Informant, March 1948

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“I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.-’—Ps. 57; 9, A. S. V.

MARCH, 1948

BROOKLYN, N. Y.

Inspired Teaching to Equip for Good Work Watchtower Campaign Passes Halfway Mark

Arrange Interesting, Instructive Service Meetings —But How?

Shall We Surpass

Our 1947 Peak of Publishers?

Set apart in bold relief from the jostling crowd of ‘educators' of this world, who train men for varied works, the Great Educator, Jehovah, provides his inspired Word as a means of equipping for good works. So affirms Paul, at 2 Timothy 3:16, 17. (Moffatt’s translation) “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable ... to make the man of God proficient and equip him for good work of every kind."

To the growing group who would do good works, knowledge of the Bible Is prized above all other education. It is for these that the illuminating pages of The Watchtoioer are provided. Through this Godgiven channel has come each new revelation of prophecy, every important principle and fundamental truth now comprising the vital equipment of God’s servants. Heartfelt appreciation impels them to give The Watchtower wide distribution that an increasing number of workers may be properly educated and equipped.

As we enter the month of March, two months of the four-month Watchtower campaign have gone by. Each company publisher should by now have obtained at least one subscription ; each company, half its quota. How has your company fared in this respect? Have you already exceeded your quota? Fine! But keep on spreading inspired Bible teaching to the greatest extent possible. If some have not yet reached one-half the quota, diligence in the field service program outlined for March will surely enable all to catch up. Stress The Watchtower in each presentation. But even though the householder may not subscribe or accept any of the alternative offers, endeavor to leave a copy of the new booklet The Joy of AU the People. The rather- large stock of this booklet yet on hand indicates that it is not being distributed as extensively as it should. Let each publisher place a copy in every home where it will be read.

Working for a New Peak of Publishers

With Memorial week-end activity as a climax, March can witness a new peak in number of publishers. There have been 97,728 associated during the past six months. Indeed, last year 105,897 assembled for the Memorial. These individuals are all prospective publishers. Undoubtedly material for a new peak is available. All of them, persons of good-will, associated and inactive ones, should be invited to share in “good work” at Memorial time; but do not wait until the end of the month to contact them. Make a careful check on back-call files and publisher’s record cards now. Arrange for publishers to assist those who need attention. Pioneers, regular publishers, servants and study conductors, do your share to help every inactive one and equipped book-study attendant to have part in the “good work” during March. By such united action, last year’s peak can be surpassed.

Memorial Week-End

Equipped servants will intensify their activity during the Memorial week-end by assisting lovers of righteousness to assemble with them for the Memorial, after 6 p.m., Thursday, March 25. This good work will aid assemblers to appreciate their relationship with the remnant and to understand the necessity of engaging in similar good works themselves. Advertising Sunday’s public meeting provides opportunity for new publishers to make their first steps strong. Your enthusiasm in supporting the meeting, regardless of which talk may be given, will prove a stimulus to them. Activity for the balance of the week-end is arranged to further aid new publishers as well as old.

Friday - Morning: Assemble for group witnessing. (Consider text; short well-prepared demonstration on presenting offer.)

Evening: Service meeting, Theocratic ministry school.

Saturday - Morning: Assemble for house-to-house witnessing. Afternoon: Assemble for magazine and handbill distribution.

Sunday - Morning: Assemble for field service.

Afternoon (or evening) : Public meeting, Watchtower study.

Undoubtedly many persons of good-will will attend the service meeting Friday evening, which should be arranged according to the program set out below. This meeting should be instructive and prepared in harmony with instructions given elsewhere in tills Informant. In order to participate properly, all publishers should have carefully studied beforehand the article on April’s activity on the back of this Informant. Service Meeting Program (Friday, March 26) :

1. Applying Benefits of the Memorial. (15-minute extemporaneous talk showing that appreciation of Memorial observance means Kingdom service for all consecrated.)

2. Ministry with The Watchtower. (15-minute demonstration, in two parts: (a) Presenting the Watchtower Offer, and (b) Calling Back with a Purpose.)

3. “All Nations Advance” (Informant article on April activity. Questions and answers, audience participating. 10 minutes)

4. Week-End of Good Work (12-minute talk. How inspired teaching equips for good work, and the part played by the Watchtower campaign. Outline week-end activities, and the hope for a peak of publishers and how attained.) Note: Eight

Thorough Preparation Vital

To be “equipped for good work” is truly a requirement for the efficient minister of God. And a lively, instructive company service meeting is a Theocratic provision for so equipping Jehovah’s servants now. Further, such are conducive to the individual’s spiritual health and well-being. But how to make them interesting, instructive, alive—that is the frequently-encountered problem.

