Informant, September 1946
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“Be glad, ye nations, with his people.”—Rom. 15: 10, Roth.
SEPTEMBER, 1946
BROOKLYN, N.Y.
Feasters’ Purge Against Religion
Glad Nations Feasters Will Respond with Unflagging Zeal
Not an Idle Hand
The ‘Glad Nations Assembly’ is now a matter of history; but what a wealth of aid, instructions and inspiration remain! There Jehovah brought His people together, not just to feed to satiation on all the fat things provided, but to 'equip them for every good work'. His ministers now stand immeasurably improved and fired with zeal to increase their Kingdom activity to degrees never before attained. Just as in Hezekiah's day when the Israelites returned from their glad assembly to war against and crush out all the God-dishonoring practices of religion in Judah and Ephraim, so now. everyone who loves Jehovah will engage in unrestricted gospel-preaching out of sheer gratitude for all His loving-kindness.
Second Chronicles 31 : 1 (Hezekiah’s purge against religion) has been chosen for our inspiration and guidance in Kingdom service during September. What a happy sequel that was to their joyful assembly for the trim worship of Jehovah ' How glad they must have been to smash the religious idols, cut down the groves, scatter the false priests, and raise up the true worship of the great Creator! What a joyful prospect opens up to us now that we can respond in similar maimer to what we have received at God's gracious hands! Surely there will not be an idle hand during September, the beginning of our new service year's activity. Rather there will be such a burst of activity that earth will ring with Jehovah's praise.
How All Will Participate
The Glad Nations Assembly provided instruction and equipment for all to share fully in every avenue of Kingdom service. The servants of God are steadily increasing in their ability to take part in every good work. First there is the door-to-door activity. During September the booklet campaign will roar through to a climactic conclusion augmented by the inclusion of a bound book with a ten-booklet combination on a contribution of 50c. Other combinations can also be offered as shown in the August Informant, and with a spe
“The Messenger”
A 48-Page Tabloid Convention Newspaper
The Glad Nations Theocratic Assembly was also different from others in recent years inasmuch as the Lord's people assembled there were pretty well self-contained, even to the extent of having their own newspaper, The Messenger, five issues of which were released during the convention.
The information contained in each issue is intensely interesting to the Lord’s people. It covered not only the talks, but also contained detailed descriptions of the various branches of the convention activity,
cial effort most companies can place most of their booklet stock with the truth-hungry people. These literature combinations provide an excellent variety of offers, and experienced publishers can now extend a helping hand to all newly interested ones, taking them from door to door, showing them how to leave the message of truth with the people and follow up all interest with back-calls and book studies.
We have literature that was obtained at the Assembly also. The wonderful new book “Let God Be True” is just the thing for placing with back-call interest and starting back-call book studies. Copies of The Messenger can be distributed, too, so that men may be informed of what Jehovah is doing for his people. Magazine distribution, of course, will receive a tremendous impetus by reason of the new magazine Awake! and thus still another avenue of service opens up invitingly for all to enter. In addition to street and route work, this magazine should be distributed in evening house-to-house work. Use this new provision freely to awaken the people that want to come on God's side and live.
Still further, we received abundant counsel for our aid in Theocratic preaching; so now, “equipped for every good work," Jehovah's able ministers will take up the public meeting activity with renewed vigor. Keep all public lectures up-to-date, combining the newest information from God’s channel of truth with current happenings in the earth. Do your part faithfully in making the public meetings beneficial, and the Lord will bless the results to Ilis praise.
Co-ordinate Proper Instruction with Zealous Field Service
All features of company meeting activity were ably demonstrated at the Glad Nations Assembly. Follow those patterns and instructions closely and every publisher will increase in preaching efficiency. Remember our Resolution, be fearless against world conspiracy, become equipped for every good work. Let God be true, and serve Him with unflagging zeal during September, the “Feasters' Purge Against Religion”.
and a description of the Kingdom activity world-wide as it is conducted under the various branches of the Lord's organization. All five issues are now prepared in a 48-page tabloid newspaper for the convenience of the brethren. This not only will make a very fine reference work tor those who attended the convention, but will also be of real interest to good-will people who associate with the Lord's people and were unable to attend.
Up until October 1 the Society is receiving subscriptions for this 48-page tabloid newspaper, The Messenger, at a subscription rate of 25e each. All who desire it should subscribe promptly, sending a remittance with their order, as this is a cash item.
“Let God Be True”
“What if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is torit-ten, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings.”—Rom. 3: 3, 4.
This challenge thrills every fiber of the devoted servant of Jehovah. It strikes a responsive and very sympathetic chord, satisfying everything within us.
