Informant, August 1949
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“I . . . will yet praise thee more and more.”—Ps. 71: 14.
AUGUST, 1949
BROOKLYN, N. Y.
“Patience Meant for Salvation” Testimony Period New Peak Anticipated to Climax Service Year
Servants, Publishers, Patiently Aid Others
For nearly 6,000 years Jehovah has exercised incomparable patience toward this sinful, dying world. Short-lived men impatiently exclaim : “A slow GodI” “A waster of time I” But the God of righteousness, longsuffering in the fulfillment of his purposes, replies: “There is . . . a time to every purpose under heaven.” What is the purpose of the Creator in all this unusual patience shown toward a people that have reviled, reproached and blasphemed his name and supremacy? It is to eternally vindicate his universal sovereignty and to save an unnumbered multitude of men and women of unbreakable devotion to their God to a life of peace and joy in the New World. Hence, such devoted ones “look upon our Lord’s patience as salvation” and will make every effort to express their heartfelt gratitude for his patience during the “Patience Meant for Salvation” Testimony Period in August. —2 Peter 3:15, An Amer. Trans.
A Work of Appreciation
We have good reason to voice appreciation to Jehovah for his patience, for the 1949 service year has indeed been a year filled with blessings: a new booklet The Kingdom Hope of All Mankind, two successful subscription campaigns resulting in over 222,000 new subscriptions, hundreds of circuit assemblies, instructive district assemblies. three all-time peaks in number of publishers, and the new Counsel on Theocratic Organization for Jehovah’s witnesses. But the year has not yet ended. One month remains. Let us climax this thrilling year of Kingdom ministry by reaching an all-time high in number of publishers during August! This we can do by everyone's show ing his appreciation to Jehovah for this Messed year by being a publisher in August.
Doubtless the publishing of more than sir million copies of the bound book “Let God Be True" since its release has been partly responsible for past peaks in number of publishers. During the August Testimony Period Kingdom publishers will diligently participate in door-to-door activity and prepare the way for future expansion by presenting one of the Society’s bound books and four booklets on the contribution of 50c.
Patient Planning Essential
Also contributing to past peaks has been the willingness of all servants to patiently plan and cooperate in the company's field service. Similarly, to reach a new high in August will require this same preparation and united action. The company servant should make definite service arrangements for the month, with provisions for all features of Kingdom activity. Service meetings will be planned, discussing the August activity and offering timely demonstrations. He should also see that other parts of the company organization function ' properly and work together in reach-. ing a new peak locally.
The company servant will see to it that the publisher record cards are checked each month to ascertain who has not been in Kingdom service. Then he, aided by all servants, including the company book study conductors and also other regular publishers, will patiently encourage and help these in field ministry. The Bible study servant will arrange for back-call and Bible-study activity. Through the Study Record file he will ascertain who have had home Bible studies for some time and will contact the study conductor to see whether some help can be offered to get these interested ones to meetings and into some feature of Kingdom ministry. The advertising servant will prepare for magazine day each week, while the stock servant’s attention is directed to having enough literature on hand for use in the month's offer. Sufficient territory for group witnessing will be provided by the territory servant. The accounts servant will co-operate with other servants and publishers in fulfilling his assigned duties and generally assisting as many new ones as possible in the field. Old and new publishers alike will be assisted by the Watchtower study conductor and school servant in the application of instruction gained at the Watchtower study and Theocratic ministry school. Yes, all servants will share their common responsibility of taking the lead and patiently giving personal aid to irregular publishers and good-will persons.
Reaching the Peak as Publishers
No less important is the vital part you the publisher must play in reaching a new peak. Attend and participate in all meetings regularly. Take notes on demonstrations, for application in the field. Engage in field service by taking advantage of company service arrangements. With an eye to reaching our peak and to assisting interested persons to enter the ministry, tactfully, patiently, approach the matter of service at home Bible studies. They have been studying the publications for several months now and have gathered a wealth of Bible knowledge. Would they not like to take that same information to others? Get into the spirit of reaching a new peak of publishers to climax the 1949 sei'V-
Pioneer Applications
The steady incoming stream of pioneer applications during the summer months has been very gratifying and it is hoped that this healthy influx will continue in the months to come. So that the Society can serve pioneer applicants with a minimum of delay, it is requested that the following be observed:
To be a pioneer, the publisher must be immersed and the application blank should show the exact date of immersion. If the exact date is not known, at least the month and year should be provided.