The First Essential

Perhaps the most outstanding weakness relative to service meetings is lack of preparation. Thorough preparation is a primary requisite to a successful meeting. To a large extent the responsibility of preparing the service meeting rests upon the company servant, as it is he who must plan well-balanced meetings a month in advance. He will schedule the Informant articles so that all will be covered during the course of the month, and also determine the manner in which they shall be presented. Will it be by an extemporaneous talk, a demonstration, a dialogue, or questions and answers? Other necessary material will also be selected for the meeting. Yearbook discussions. Watchtower and Awake! material, talks and demonstrations on local activity and various features of the work; all can be used to good avail. In all his preparation the company servant will be aware of local weaknesses and difficulties and will prepare meetings so as to offer helpful suggestions in remedying the weaknesses. In outlining meetings for the month give attention to balance, coherence, variety and time allotment, and allow sufficient flexibility to consider special letters from the Society or emergency matters that may arise.

Next, assign the service meeting parts. In so doing, the various capabilities of the brethren used should be taken into consideration. Perhaps one brother is capable of planning and presenting a demonstration, whereas another brother’s ability tends toward presenting information by extemporaneous talks. Assignments on the service meeting program need not be limited to servants in the company. Brethren demonstrating ability in the Theocratic ministry school should also be used. The company servant should issue instructions as to what material should be covered in each assignment, as well as how it is to be presented.

Preparation for service meetings minutes allowed for opening and closing remarks.

Having been taught of Jehovah and Christ Jesus to know good works, we show appreciation now by doing good work. Be active in March teaching good works to all who will hear. Do this by presenting The Watchtower during this month that starts the second half of the 1948 campaign, and equip others to do likewise. does not stop with the company servant. Program assignees must diligently prepare their assignments, just as they would a student talk or an hour lecture. From time to time It would be well for the company servant to check with the brethren and offer what assistance may be required. In presenting material on the service meeting, do not theorize. Rather, show how the information is applicable to the local company. Be practical.

Publishers, Prepare

No matter how well-prepared the service meeting may be, it will have no value if the brethren do not attend. Hence, pubHsher-preparation is another service meeting essential. The succeeding week’s program should be announced at each service meeting so that the publishers can study the articles in advance and be ready to participate, especially in question and answer discussions. Service meeting programs may also be posted on the information board. Publishers, diligently prepare for the meetings, attend, and actively participate therein.

Lively, instructive service meetings are greatly appreciated by all and are necessary in equipping God’s ministers for "good work”. Therefore, put these and previous suggestions into continual use. Theocratic progress in your company will follow as publishers and good-will alike reap the benefits.

SUBSCRIPTIONS TO DATE 80,420

Translators

In order to advance the discipling of the nations more rapidly, the Society is interested in having competent translators in particular languages as listed below. These translators must be persons who are thoroughly familiar with English and the language in which translation is desired. If any brethren are qualified translators, or if they know of capable persons who would be willing to do some translation work for the Society, they should communicate with the President’s Office, 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn 2, New York. The number of years of schooling in ihe language and the years of experience in translation work should be stated. Please do not write if the suggested translator is not absolutely conversant with the grammar and idiom of the language concerned. The languages are:

Albanian Bohemian Bulgarian Chinese Croatian

Hebrew Icelandic Italian Polish Russian

Slovenian Turkish Ukrainian Yiddish

Publications Now in Stock

“The Kingdom Is al Sand"

Study Questions —Spanish

“AO Nations Advance” Testimony Period

Publishers in More than 90 Countries Gird for Action

The Theocratic Ministry School

Tenth Watchtower Campaign Enters Final Month

While making preparation for action against the enemies of Israel, David set a pattern for our inspiration and guidance today. His only hope for victory lay in Jehovah's approval and aid. Relying upon it, he could confidently declare in the words of our service text for April: “Through God we shall do valiantly; for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.”—Psalm 60:12. Even as then, that same desire to advance against the enemy and forward the spread of the gospel motivates God’s servants today, as publishers in over 90 countries “do valiantly” in bringing the tenth 'Watchtower campaign to its climax.

Will April Be Our Biggest Month?

With the intensified Memorial week-end activity as the springboard and publishers continuing energetically and efficiently into the month of April, that month can be our best yet April’s advance need not consist merely of the forward movement of Jehovah’s visible army. It should also include an ever-increasing number joining the ranks. If all arrangements for the advance have been carefully followed, many new publishers will have begun service activity during March and the Memorial period. They will want to continue their wisely chosen course, and should be aided in so doing. To advance toward new publisher peaks in April, past gains must be stoutly maintained as well as seeking out and assisting any who might have been unable to get started in March.