No wonder, then, when Brother Knorr announced this new instru-! meat for our use in Kingdom serv-i ice, the entire audience of more than 67,000 Christian men and women acclaimed it as a gift from Jehovah, prepared for the reconstruction and ; expansion work of our day. Now is । the time for all of Jehovah’s witnesses to hold high the banner of truth for all nations that men from among all nations may see and believe and may declare with us “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments en-dureth for ever”. To this end the book “Let God Be True” has been । published, and to this end it has been committed into our hands for study and distribution.
As we consider its table of contents, 24 chapters in all, from “Let God Be True" to “Serving the True God", we note that it is well equipped to remove the stumbling stones erected by the Devil for the confusing of the people. We all realize how many times these confusing questions had to be effectively erased from the minds of the people of good-will before we could make any real progress with them. In this book we have the facts and scriptures assembled and presented in a simple and logical manner to effectively accomplish this. Read it carefully yourself. Each chapter, with its questions at the bottom of the pages, makes for convenience and effectiveness in study. Take it to your back-calls and good-will interest. Let them read it. Assist them to understand its contents that they too may be equipped to remove the stumbling stones from the pathway of others. As directed by Brother Knorr, let all your new studies be started in “Let God Be True”, allowing one week for each chapter, even if it takes a little more than one hour, thus covering the entire book in 24 weeks. The complete thought of the chapter should be covered at each study. After that, take up a study of “The Truth Shall Make You Tree” or “The Kingdom Is at Hand" with these people. All studies in “The Kingdom Is at Hand” where it has not been completed once should continue until it is finished. Where the book is covered once and you are going over it the second or third time it will be all right to change to “Let God Be True” immediately.
Let us one and all fulfill the spirit of the resolution adopted at the conclusion of that meeting by using this instrument provided by Jehovah to declare our position on God’s side and opposed to every man, organization or devil that denies the fact that 'God is true’.
Service Echoes from the Glad Nations Assembly
Though the long-awaited and eagerly anticipated Glad Nations Assembly has come and gone, the spirit lingers on with thousands of Theocracy publishers, now back at their posts serving more energetically and enthusiastically than ever before. To be glad in the face of the conspiracy rising, and to be fearless against it, was the theme; and the secret of it all was the getting into and staying in active service of Jehovah God. In fact, the spirit of service permeated the entire eight days.
The model Watchtower study on Sunday, August 4, well demonstrated the correct procedure in this regard. The evening witnessed the warm address by the chairman and the excellent talk on “The Harvest, the End of the World". The lecture on Monday by the Society's legal counsel on “Proper Procedure in Court” showed the reason why court cases were necessary, how to prepare for them, and the need for thorough preparation, not to win, but to give a witness, and leave the victory to the Lord. Then, on Monday came the Theocratic ministry school, something even the smallest companies should have in operation. A lively review, helpful instruction talk, well-prepared student talks, and constructive counsel by a Gilead instructor for the students, was followed by a multi-demonstration on how to refute arguments from door to door.
On Tuesday Brother Knorr sounded the keynote—“Fearless Against the World Conspiracy.” Here the clear contrast was made between the United Nations and the Glad Nations. Publishers saw how the second try for world peace and second girding of itself was Scripturally doomed to failure, and how now His witnesses must stand firm for the Theocratic Government of Immanuel, for “God is with us".
Came the release of Awake! How the truth proclaimed by Theocratic publishers would break the sheer synthetic new-order gown of the old world, and how Awake! (replacing Consolation) would be used to spread the truth to the people was clearly set out.
The service meeting was well handled. It was realistic in every detail, even to the late-comers who disturbingly tiptoed into the hall!
On Thursday Brother Knorr delivered “Equipped for Every Good Work"; and what a thrill when the new field instrument by that name was released! Following this, next day, “All Nations” Day, representatives of thirty nations told how the work had increased and expanded during the past few war years. This information followed Brother Knorr’s talk on “The Problems of Reconstruction and Expansion” the previous day, wherein it was outlined how the true worship is on the increase, the plans for the future, the new factory and Bethel in the United States, and how publishers world-wide had come up from 71,000 to 169,000 since 1939.
“Let God Be True”, the new book, released and given free to all pres-
(Continucd on page 2, column 4)
The “New Song” Testimony Period
How Far over 50,000 Subscriptions for “Awake!” Caa We Go?
“Equipped for Every Good Work”
While the situation in Satan’s world daily grows worse and the outlook ever more dismal and hopeless, the lot of those having taken their stand for Jehovah’s New World becomes more and more blessed as they joyously continue to obey the command, “O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory,” our text for the month of October.—Ps. 98: 1.
The recent assembly at Cleveland gave abundant evidence of their being a glad nation, the only glad people. Their cup of joy repeatedly overflowed as release after release laid before them the prospect of singing the new song more beautifully and effectively than they had been able to do before. Among such delights was the occasion of the thrilling release of the new magazine Awake! to the 55,000 assembled on Tuesday evening.