The application for pioneer service should be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the company servant or one of his assistant servants. This letter should include the field record, that is, the average number of hours, back-calls and Bible studies for the previous six months. This information is required for both pioneer and vacation pioneer applications. (Please see paragraph 44 of Counsel on Theocratic Organization regarding this.)
It is suggested that the company servant check each application before it is sent, to be sure that all questions are understood and properly answered.
Field Service Report
MONTHLY QUOTAS
Av. Av.
Pubs. Hrs. B-C Bi, St.
Sp’l Pios. ) ( 140.0 50.0
Gen. Pios. J 7f^ ] 100.0 32.6
Co. Pubs. 13.2 3.4 1.0
Total Publisher Quota 80,239
June
Pubs.
Sp'l Pios. 361
Gen. Pios. 5,062
Co. Pubs. 78,819
Total Pubs. 84,242
Report
Av. Av. Av.
Hrs. B-C Bi. St.
128.9 51.7
87.5 28.6
9.2 3.0
PUBLIC MEETING CAMPAIGN Public Meetings Held 4,948
New Magazine Letter
A new magazine letter is being sent to each company and pioneer with this Informant. The previous magazine letter may now be discarded, and the new one (which has been changed to conform to the new booklet Counsel on Theocratic Organization) should be carefully studied and retained in file for future reference.
ice year; express real love for men of good-will in all features of gospelproclamation.
If servant-publisher co-operation and planning are in evidence and all “stick to your work’’ of patiently planting and watering, the Lord will bring the increase and our peak in number of publishers will be attained. Therefore, let us advance during August, ‘looking to Jehovah's patience as the means of salvation’ for ourselves and multitudes of men of good-will.
Publisher’s Reports and Records
During recent months questions relative to publishers, their reports and records have been received. It is to answer these and related questions that the following is given.
All brethren who engage in and report field service should be counted as publishers, even though they have not yet been baptized. New publishers, by sharing in the witness work, will acquire needed experience and ability and will increase in knowledge and understanding. Undoubtedly after making a consecration they will desire to symbolize that consecration at the earliest opportunity by water baptism and thus fulfill this righteous requirement. They will then receive a personal copy of Cotmsel on Theocratic Organization, and, should the opportunity arise, be eligible to act as a servant or pioneer.
It is the responsibility of all servants and publishers to assist persons of good-will to participate in the service by calling upon them and, where possible, taking them into the field. This obligation is not completely discharged by merely calling upon the person to see if he has talked to someone about the truth during the month. An incidental discussion hardly makes an interested person a publisher.
On the other hand, if a person turns in a report and wants to be counted as a publisher the report should be accepted and Included. If children publish with an understanding of what they are doing and a desire to serve the Lord, their reports should likewise be counted, even though, in some instances, they may be quite young.
Publishers can greatly assist the servants to keep a proper record of the company’s activity by personally keeping a record of fractions of hours that they devote to Kingdom service and then reporting only whole numbers. If, in some instances, the publisher cannot see the importance of doing this, the servant should accept the report anyway.
When a publisher moves to another company he should take his publisher’s record card with him. If he fails to do this, however, and the servants know the company to which the publisher moved, the card should be forwarded to that company. If the new company is not known, remove the card from the active file and retain it so that it can be furnished if it Is later called for.
Every person who understands the truth should be a publisher, not by coercion, but or his own free will. Parents should bring up their children Theocratically, teaching them to enjoy this privilege by taking them to meetings and out into the service with them. Never should anyone, young or old, allow the privilege of being a publisher to slip away from him. On the contrary, the effort and goal of each of us should continually be toward an expansion of publisher privileges.
Cultivating Gifts for the Ministry All Publishers Strive to Do New Things
September to Feature Booklet Offer
We must not neglect our gifts for the ministry I Jehovah has provided us with the ministry for our salvation and also with the gifts needed to share in that ministry successfully. Willing servants will desire to cultivate their gifts and gain God’s favor by applying all their ability to improve their praise to him. With delight we heed his counsel at 1 Timothy 4:14,15, An Amer. Trans.: “Do not neglect the gift you have, that was given you with predictions of your work . . . Cultivate these things, devote yourself to them, so that everyone will see your progress.” God's gifts, then, are for use, and must not be neglected. We must apply the abilities we have and seek always to improve, cultivate and perfect them for a more effective ministry of praise.
