Informant, February 1947
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INFORMANT
FEBRUARY, 1047
"Oh praise Jehovah, all ye nations.”—Ps. 117: 1, A. S. V.
BROOKLYN, N. Y.
“God’s Truthfulness” Testimony Period Campaign Enters Second Month
All-Time High in Company Publishers Reached!
All of Jehovah’s Servants Eager to Uphold His Truthfulness
Soon the issue of truth versus error will be settled forever with a smashing victory for truth. Jehovah the God of all truth will vindicate himself and all those who have stood for his truthfulness. Those who have been deceived by the lies of God's enemies will be confounded, but those who have been faithful in the proclamation of God's Word as truth will be justified with him, and, additionally, they have the blessed assurance that they will share Jehovah’s ultimate triumph. (See Romans 3: 4, our service text for February.)
The privilege of sharing in this glorious fight is not a future matter, something that can be put off or attended to whenever we “feel like it". Right now is the time to vigorously defend God’s truthfulness, and during February those who really see and appreciate the issue will have an active part in the present mighty Watchtower Campaign.
Present the Full Offer of
2 Subscriptions and 2 Bound Books
Early reports show that the two-magazine subscription offer of The Watchtower and Awake! is being accepted very readily. Subscriptions for most magazines are very expensive these days, but when a year’s subscription for two valuable magazines is presented at the very nominal sum of $2.00, and two truth-packed books, such as “Let God Be True", “The Kingdom Is at Hand” or “The Truth Shall Make You Tree", given free as a premium, people can easily see that it is not a commercial scheme. Thus the publisher has the opportunity of showing that it is actually part of the free educational program that Jehovah is conducting throughout the earth to point men to the highway of life. So do not feel that you cannot place the offer. I'resent it with enthusiasm, and you will be surprised at the results. Where a subscription cannot be obtained, always endeavor to leave the new book “Let God Be True”, so that the way may be paved for holding a book study in the house of those accepting it.
Follow-up of Interest Will Bring Big Increase in Back-Call and Book-Study Activity
The need of aiding those who obtain The Watchtower to understand its contents is clearly manifest. It is not a story magazine, to be skimmed through lightly. Understanding of its conients requires diligent study and, in many cases, assistance by those who know God’s truthfulness. Just as Philip willingly explained Isaiah's prophecy to the Ethiopian, so Jehovah's Christian witnesses will gladly aid the “other sheep” by arranging home studies in The Watchtower and “Let God Be True”, as outlined In the January Informant.
Through this means thousands more studies will be started and back-call activity will increase. The distribution of The Watchtower and “Let God Be True” is laying the foundation for a tremendous educational program. Shortage of publishing material may in time affect the quantity of literature we have to offer, but the need for personal study and application of the truths learned will actually increase as other conditions in the earth become worse. Be zealous in assisting these new students to become associated with God’s people in joining the efforts to uphold his truthfulness.
Our Share in Attaining the Quota
A quota of 200,000 subscriptions for The Watchtower and 100,000 subscriptions for the Awake! magazine has been established for all the publishers throughout the earth. Without dividing this amount proportionately between the various countries, we will all diligently strive to do our full share, trusting in the Lord as to the result. If the company has territory not worked with the subscription offer in recent years, special effort should be put forth to see that all such territory is covered during the present Watchtower Campaign.
Keep the present offer foremost in every feature of Kingdom activity, at the doors, on the streets, to acquaintances, on back-calls, at studies; wherever you are, try to get people interested in having both The Watchtoicer and Awake! come to their home in weekly magazine service. Above all, look well to the spiritual needs of all those who are searching for truth. Feed them by establishing home studies, and go farther by extending the welcome hand for them to come and join you in maintaining Jehovah’s true worship.
New Feature Added to Theocratic Ministry School
Written Reviews on Bible and “Equipped for Every Good Work”
The 1947 Yearbook of Jehovah's witnesses not only gives eloquent testimony to the great expansion work being carried on in all parts of the earth, but also reveals that there is a tremendous work yet to be done. That each Kingdom publisher may have a still greater part in tiiis expansion work the Lord has provided the Bible h a u d b o o k “Equipped for Every Good Work”. And so that all may get the greatest possible benefit from the study of this new instrument arrangements have been made for written reviews. For the first twenty lessons of the book the following procedure will be used.