The Subscription Campaign
“What a timely and striking magazine to offer to the people I” was the first thought in the mind of every one at the Stadium that Tuesday evening. And, so that no time will be lost, a subscription campaign will begin on October 1 and last for one month, in which this new magazine will be offered at the rate of one dollar for a year’s subscription of twenty-four issues.
First of all, every Kingdom publisher who was not a subscriber for Consolation should subscribe for Awake! as he cannot properly carry on his ministry without the information it brings and he does not have the time or the facilities to dig up all this information himself. Next, the magazine should be offered to all back-calls and book studies ; they likewise cannot afford to be without the vital information it
New Speaking Schedule
With the September Informant is being sent to all companies a new student speaking schedule for the Theocratic ministry school, covering a period beginning October, WIG. Two copies will be sent, one to he kept and used by the school servant, and the other to be placed on the information board. As announced in the August Informant, during September speakers will present talks on the Glad Nations Assembly. For source material you can use The Messenger, any of the books, or lectures given.
Field Service Chart for 1947-8
Glad Nations Expansion, Isaiah 54:2
The Society is now preparing the new charts for recording the field activities of all companies. They will be sent to the companies shortly, and all will be glad to record the progress of the Kingdom activity in their vicinity.
Total the “Publishers”, “Hours” and “Back-Calls” columns of tills year’s figures and ascertain the averages by dividing the number by 12. For next year's quotas of publishers, hours, and back-calls, add 10 percent to this year's averages. The quota of book studies per publisher remains the same, one book study a week. contains. And then each one will ‘hunt’ and ‘fish’ for the “other sheep” by presenting the subscription to all we meet in the house-to-nouse work and, as opportunity affords, in the street magazine activity. If the one witnessed to does not feel able to subscribe for one year, suggest a six-month subscription for 50c. If the person is not sufficiently interested to subscribe, present a copy of Awake! with a current copy of The Watchtower, and a booklet (colored-cover If available), on a contribution of 10c; and finally offer the single copy of Awake! Endeavor to leave a copy in every home.
Begin at once to make arrangements for this campaign. Order additional distributor copies and subscription blanks. (Companies and pioneers will use up their supply of Consolation subscription blanks. We have a small supply of these on hand and will fill orders with them until used up.) Line up territories, check on back-calls, arrange for group witnessing, etc. Well-planned and carefully rehearsed demonstrations should be featured at the service meetings, showing how to present the subscription offer in the house-to-house work, on the street, and at back-calls, as well as how to fill out subscription slip. Let each company publisher set for himself a quota of at least one subscription, and each full-time publisher four, for the month. This should not prove difficult, in view of the many years since the previous magazine Consolation was featured in a subscription campaign. By each one doing all he can, how far over 50,000 new subscriptions for Awake! can we go during October in the United States alone?
During October continue with your back-calls and book studies, and as the new book “Let God Be True" arrives place it with your back-calls and start a study in it. Continue to give enthusiastic support to the public meeting campaign; taking full advantage of the autumn weather, which is ideal both for street advertising and outdoor meetings. And remember, above all, urge all men of good-will to awake, be awake, and stay awake by reading Awake!
Servant to the Brethren Work Adjusted
Circuit Arrangement to Aid Reconstruction and Expansion
The clock fairly spun around on that Thursday evening of the Glad Nations Assembly as Brother Knorr presented a multitude of facts relating to the problems of reconstruction and expansion. One feature of reconstruction mentioned affecting every publisher in the world is the enlarged and improved servant to the brethren work.
In what manner will this accomplish a reconstruction and expansion? First, the increased time spent with the companies will mean a great deal. True, some companies did have a week or maybe a two-week visit by the servant to the brethren, but the majority were served by two-or three-day visits. How these smaller companies have wanted a few more days during which they could work with the servant to the brethren in the field I Now all companies will be served a full week. Additionally, the provision of more time will mean more actual field instruction for the individual publisher.
Meets Vital Need of Expansion Program The good work of Kingdom-preaching rapidly expands. To keep step witli its forward movement the publisher must equip himself with greater Scriptural knowledge. He should learn the origin and history of the Bible, be familiar with the contents of its books, know something of original Bible languages and manuscripts, and acquaint himself with some information on the Apocrypha and Talmud. Equipped thus, the minister will be able to slash away religion’s lies, refute arguments, prove God and his Word to be true, and furnish sound instruction to right-hearted Catholics, Protestants, Jews and others in his territory.
