Informant, January 1945
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INFORMANT
JANUARY, 1945
“Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations.”—Matt. 28: 19, A.S.V.
BROOKLYN, N. Y.
Salvation by “Foolishness of Preaching”
Twofold Evangel Begins in January
Public Meeting and “Watchtower” Campaigns
As the conflict for earth’s domination drags on year after year, those engaging therein are becoming weary and disillusioned. But not so with those who are fighting under the banner of Him who ‘in righteousness doth judge and make war’. Their warfare, though not with carnal weapons, is a real fight nevertheless, and, far from becoming weary of it and disillusioned, they welcome each new campaign and their confidence in the Theocratic cause becomes ever stronger. And why? Because they are being sustained by Jehovah's active force and see ever-increasing evidence that their cause is right and will triumph.
That is why the news that January would mark the beginning of two campaigns was received with such joy and enthusiasm by all who have enlisted under the Theocratic banner. Yes, January not only will begin the annual Watch tower subscription campaign, which will last four months this year, but will also see the beginning of the greatest public evangelizing work this earth has ever seen!
The “Watchtower” Campaign
The sixth Watchtower subscription campaign was by far the best we had ever had, and there is every reason to look forward to this (the seventh) one’s being still greater. However, for this to be the case, every company publisher, every general pioneer and every special pioneer will have to do his part from the first day of January to the last day of April. They will have to be subscription-conscious, consistently presenting the offer of a year’s subscription for The Watchtower, with the premiums of the new bound book “The Kingdom Is at Hand” and the new booklet “The Kingdom of God Is Nigh”, on a contribution of one. dollar, at every door in their house-to-house work. Where the subscription cannot be obtained, effort should be made to place the bound book and the booklet on a contribution of 25c; and where this cannot be done, try to leave at least the booklet. Nor will we overlook opportunities to present the subscription offer in our back-calls and at our book studies. Where these have already subscribed for The Watchtower, the Consolation magazine may be offered, even as other bound books and booklets may be presented with the subscription if they already have the latest ones. We will also be prepared to offer the subscription while engaged in the street magazine-work, and give those on our magazine routes the opportunity to avail themselves of the special offer. By so doing, we shall, in harmony with our text for the month (1 Cor. 1:21), be offering salvation to all by means of the “foolishness of preaching”.
Company publishers may retain 25c of each dollar contribution received, to cover the cost of the literature given with the subscription.
Public Meeting Campaign
However, beginning with January our offering salvation to those who will hear will not be chiefly confined to the house-to-house preaching, the back-call and book-study work, and the street and route magazine-work. Even as the apostles not only preached from house to house but also publicly, in the temple, synagogues, the Areopagus, and other places where people were wont to meet, so all of the Lord’s servants now will have the same opportunity by taking part in the great public meeting campaign.
For this to be a success, however, each and every one must put his shoulder to the wheel. The servants of the company who are charged with the burden of making the arrangements, lining up the locations and territories, procuring the halls, and providing contribution boxes for them, preparing the advertising and assigning the company publishers, will need to work diligently, ever looking to the Lord for wisdom to direct their activities. The brethren who will give the public talks will prepare these carefully, going over them before giving them in public, critically scrutinizing their notes for Scripturalness, logic, coherence, etc., and will time them so that they will neither take too long nor run short. They will give all they have both in the preparation and in the delivering of those talks, endeavoring to make them so clear, educational and convincing that the attendance of other publishers at the public meeting will be a joyful privilege, Interesting, enlightening, and stimulating to faith, instead of a mere duty.
With this Informant each company will receive two sets and each male pioneer one set of the outlines of the eight public talks to be given. The company servant will place one set of these outlines in the company files and the other set he will distribute to the brethren giving the talks, who will each make a copy of the outline for the talk to be given by him and return the original to the company servant. Also two sample announcements of each of the first four lectures (the other four will be sent later) and twenty order blanks are enclosed to assist in planning the advertising and in ordering the same. When further order blanks are needed, these may be ordered, and they will be sent with the regular company orders.
Increased Field-Service Opportunities
Every publisher in the company will arrange his affairs so as to be able to spend both Saturday and Sunday in the work of advertising the public meetings, if at all possi-1 le. On Saturday the publishers will be used primarily in advertising the public lecture by distributing the announcements on the streets and from store to store, engaging in the magazine work, and generally advertising the meeting in every way possible. Sunday morning announcements will be distributed from house to house in connection with the current Watchtower offer. Where this offer has already been presented, another may be used, preferably literature of which you have a large stock.