Circuit Assemblies to Stimulate Further Progress
Topping off a year of expanding praise to Jehovah, the highest number of company publishers ever reporting, 66,210, together with thousands of pioneers, united in extending gladness to the nations. Most remarkable is the fact that over 12,000 more publishers were active in service during December, 1946, than during December a year ago! A total of 69,876 publishers shared in the work. What a fitting manifestation of the Lord’s blessing upon our inviting “nations” of goodwill to “be glad, with his people” ! We have real reason to rejoice and press forward with increased de
termination to expand in Kingdom i preaching during 1947. |
To what may this manifest bless- । ing of our God be attributed? Na- ’ tion-wide, servants in companies industriously planned and put into effect arrangements to aid new and weak publishers to see and taste the gladness of serving Jehovah. Simultaneously, 144 servants to the brethren, and in many cases their wives, spending one week with each company, large and small, gave practical assistance in field publishing to hundreds of irregular publishers, ‘inactive’ and other goodwill persons, in addition to those publishing each month. The newly arranged servant to the brethren activity with its emphasis on field publishing has the evident favor of the Lord, and will continue to stimulate many to better and more Kingdom service.
Mainly responsible for the new high in company publishers, however, is the support and wholehearted effort given to the field during the “Nations’ Gladness" Testimony Period by the individual publisher. It was you, the publisher, who faced inclement weather and other obstacles to go from house to house, preaching the good news. It was the individual publisher who made back-calls and carried on book studies, and then took such interested persons into the field that j they might make others glad by active service. And this concerted,
Beginning with March 9, a new schedule of student speaking assignments will go into effect. Copies of it are being sent to companies with this Informant and one is to ; be given to each pioneer and com- j pany publisher attending the school. ', This will replace the previous sched- 1 ule, which should be discarded so I as not to cause any confusion. In j this new schedule subjects are listed for the first and third speaker of the evening. The second speaker | will choose his own subject. This 1 may be on some magazine article '
1 he has read, such as in the Awake! । magazine, a report on an assembly or convention, a field ex
I perience, his secular work, some
{Continued un pa<n I, column 1)
determined endeavor of hundreds of publishers has had its effect in the attainment of an all-time high, with increased praise to Jehovah. The new interest who have begun to publish will need attention during the months to come. Let's give it to them regularly and unite toward further increase while inviting, “Oh praise Jehovah, all ye nations.”
Circuit Assemblies to Forward Expansion
Contributing to further expansion are the circuit assemblies, which started country-wide January 3-5. Enthusiasm runs higli over these assemblies, where the same spirit of {gladness and unity prevails as did at Cleveland. Publishers show keen interest in the activity of other companies and the circuit as a whole and are alert to suggestions for improving various features of the service locally.
The well-planned service meeting and Theocratic ministry school have proved instructive to all. The extensively advertised public talk “Blessed Are the Peacemakers'’ has been attended by hundreds of responsive strangers. But Saturday evening's circuit activity meeting takes first place as the assembly's most outstanding feature. In Florida, Michigan, Washington, D. C., Iowa, Tennessee and New Mexico fishermen, miners, lumbermen, farmers, factory laborers, business and professional men, housewives, and pioneers, brethren from all walks of life, united to discuss the common problem of vital concern to all: Kingdom interest in their circuit. They wanted to talk over and compare their problems with others, to discuss local activity in an informal, Theocratic manner, to offer suggestions for consideration. And this they have done, to the delight and edification of all assembled. Moreover, many made notes of the constructive counsel from the district servant and have been moved to expend greater effort during the next six months to magnify Jehovah's name as one indissoluble people. Much practical aid and a real blessing were missed by some few weak companies by not being represented. These assemblies are espe-
cially designed to assist such. The resulting benefits should motivate every company to be fully represented at every assembly.
The individual publisher's effort, the servant to the brethren work, and now the circuit assemblies, are all receiving Jehovah's rich blessing. Let each one give thanks to Jehovah and be moved to greater service m'tiv ity during the coming year, so that ever-increasing praise from all nations will be given to Jehovah.
Foreign-Language Awake!
Beginning in January, 1947, the German and French editions of Consolation changed to Awake! The Hollandish Consolation, which was announced available in the January Informant, lias been discontinued, due to paper shortage in the Netherlands.
Awakening the Nations
Alert Publishers Rouse Sleepy World
With Watchtower and Awake! Distribution
Earth’s swiftly Noah, not be
spared, save for one thing. He must ■ be on the watch, wide awake to his responsibility in building an ark, and alerting others to the way of escape. Noah's diligence brought reward. That unheedful world perished, but he survived; and with him his family, awakened by ills preaching.
Paul, Jesus’ apostle, realized too the need of being awake in God’s service. So much so. in fact, that, though nineteen centuries must yet run out before the New’World would come in, he sought to bestir others to the safe and right course by saying, “Now it is high time to awake . . . for now is our salvation nearer
World disaster impended, carefree populace plunged toward destruction. Even God’s man of faith, would than when we believed."—Romans 13: 11.
newly interested ones to slumber, | ‘awakening of the nations’.