Publishers in all nations advance, too, as they improve their individual ability to serve the Most High. New publishers, by continual application of Scriptural knowledge to field service, will progress in effectiveness. Stronger publishers will likewise become more efficient, and as they gain in understanding and faith many will advance into full-time service as pioneers. April, in particular, wall be an excellent month for entering the pioneer work. Moderate weather will make more widespread field service possible, and in many communities greater opportunities for part-time employment will open up. The effect of an increased number of pioneers is quickly felt. More people are contacted, more subscriptions are obtained, more studies are held, more new publishers take forward steps, and the Kingdom interests advance.

Other Avenues for Advancing

Coupled with April's primary work of obtaining new subscriptions will come the calling on those whose subscriptions from previous years have been allowed to expire. In each instance a notice is sent to the company by the Society. These should be diligently followed up as soon as received. Do all you can to show these people the benefits of continuing their subscriptions, how to get the most out of The Watchtower, how it is studied each week in Kingdom halls, and the advantages of home study. Start such a study with them, if possible. Keep the original interest alive: feed and nourish it until it bears fruitage. If you do obtain a subscription from one of these whose subscriptions have expired, report it as a new subscription and give the subscriber the eight-booklet premium.

Advance can likewise be made in street witnessing, due to April’s milder weather. Keep The Watchtower and Awake! before the public. Many subscriptions have been obtained both on the streets and through interest aroused by seeing the magazines displayed by the publishers.

Finally, publishers of all nations will advance in April in public meeting activity. This month will see all companies getting under way with the new series of talks, and the good start furnished by the Memorial week-end meeting should be followed up world-wide. Good material, enthusiastic delivery, energetic advertising, conscientious support, all these requisites, if well looked to by speakers and publishers, will assure a healthy growth in the public meetings.

With such sound prospects for advancing toward new peaks in April, surely not one will slacken the hand, but rather, each will shout, as did David, “Through God we shall do valiantly 1” and push faithfully fob-wabd during the “All Nations Advance” Testimony Period.

Field Service Report

MONTHLY QUOTAS

Av.

Pubs. Hrs.

Sp’l Pios. \ , KB4 / 175.0 Gen. Pios./ 3,8M 1 120.0 Co. Pubs. 70,584

Av. Av.

B-C Bk. St.

50.0

39.5

3.6

January Report

Pubs.

Sp’l Pios. 532

Gen. Pios. 3,422

Co. Pubs. 62,635

Av. Av.

Hrs. B-C Bk. St, 155.7 56.0

109.0 33.0

12.0 3.7

PUBLIC MEETING CAMPAIGN

Public Meetings Held 3,137

Second Pioneer Letter

Once again the call goes out 1 Who among the thousands of company publishers will be next to respond? Can you be among them? The growing magnitude of the harvest work, the seriousness of failing to fully grasp all service opportunities, the blessings that come to those who do, these considerations unite to make it proper for the Society to again send to each publisher a personal letter inviting participation in the pioneer service. Take your letter and consider it prayerfully in the light of your own individual circumstances. In each case, the final decision must be a personal one, between tlie individual and the Lord.

That no important feature of the letter be overlooked, however, it is to be considered before the entire company as well. This reading and discussion of the letter is important. It was prepared after much prayerful thought by brethren who have had considerable experience in pioneering and who are familiar with the experiences of many others. The full value and effect of this letter can be gained only by proper presentation. Therefore, the brethren selected to read and discuss it before the company should be those who thoroughly understand it and are enthusiastic for the pioneer service, brethren who can make the letter live its message.

This letter should be properly distributed among the publishers and then read at the first Watchtower study and service meeting. After this, a thoroughly-prepared, lively discussion of the letter should be scheduled for the service meeting. This discussion should have originality and practicability so that its sound Scripturalness may appeal to all.

Student Talks Provide Good Training in Coherence

Among the provisions of the Lord for the equipping of his ministers for good work is the school in Theocratic ministry. Appreciation of this fact will cause all the brethren to faithfully attend the school, as well as to do the required studying at home, including the reading of the Bible books. This is necessary if we are to get the full benefit from the school.

For the brothers, the school serves the additional purpose of furnishing training to give clear and forceful public talks. To do this, however, talks must be more than a collection of the facts indicated in the outline. The facts must be properly tied to each other and shown in their relationship to the theme. The subject theme must be continually kept to the fore and emphasized throughout. In other words, the talks must have coherence.