Individual Territories
While from now on the field service will to a large extent center itself around the public meeting campaign, this does not mean that all publishers will now give up their individual territory assignments. Not at all! They will continue to take care of their back-calls and book studies the same as before, and will witness therein from house to house during the week and at all such times as they are not able to assist in the united effort of advertising a public meeting.
Let all take part in the Watchtower and public meeting campaigns with zeal and enthusiasm, fully confident that these arrangements are of the Lord and that His blessing will be upon our efforts if we will but do our part. Let us answer the world’s charge that our activity is impractical, useless, just so much of the “foolishness of preaching”, by putting forth the greatest effort we have ever made in offering salvation to all who will hear.
Bethel Service
Bethel service has reference to full-time Kingdom service at any of the Society’s institutions. This service is available only upon acceptance of your written application. A new application form has been prepared and will be sent to anyone making request to
Watchtower,
President’s Office,
124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn 2, N. Y.
All applications for Bethel service filed prior to January 1, 1945, have been canceled; hence they must be renewed if such applicants desire Bethel service privileges.
As the Lord’s work requires, Bethel service assignments are offered to consecrated persons who seem to have the necessary qualifications to fill the places open. At the moment there are a few such opportunities for assignment of persons wholly devoted to the Lord and in full accord with His organization who are from 18 to 40 years of age. Of the persons within the age limits it is suggested that only single men and single women who are without dependents and expect to remain single this side of the divine mandate, as well as married couples without children or dependents, make request for applications at this time. In other words, all must be without
1945 Yearbook
In the 1945 Yearbook the Lord’s people are given a panoramic view of the Kingdom activity throughout the earth: the trials of His people, the difficulties with which they have to contend, their victories, and their hopes for the future. Each consecrated servant of the Lord is keenly interested in these experiences and will live them anew as he reads them in the Yearbook, because they are his experiences. No one can afford to miss a sentence of this remarkable report presented by the president.
You will note the Macedonian call for Gileadite assistance coming from all over the earth—South America, the remote Islands of the seas, and other places where the Kingdom message has been preached to some extent. There the brethren and the good-will interest are anxious to serve, but lack proper organization. They await further instructions. Such organization and instructions will be supplied by the Lord through his Theocratic organization. These experiences not only are inspiring as we read them individually, but are very edifying and inspiring to study collectively at our service meetings.
So, throughout the year, portions of the Yearbook will be recommended for consideration at the service meeting. For the month of January, 1945, that portion appearing on page 12 under the heading “Let Your Light Shine” will be considered. Take up the entire subheading, up to page 15. One week prior to the time when this material will be considered, announcement will be made to that effect at the service meeting and everyone be urged to read and study that material. A competent brother will have been assigned to handle that portion of the service meeting. He should have one or more questions on each paragraph, to bring out the vital points. He should encourage discussion from the floor, and. in conclusion, read each paragraph, until the assignment is completed. In this way the experiences of our brethren throughout the earth may be made profitable and helpful to each company organization.
November Report
PREVIOUS ALL-TIME PEAKS
Sp’l Pios. Gen. Pios. Co. Pubs.
Publishers 1,580 2/43 5,322 8/43
66,079 4/43
Av. Hrs.
178.0 3/42
151.3 5/44
20.3 6/40
Av. B-C
65.7 3/42
39.0 10/44
4.6 10/40
Nov. 1944
Nov.
Av.
Av.
Av.
Av.
Pubs.
Hrs.
B-C
Hrs.
B-C
Sp’l
Pios.
1,172
171.7
61.7
162.5
54.4
Gen.
Pios.
3,073
145.3
38.9
114.9
28.6
Co.
Pubs.
55,190
14.6
3.9
15.3
3.6
encumbrances and free to serve in whatever capacity the Society directs, and for as long as the Lord’s service demands. If you can meet these requirements you are invited to request an Application for Bethel Service and file your application at the president’s office.
“Theocratic Servants” Testimony Period Triple Feature—“Watchtower” Campaign, Public Meeting Campaign, and New Booklet
Prepare Yourself for This Great Work
Theocratic servants of Jehovah are privileged now to have part in the most important and vital work on the face of the earth, the preaching of “thin gospel” announcing that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. Today the “one government” of the New World is established and directing its interests on earth. All indications point to the greatest period of field service, world-wide, that has ever taken place. February, 1945, the "Theocratic Servants” Testimony Period, is literally “bulging with privileges” for the Theocratic servant. Just what special privileges are offered?