September Offer
Many ministers now active in Theocratic service received their first taste of Kingdom truth through studying booklets. Booklet distribution is profitable, and during September, the opening month of a new service year, we will offer seven booklets on a contribution of 25c; or, if you do not have that many different ones, then three on a contribution of ten cents. If your company’s booklet supply is low, check with near-by companies to see if they can supply your needs. Exchange or transfer of booklets for this campaign can be made between companies without sending a transfer of stock to the Society.
The Society has a good supply of the following booklets: Judge Rutherford Uncovers Fifth Column, God and the State, Satisfied, Comfort All That Mourn, Peace—Can It Last? Freedom in the Few World, Fighting for Liberty on the Home Front, One World, One Government, The “Commander to the Peoples", The Joy of All the People, The Kingdom Hope of All Mankind, Conspiracy Against Democracy, Theocracy, Religion Reaps the Whirlwind, Face the Facts, Fascism or Freedom, “The Prince of Peace" and Choosing. All of these booklets, though some are old in years, contain a vital message for people of good-will. If ordering from the Society it is suggested that Religion Reaps the Whirlwind be included, as many thousands of these timely booklets are in stock. Endeavor to include Religion Reaps the Whirlwind in each combination placed.
September, a booklet month, will give us the opportunity to get important publications off the shelves and into the hands of the people. A splendid opportunity for presenting September’s offer is by evening booklet work, which should not be overlooked, but planned and used, in cultivating our gifts.
New and Old Publishers Cultivating New Gifts
The Bible study servant should check the Publisher's Record cards and make a list of all not active in back-call and Bible-study work. Names of those he cannot personally assist can be given to company book study conductors, who will make arrangements to assist new publishers to cultivate these gifts. A special effort should be made to aid new publishers to get started in activity in which they have not yet participated. Pioneers can also assist in this work as they have opportunity by taking new publishers, and old ones not yet making back-calls, with them on back-calls and Bible studies. As the aided ones improve and become capable, turn studies over to them that they may continue in this service. With good co-operation many more publishers in the company will be in back-call and Bible-study work during the month.
Magazine Day furnishes a splendid opportunity for both new and old publishers to cultivate new gifts. Those engaging in it express great appreciation for this means of increasing their ministry of praise. Throughout the country reports read of 20 to 30 magazines placed in one or two hours of store-to-store and house-to-house work. Advertising servants can encourage publishers to have a part by outlining a schedule in advance. Early morning Is often the best time for store-to-store work. As business activity increases engage in house-to-house service, and wind up a full magazine day in street work. While on the street approach that person sitting in the car, the one waiting for a bus, or standing close by. By taking the initiative in magazine street work, you will cultivate this gift of the ministry and reach many more persons with the gospel message.
The Theocratic ministry school is a provision of the Lord to use in increasing our ministry and to do new things. Brethren who are not now enrolled should be encouraged to do so. Some not heretofore qualified to give public talks but who have sufficiently cultivated this gift by taking advantage of ministry school training may be considered eligible for such service now and be given an assignment during September. This affords an excellent opportunity for these brothers to improve and cultivate their ability. Old publishers as well as those just beginning the ministry can find greater joy by doing new things in the Lord’s service.
Begin now to “cultivate these things” you have not used. “Devote yourself to them” and aid others to improve by personal assistance. So doing, “everyone will see your progress” as you expand your ministry of praise.
Stock Inventory and Service Reports
Two “Stock Inventory” forms are being sent to each company and pioneer with this Informant. An actual-count inventory of stock on hand should be taken by each pioneer and each company and recorded accurately and completely on these forms in duplicate. The original should be sent to the Society’s office not later than September 6, and the duplicate retained by the company or pioneer.
Only that literature which is clean and in good condition should be counted on the inventory. Foreign literature obtained free from the Society should also be counted and listed, but not included when figuring the value of literature on hand. Any books or booklets in stock in especially large quantities should be noted on the inventory.
