain them. The books that are or will be out of stock within tiie next few months, according to present movement, are as follows:
| The Harp of God ■ Deliveiance
Creation Reconciliation Government Lite
Prophecy
Light 1
Light 2
Vindication 1
Vindication 2
Vindication 3 Pieservatiou Preparation Jehovah Riches
This announcement is now made for the benefit of those yyIkj might want copies of certain books to com-| plete their personal reference librar-i les or company libraries. Companies Yvill continue to distribute io the ' public the stocks they have ou hand.