It is to God's servants today that these activating words of the apostle apply with greatest force. If is now when real world disaster, slated to wipe out a ‘‘heavens and earth", is about to come upon us. This is no time, then, for publishers or (Continued from paye 1. column Bible theme (if he so prefers), any other subject lie believes to of general interest his listeners.
3)
or be to
and benefit
the instruction extemporaneous
The one giving talk should use the method (if at all able to do so), being careful to high-light the main points as noted by the questions appearing in tlie handbook at the end of each lesson. In fact, everyone attending the school should be careful to note the main points when studying the lesson beforehand. Having these main points thus impressed on one’s mind will prove very helpful in the oral review of the lesson the following week as well as in the written review later on.
Written Review Procedure
Every fifth week, instead of oral review, instruction talk and student talks, there will be a written review on tlie material covered in the previous four lessons. (’The oral review on tlie last instruction talk before the written review will be held the week after the written review. 1 This will be a closed hook review, which means that the students will not be permitted to consult any notes, the Bible or the textbook. It will consist of some twenty-five questions printed on a form provided by the Society and will also have space for tlie writing in of the answers. A copy for eacli one attending tlie school as well as a set of answers for the school servant will be sent a month in advance to tlie school servant in care of the company servant. These questions are to be strictly confidential until the time of the review, and no one but the school servant should have access to tlie answer sheet until after the review has been held.
A halt’ hour will be allowed for the written review, after which the papers will be collected by the school servant. He will then read to tlie class tlie questions and the correct answers. During the following week he will grade the papers, and will return them at the next school session, at which time he will also give a report on the results of tlie review, tlie number participating therein, the tn erage grade, the liigh-and wait longer before acting. Nations must be awakened to the facts. They must learn that "the night is far spent, the day is at hand”. Yes, millions must be awakened by the spread of God's truth to “cast off the works of darkness" and "put on the armour of light”. It is the one way to escape permanent death and live in the New World.
That is why the Lord is directing us to present to all peoples during March the two-subscription offer of The Watchtower and Awake!—the only magazines capable of arousing many in this sleeping world. Irregular publishers, inactive ones, people of good-will, why hold off longer from serving as active, vigilant publishers of tlie Kingdom? Share with your brethren in "awakening the nations" during March by being alert in tlie field, from house to house, on back-calls and in street work, with those you know who are not in the truth, and with your employer. Avake to every opportunity to speak truth, using The Watchtower and Awake! Diligent j publisher action earth-wide during I March will accomplish an effective est mark, and any other outstanding points of interest regarding the review. He will also post the answer sheet on the bulletin board, so that all may be able to check and copy the correct answers if they so desire.
NOTE: When circuit assembly falls j to-hou.se service will continue, using
on the week of tlie review, the next week’s lesson and schedule of talks will be used at the circuit assembly and the review will be held by the companies in that circuit a week later. No written reviews will
be
given at the
circuit assemblies.
Lessons
After the
on Bible Books first twenty lessons, under the heading "Preparing tlie Way for Bible Study”, have been studied, the student speaking assignments will be based on the book of tlie American Standard Version
Bible covered in the lesson for the evening. The instruction talk will feature the facts regarding the book, such as authenticity, by whom written and when, time period covered, the theme of the book as a whole, as well as touch on tlie outstanding events or truths of the book. It should not be necessary to do any research outside of what appears in the Watchtower publications.
The student talks will be limited Io the actual contents of the chapters within the assignments, and no reference should be made to what a previous speaker may have said or a subsequent speaker may have to say regarding other parts of the book under discussion. Each student talk on a Bible book should be complete in itself, having an introduction, body and conclusion as well as a well-developed theme. Time will not permit going into the fulfillment of prophecies or the prophetic significance of the various dramas, and, therefore, if touched upon, it should only be incidental. As indicated on the new schedule, tlie number of chapters to be covered by each student will depend upon the number of student speakers. Where there is only one. he may pick out some prominent event of the Bible book and highlight it in his presentation, or, if he wishes, he may take some Tlieo-
April 5, 6 to Witness World wide Memorial Activity
Plan Now for Special Service, Start of New
Public Meeting Series
To Jehovah’s people earth-wide the celebration of the memorial of our Lord’s death is the most significant event of each year. It is the one celebration yet binding upon the Lord's people, and has been enhanced since the second advent of the Lord and his coming to the temple. Jehovah’s anointed witnesses and their companions in every company or unit will assemble lo-' rally to observe the Memorial, Sun-| day evening, April 6. It is appropriate that all unite in a week-end of extensive witnessing activity in fulfillment of their commission.