Jehovah, aware of the needs of his people, has graciously provided the Bible handbook “Equipped for Every Good Work". Publishers should begin studying it immediately. Scan the table of contents; note the wealth of material treated. Familiarize yourself with its various features, including the maps, tables and the section entitled “Scriptural Summary”.
A Bible Handbook for Use in the Field
“Equipped for Every Good Work” is designed as a practical field-service help; it is a Bible handbook for constant reference use in door-to-door work, on back-calls and book studies. In a moment, an array of scriptures (pages 359-379) is at hand on topics such as “Hell”, “Soul,” “Dead,” “Church,” “Earth in God's Purpose,” etc., for use at the door, or at a back-call. Should questions arise relating to the authenticity of the Bible, or one of its books, reference to the Contents and the Index will enable you to locate quickly enlightening, factual data. A Jew will question Christ’s being the Messiah. Does he believe the Hebrew Scriptures? Turn to the table on page 21 and prove that the man Jesus fufilled to the letter everything the Hebrew prophets foretold regarding the Messiah. Encourage those of good-will to obtain and read “Equipped for Every Good Work"; it will quicken their interest and firmly ground them in the truth. Companies may arrange at service meetings to show by demonstrations and talks how this Bible handbook may be used for reference in the field.
In this circuit arrangement, with the servant to the brethren visiting each company approximately every twenty weeks he will be able to get acquainted with the brethren and their various problems in the preaching work. After his first time of serving all companies in the circuit he will be able to go into a company and from his previous acquaintance get right to the heart of their problems and be of real assistance.
Circuit Assemblies
That is not all. Beginning January 1, 1947, assemblies of all companies in the circuit will be arranged so that many cities can benefit by being thoroughly covered in field activity. These assemblies will carry forward the same spirit of peace and oneness that prevailed at the Glad Nations Assembly.
The expansion work is moving ahead. Study the instructions to come forth on this work shortly. Support this arrangement. Watch the results in the field and rejoice in whatever part you have as you see the Lord bring in the increase.
A diligent, conscientious study of “Equipped for Every Good Work" will deepen the publisher’s appreciation of the Creator's perfect Book, the Bible. It will make you realize more keenly the glorious privilege you have in knowing and serving the God of Truth. It will move you to do with all your ‘heart, soul and strength’ the good work of gospelpreaching. Dig into its pages at every opportunity: discuss it at home and in the field. Through its instruction parents will find themselves better equipped to teach their children in this “time of the end”, and all publishers will find themselves speaking forth God's irrefutable Word with greater force and conviction.
The Kingdom work, every feature of it, is expanding. Equip yourselves, therefore, to share fully in the ingathering of the “great multitude” in your territory and all the world. Equip yourselves by studying and using “Equipped for Every Good Work" on every occasion, in this pre-Armageddon period.
When ordering the book “Equipped for Every Good Work" please keep in mind this book is a cash item and not chargeable to an account. A remittance of 50c for each book ordered must accompany the order.
July Report
PREVIOUS ALL-TIME PEAKS
Sp'l Pios Gon. Flos. Co. Pubs
Publishers Av. Hrs. Av. B-C 1.580 2/43 178.0 3/42 67.7 3/42 5.322 8/43 151.3 5/44 42.4 1/46
66.079 4/42 20.3 6/40 4.6 10/40
July 1946 Av. Av. Pubs. Hrs. B-C Sp'l Pios. 938 170 0 48.6
Gen. Pios 2,692 139 6
Co. Pubs. 52,793 13 5
July 1945
Av. Av
Hrs. B-C 163 1 57.0 146.6 37.0
16.4 3 5
PUBLIC MEETING CAMPAIGN
Public Meetings Held
(Continued from page 1, column 4) ent, and the Spanish concordance, will be real aids. All throughout the convention surprises came. The information on “Prisoners of the Lord’’ was welcome. The timely admonition as to the training of children gave much food for thought. It was an eight-day feast when the windows of heaven were opened and spiritual manna fell for the multitudes of mixed nations there. No, we can’t forget the public meeting either, with its 80,000 listeners to the lecture “The Prince of Peace”. How simple the truth is!
The entire assembly, down to and through the closing prayer by Brother Knorr, echoed service. Now that you are back in your territory, recall daily the blessings of the Lord at this assembly of his people, use the instruments given you, become better acquainted with them daily, and use these in service of the Theocratic Government of Immanuel, for “God is with us”. (Suggestion: Review the entire convention day by day at some service meeting and see what the brethren remember as the outstanding blessings of the day. Follow the program and devote five minutes to each day, with no repetition of points already expressed by any brother or sister.)
Lost and Found
All unclaimed items turned in to the Lost and Found Department at the Cleveland assembly have been shipped to Brooklyn. Brethren may write here for items which they lost. Be sure to give a full and complete description of any item requested. Mark letters "Attention Office Servant”.