Public Meeting Campaign
The widespread public meeting campaign, inaugurated the first of January, will be well under way in practically all companies throughout the country. The servants in the company will have obtained the necessary hall or halls, etc., for the public meetings, and the speakers will have been selected. By now, your order for handbills has likely been forwarded to the office at Brooklyn. Publishers will have been assigned to their particular public meeting. In general, everything should be in readiness for the first week-end of activity in this new work as far as the servants are concerned. The publisher must prepare, too; for it is the publisher that plays the key role in the Kingdom work of crying out the call, “The kingdom is at hand."
Saturday’s activity should be confined primarily to the distribution of the handbills. Be sure to cover all business establishments in the Saturday distribution, contacting the manager of the establishment and all those employed, if at all possible. Also, the magazine work will lie engaged in, and the handbills will be distributed to those that show interest on the street. Sunday's work will be with the February presentation as given below, along with the distribution of the handbills. Where possible, arrange to aid the interested to come to the meeting, furnishing transportation. When they are there, make them feel at home, and answer their questions.
The booklets to be presented at the conclusions of the respective public meetings are:
"Will Man Succeed as a World-Builder?” rcace-Can It Last?
“Escape Destruction in the Coming Crisis,” Freedom in the Neie World:
"Two Worlds in Final War,” The Coming World Regeneration :
"A United World Under Theocratic Huie,” One World, One. Government :
“•Thy Kingdom Come’ When?" "The Kingdom of God IsXigh": "Education for Life,” Theocracy: "The Bible Spotlight on Religion,”
Hope:
"Religion’s Harvest." Religion Reaps the Whirlwind.
All Theocratic publishers assigned to a particular public meeting may count the time as field service while at the meeting. Therefore, you are on duty to look after the new interest at the public meeting.
"Watchtower” Campaign Continued
Closely knit with the public meeting campaign is the 1945 Watchtower Campaign. February marks the second month of such. The offer is the Watchtower magazine on the regular subscription rate of $1.00, with the new book “The Kingdom Is at Hand" and the new booklet One World,, One Government as a premium. If they do not wish the subscription, then drop to the book and booklet on a contribution of 25c. If they do not wish this, leave the booklet with them on a contribution, but if they are unable to contribute leave it with them if they will promise to read it.
“One World, One Government”
This new 32-page booklet is to be initially distributed beginning February 1. It is literally packed with Theocratic information for those who wish to call on the name of Jehovah and serve him unitedly according to his will. It so completely refutes the centuries-old stand of old-world religious, political, and commercial organizations that they can eventually ‘lift themselves by their own bootstraps’ and build a new and better world founded on moral principles. Not only does it show the fallacy of the claims of the worldly-wise men (fools), but, more important, it points out with surety that the one world under the one (Theocratic) government of righteousness is the certain destiny of all men of good-will. This booklet is of such vital concern and importance at this time that it should be gotten into the hands of every person in your territory who can and will read it. The Society has arranged to print 10,000,000 copies of this booklet. These ten million copies should go in a hurry. To do it will require that each pioneer endeavor to distribute 1,000 copies and each company publisher 100 copies thereof, beginning February 1. The booklet has not been and will not be consigned. Each pioneer and company should order the necessary supply immediately, if such has not already been done. We shall endeavor to get (hem to you in time for the beginning of the campaign; but if you delay ordering they will likely be late in reaching you.
The day is drawing near when Jehovah will “rise up to the prey” at Armageddon. Before that day, the discipling of the nations must take place. In concentrated form this work is beginning. Do your part, and thus call on the name of the Lord, publish Ills name. He has given us a “pure lip", the language of the truth, and our privilege is to speak this language, that "they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent”, just as vou, the publisher, are doing now. —Zeph. 3:9, .l.S.B.
Publications Out of Stock
All book folders. (The Society will not print any more.)
The new, No. 11, American Standard Version Bible will be out of stock until further notice.
Special Privilege of Service
The Society will require considerable assistance in order to properly print and distribute the public-meeting announcements for the special campaign.
Any brethren who have printing facilities and would like to do some printing for companies in their vicinity should immediately notify the Society. Please submit the following information: Are your presses capable of printing the regular-size handbill 3j''x54"? How many of these are you able to print each month, considering they will generally be runs of 1,000 to 25,000 for each company? Are your facilities
Rearrangement of Servant to the Brethren Activity
It seems to be the Lord’s will at the present time that the Kingdom service should go forward with greater impetus and force. The kingdom of heaven is at hand; therefore it is necessary that an enthusiastic witness to that effect be given throughout the world.
To assist the companies and others of the Lord’s people in that respect the servant to the brethren activity is being rearranged and increased approximately fifty percent. Instead of having the servant to the brethren stay with the company one, two or three days, as has been the case in the past and as outlined in Organization Instructions. beginning February 1, 1945. companies of 1 to 18 publishers will receive a two-day service, companies of from 19 to 5(1 will receive three days’ service, companies of 51 to 100 will receive 6 days, and companies of 101 and over will receive a two-week appointment.