The company servant should care-
Theocratic Ministry Training Valuable
Make Good Use of It
Though coming from many different walks of life, all of Jehovah’s servants are under the same obligation to preach: “Preach good tidings unto the meek” ; “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season”; “Yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” To preach requires a knowledge and understanding of Jehovah’s purposes. But if to this knowledge and understanding we add training in how to arrange and present the message, that is, in composition and delivery, surely the preaching work will be more effective.
That ail of Jehovah’s servants might preach more effectively the school in Theocratic ministry was instituted, in 1943, with the publication of the booklet Course in Theocratic Ministry. Later another textbook was provided, Theocratic Aid to Kingdom Publishers, and in 1946 “Equipped for Every Good Work" was released. Now, in 1949, we are again studying Theocratic Aid to Kingdom Publishers. To many of us its lessons seem “brand-new”, either because we have forgotten much of what we learned in our previous study or because we have only recently entered the ministry.
In many ways Theocratic ministry training has proved its value. House-to-house activity has become more effective; back-call and home Biblestudy work have become more fruitful and platform speaking has become more coherent, more forceful and more interesting. Our younger brethren have found this training to be an invaluable asset also in their schoolwork, enabling them to profit more from their days in school and hence be better prepared for future ministry.
Improving “More and More”
If we are to continue to improve our ministry, and we all do want to praise Jehovah “more and more” effectively, then we must continue to apply ourselves to the ministry training. At the present time we are studying that part of Theocratic Aid to Kingdom Publishers dealing with grammar and composition, subjects that require continued study to avoid becoming careless in speech. These subjects, if studied
Publications Now in Stock “Be Glad, Ye Nations"—Norwegian “The Truth Shall Make You Free" Study Questions-—Yoruba fully check to see that the stock servant has properly filled out the forms. They should show the amount of literature on hand, amount of cash on hand (book money), and the value of literature held on credit by the publishers. The report, with the statement of the company's indebtedness to the Society on that date, should be read to the company.
The taking of future inventories will be greatly simplified If part eartons of booklets are wrapped in bundles of 25 or 50 and the contents marked on the wrapper before replacing in the carton. This will also serve to keep them clean.
Each company and pioneer should complete August’s field service report on August 31 and make a special effort to have it in the mail not later than September 3, since August concludes the service year. diligently, will aid even the poorly educated to improve their speech.
The apostles, for the most part, came from the more humble walks of life, yet their writings show that they had a knowledge of their language and knew how to use it effectively. The same should be true of Christian ministers today. Good use of grammar adds to the value of the message by making it clear and forceful; and good composition helps the listener to remember what he has heard. On the other hand, incorrect use of grammar and poor composition tend to detract from the dignity of the Kingdom message.
While all such instruction is of special value in training for platform speaking, the alert minister wTill apply it daily in his field service. In his introduction at the door he will avoid making dogmatic statements and will start with things generally accepted, with something that will put the listener in a receptive frame of mind.
Proceeding to the body of his testimony he will endeavor to show the householder the value of what he has to present. Is there strong religious prejudice? Then he will dwell on those things which they have in common: belief in God, Christ Jesus and the Bible. Does he find lack of interest due to the listener’s being content with his orthodox religious fare of good morals and “character development”? Then he can show how this message features the fulfillment of prophecies, etc.
He will not ramble from one subject to another, but, having found where the interest lies, will develop that theme. And his conclusion, of course, will be an appeal to action, to Investigate by obtaining some literature.
Mutual Training
The value that each company receives from the Theocratic ministry training will largely depend upon each one’s contributing his share. The school servant will need to be fully familiar with the subject material, alert and concise to be able to limit his counsel to two minutes and make the best possible use of that time. A few words of commendation for progress made and mention of one or two practical points for improvement are all that is needed.
Every brother in the company should enroll. That privilege is open to all brothers even though not consecrated or engaging in field service. Having once enrolled for the purpose of improving his ministry, the student should take his assignment seriously, remembering that his talk is to be given not only for his own benefit but also for the edification of his listeners. Instruction talks deserve special attention and should be exemplary in coverage of matarial and extemporaneous delivery.
The oral and written reviews furnish each one in the company, brother and sister alike, the opportunity to share in making the school interesting and helpful. By going over the oral review questions thoroughly before attending meeting each one will be enabled to give correct answers and fitting illustrations.
We have been commissioned to preach. Let each minister strive to preach “more and more” effectively by making full use of the valuable Theocratic ministry school training.