Choosing a Theme

Some of the brethren are having difficulty in finding a theme for their student talks on Bible chapters and then tying all of the material to it, especially since the assignment often seems to contain much unrelated material. But this is just where these assignments serve as good training in gaining coherence. The letter sent to the school servants before taking up the text-book “Equipped for Every Good Work" stressed that each student talk should be complete within itself, with introduction, body and conclusion, and should high-light a specific theme. The instructions on “Condensing”, in Lesson 5 in Theocratic Aid to Kingdom Publishers, do not conflict with those on selecting a theme. Limiting oneself to the material in the assigned chapters does not preclude his using a quotation outside of the assignment (if such seems necessary) to state the theme, nor from emphasizing the theme throughout the talk, nor from making application or drawing a lesson from the material in the conclusion.

Developing a theme requires thorough preparation. The lesson in the textbook should be carefully read, as well as the entire Bible book from which one’s assignment is taken. Then the assigned chapters should be studied, their main points listed, and an analysis made of what these have in common, how they are related to each other. The theme chosen should be comprehensive enough to permit tying together of all the main points, and yet specific enough to peculiarly fit one’s assignment. Often “Equipped for Every Good Work” gives a theme that can be used for a part of the book. Suggestions for themes may also be found in other Society publications dealing with the subject matter. Diligent thought on the material will generally enable the student to perceive and use an appropriate theme. The following examples, taken from the prophetic books, gospels and epistles, are given as illustrations on how to develop themes.

Examples

For an assignment from a prophetic book let us take Daniel 1 to 4: Chapters 1 and 3 are narrative, while 2 and 4 tell of prophetic dreams. How can these be tied together? What have they in common? They all point to the supremacy of Jehovah: so the theme could well be, “Bearing Testimony to Jehovah's Supremacy.” Or the theme could be “Faith and Obedience Rewarded”; the first three chapters concluding very clearly with this thought, while the fact that Daniel was permitted to see the fulfillment of the vision of the tree and the seven times, recorded in the fourth chapter, as well as to interpret the dream, were also rewards. While the latter theme allows pointing out that all these things were written for our admonition and comfort, there would be no interpretation as to the major fulfillment of the dreams.

For an example from the gospels, take Matthew 21 to 28. The theme for this could be “Bruising the King’s Heel” (taken from “The Kingdom, Is at Hand”). Events before Jesus’ death could be tied to the theme by showing relationship as to time, and also by cause and effect, as, without doubt, his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (21), his effective refutation of the arguments of his enemies (22) and his scathing denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees (23) spurred the seed of Satan on to bruise the Seed of the woman. And though the bruising was imminent, Christ Jesus was concerned about his followers, comforting them with his great prophecy (24) including the parables recorded in chapter 25. Chapters 26 and 27 tell of the bruising itself, followed by (28) the healing of the wound in his resurrection. Other themes that would fit this particular assignment are: “Climax of Jesus’ Ministry”; “The Supreme Test of Integrity”; or “Furnishing God with the Answer” (Prov. 27:11).

For an example from the epistles let us consider Romans 1 to 6. The theme might be “Justification”. In the outline, in addition to the introduction and conclusion, there could be three main headings: I—Need of Justification (chapters 1, 2, and first half of 3) ; II—How Justification Is Obtained (last half of 3, and 4 and 5) ; III—Justification No License to Sin (chapter 6). The epistles generally combine admonition on service, conduct and doctrine, and a theme could be chosen that will take note of this, such as “The Christian Ministry and Its Reward (Resurrection)” for 1 Corinthians 8-16.

By careful preparation and the proper use of connectives virtually all of the material in the assigned chapters can be tied to a well-chosen theme. A review of Lessons 26, 32, and 43 in Theocratic Aid to Kingdom Publishers, on “Prepositions, Conjunctions and Interjections”, “Need of an Outline” and “Coherence”, will greatly benefit all students. Let both brothers and sisters take full advantage of all the features of the school in Theocratic ministry available to them and thereby continue to become ever more able ministers of the gospel.

MEMORIAL REPORT

Included with this Informant is a special “Memorial Activity” report card for each company. It is to be filled out completely and mailed after the Watchtower study, Sunday, March 28. Please do not enclose it in an envelope. Isolated pioneers are encouraged to attend and take good-will to a company Memorial service. If unable to do this, arrangements may be made for a Memorial service separate from a company. In this event, one report for each group, showing total attendance, number partaking of emblems, and attendance at the public meeting on Sunday, should be sent in on the March field service report card.