The object of this rearrangement is to enable the brethren to stay with the company sufficiently long to co-operate with them and aid them in their book studies, back-call work, and other field activity, as well as to instruct the servants on these points. He will go with as many of the brethren as possible in their back-call work and in their studies and suggest ways and means of arranging such back-calls and studies and conducting them effectively. When the servant to the brethren is in a company he will act as company servant for the entire time, making arrangements for the service meeting and other features of the Kingdom work. He will demonstrate to and instruct the regular servants on all features of the service actively as well as check all company records as at present. He is to give particular attention to the service meeting, showing how to arrange and conduct such a meeting, providing for the consideration of Informant articles, demonstrations, and other essential features that go to make a service meeting Theocratic and profitable to all the Lord's people.
He will not conduct the Watchtower study or Theocratic Ministry, however, but the appointed servants will conduct these meetings as usual. He will counsel and instruct them as at present. In the Theocratic Ministry, after each six-minute talk the regular counselor will counsel the speaker, after which the servant to the brethren will offer suggestions to both the speaker and the counselor, and at the conclusion he will give such counsel and instruction to the Theocratic Ministry instructor regarding the entire service as may be necessary. At the conclusion of the Watchtower study he will offer such suggestions to the Watchtower study conductor as will help improve that meeting.
In some cases it may be necessary for a servant to spend more than two weeks with a company. In that event the company and the servant to the brethren will be advised by the Society. In addition to the foregoing the servant to the brethren will, of course, participate in the public meeting campaign as outlined in the instructions pertaining to that branchy of the service.____
such as to enable you to accept orders direct from the companies of Jehovah's witnesses and print, wran and mail out the finished handbills direct to the companies? Can yon obtain the necessary newsprint paper and complete the handbill by preparing the type and printing in name, place, and time, if the Society submits the cuts for the title?
We should appreciate hearing immediately from all brethren who are in position to undertake any of this work.
Book Study Conductors
In order to build up each other in the faith and to form fully-equipped units of publishers that may operate in field service from various centers throughout a company’s assigned territory, it is essential that God’s people so assemble in book-study meetings and that the duly appointed study conductors co-operate with such groups by leading them forth in regular Kingdom activity.
Complete instructions have been published by the Society as to the proper method of conducting a book study for the profit of all in attendance ; and, by entertaining one or two brief comments on each printed question, having one scripture cited in the Question booklet read in support, and having the paragraph from the textbook read in summation. a conductor is enabled to cover eight pages a lesson, thus preventing the meeting from dragging. In addition, the conductor of all company studies will exercise courtesy, kindness and patience in dealing with those studying, and where individuals do not conform to the specified requirements of study procedure, the conductor will firmly and tactfully refuse to depart from the proper course, and time may be spent after the meeting in answering side questions or ironing out other difficulties.
The attendants of a company study under the leadership of the appointed conductor are privileged to engage in group witnessing to locate others of good-will and invite them to study with and eventually associate themselves with the Lord’s people in Kingdom service. Literature under the care of the conductor will be kept at tlie meeting place; and as the present piublic-meeting campaign increases the various study groups will be able to work together.
All Publishers Becoming Study Conductors
As all God's people attain maturity in knowledge and field activity they go forth unto others with the glad tidings even to the point where they form study meetings with them, and thus the term “study conductor” is reaching out so as to include every zealous witness who is seeking to hold at least one book study a week with someone of good-will. It is becoming more and more apparent (hat by reason of the complete provision of the Lord’s organization for this line of activity every publisher can qualify and serve as a study conductor in aiding those of good-will to learn the truth.
The study questions are all prepared, scriptures already found, and the answer to the question contained in the paragraph of the textbook. No publisher, therefore, need be fearful of being unable to answer questions that might be put to him by others. The entire provision has been made, by the Lord’s grace, and each one, by faithful use of it, can prosper in this joyful feature of service. Where interest is found and a study started, the continuance of the study depends largely on the earnestness and thoroughness of the publisher in developing that interest : so necessarily the publisher will prepare as thoroughly as possible for the lesson. Then if the interested person does lose interest in time, the publisher should not be unduly discouraged. If the publisher has given the best he has, he has done his part.
Do not drop a study if someone attends a company meeting or two, but aid all new interest to become strong enough to continue in the right way. The line must not be drawn too finely between new interest and those beginning to associate. Use the study conductor slips to report on all such studies. However, studies of parents at home with children or with confined publishers are not so reported.