linin;
the company's summer ac-
So that a real world-wide witness may be given in recognition of the purpose of the Memorial the Society is outlining a special two-day program of service for April 5, 6. This is to be put into effect by every company in the world. Saturday, April 5, should be marked by allday house-to-house witnessing and advertising of Sunday's public talk. There will be no circuit assemblies held this week-end: each company or unit will organize for service locally. Many newly interested persons may express their appreciation by distributing handbills. That evening everyone will assemble for study of The Watchtower, the issue scheduled for study the following day. This study will be followed by a 30-minute service talk out-tivity, particularly as it pertains to the rural work during June, July, August and September.
Sunday morning, April 6, house-the literature offer and public meeting handbills. Invite all persons of good-will to attend the Memorial service that evening, as well as the public talk. The afternoon talk will be the first of the new series, outlines for which will be supplied with the March Informant. Every company should make plans now for this series, with servants to the brethren aiding in making advance preparation. If no speaker is avail-cratic theme and select events from the book to develop it.
Proper preparation for the written reviews on the books of the Bible, beginning with Lesson 21, will require that each one read through the entire book from the American standard I ersion Bible prior to the giving of the instruction talk on that particular book. This would mean, then, that by tlie time the textbook has been completely covered each one will have read through the entire Bible. By each one’s reading the book of the Bible as well as the lesson in “Equipped for Every Good Work” beforehand, making note of the outstanding points in both, hearing tlie instruction and student talks on it at the school, partaking in the oral review the following week, refreshing his mind on the high points during tlie week before the written review, he should become well acquainted with the contents of and the facts regarding God's Word of truth, and thus be "perfectly equipped for every good work”.
| NOTE : Each company will inform the Society by postal card immediately of the number of review sheets they will need to supply all company publishers and pioneers attending the course. The order should be sufficient to meet the needs during the coming months. Where such information is not received in time tlie Society will send 50 percent of the number of Informants the comiiany is receiving. able locally, efforts should be made to obtain one from some near-by company. Companies with a number of speakers, and pioneers, will arrange to assist small near-by companies in this regard where requested. Handbills may be ordered for this series now, showing titles for tlie talks as outlined
the be-
low.
are
al-the
Where handbill orders ready sent in for talks of present series to extend beyond March 30. we are printing the handbills as ordered for the talks up to March 30, but for any talks scheduled for April 6 and beyond we are substituting the new titles in their order to complete the company has scheduled.
series the
announce-the Memo-
After the public talk, meat should lie made of rial that evening and all present be invited to attend. With the completion of this joyful feast, ttiose of tlie anointed and their companions will go to their homes rejoicing in their concentrated week-end activity ami appreciating deeply their relationship to tlie I .ord.
New Public Talks
Since the new series of public talks is to begin everywhere on April G, all companies will see that they conclude all meetings of the present series before the end of March. The titles for the new series are:
“Announcing the 1'erl'eet Government"
"Tlie Truth About Jehovah's witnesses”
“Religion vs. The Bible"
“New Heavens and a New Earth"
"Overcoming Barriers to World Unity”
“Remedy for World Delinquency” "Whose Prayers -Ire Answered?” "World Peace—by Whom?"
These are to be given in the order shown. As soon as the outlines are received brethren should be assigned to prepare talks so as to start by April 6.
Temporarily Out of Stock
"The Prince of Peace”
Field Service Report
MONTHLY QUOTAS
Sp’l Pios.
Pubs.
Av Hrs.
175.0
Av. B-C Av. Bk. St.
50.0
7.7
Gen. Pios.
2,954
150.0
37.4
5.4
Co. Pubs.
64,239
14.7
December
3.7
1.0
Pubs.
Av. Hrs.
Av. B-C
Av. Bk. St.
Sp’l Pios.
173.2
£2 5
7.2
Gen. Pios.
2,912
143.6
42.5
5.3
Co. Pubs.
66,210
14.1
3 7
.4
PUBLIC MEETING CAMPAIGN
Total Meetings Held ........... 3,331
More Pioneers Needed
Along with this Informant is being mailed a letter calling for more pioneers. A good reader should be assigned to read this letter at the first service meeting and first Watchtower study after it has been received. Then a capable brother should be assigned to carefully study this letter and prepare to consider it for twenty minutes at a service meeting during the month. Following this, the letter is to be posted on the bulletin board, fastening only one side, so that the brethren individually may read the entire letter. Every servant of the Lord should carefully and prayerfully consider its contents.