Informant, June 1949
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INFORMANT
JUNE, 1949
“I . . . will yet praise thee more and more.”—Ps. 71: 14,
BROOKLYN, N.Y.
“Contending for the Faith” Testimony Period Employ All Avenues of Service
New All-Time Publisher Peak Reached in April
June a Back-Call Month
Relentlessly Satan and his deluded followers oppose Jehovah and strive to cause all creation to lose faith in Him and His saving power. Though few in number when compared with this army of opposers, the remnant and their companions form a united front and “contend earnestly for the faith”, knowing that to do so faithfully will result in the gaining of the “common salvation” both for themselves and for those who hear the truth because of the preaching activity.
To successfully contend for the faith requires help from Jehovah; but we are guaranteed that help every minute of our lives. We cannot do it alone. Donning the “armor of God”, we can courageously march forward into the field of battle certain of victory! With such Godgiven equipment all servants, regardless of physical strength or personal ability, can wage an effective battle against Satan and error and uphold the cause of truth.
All Avenues of Service for Contenders
A consistent course requires that we “contend earnestly” in every avenue of service that opens itself to us. To the homes of the people we will go during June, leaving wherever desired three of the bound books and the booklet The Kingdom Hope of All Mankind, on a contribution of $1.00. Where the people already have one or more of the three latest books, “Let God Be True”, “The Kingdom Is at Hand” and “The Truth Shall Make You Free”, any other bound book may be included. Companies having quantities of older books may use them in this offer.
June a Back-Call Month
Our interest in the welfare of all people moves us to go to every door and there contend against religious errors and prejudice. When someone manifests interest, should not our desire to help them be intensified? Like fire in our bones, the desire to feed these “sheep” of Jehovah should compel us to go back to them and nourish them with healthbringing truths, and only by so doing can we truly be ‘contending’ for the faith. To encourage more and more Kingdom publishers to praise by back-call and Bible-study service, June is specially designated as a back-call month. This feature is to be highly emphasized the world over.
Some publishers have not yet tasted of the joys that come through participation in the back-call work. Now is the time to do so. Perhaps they have missed out by not appreciating the importance of the back-call work, or by feeling that such is not their responsibility. Vigorously contend against such conclusions. Be convinced of the necessity of Bible study, not for yourself alone, but for the “sheep”, and rest certain of Jehovah’s blessing upon your expanded share in back-call work.
Do some feel themselves incapable? Here servants can play a helpful part. Offer to accompany those not making back-calls in this activity, perhaps calling on persons reached by the publisher himself in house-to-house work. Most publishers will be happy to see the interest thus cared for. Help them to recall the interests of these people by discussing what was talked about at the initial call. Then show them how to profit by that information when talking to the people at the time the back-call is made. Continue to aid these brethren. After they have tasted of the joys of making back-calls and have surmounted the difficulty of getting started the publishers being trained will want to continue. Through constant servantassistance in back-call and Biblestudy work, one company has expanded its home Bible study figure from 18 to 73 in six months. Those who felt ‘unable’ now rejoice as they instruct meek ones in Bible truth. Result? New peaks in number of publishers.
Contend Through Studies
The back-call should be made with the goal in mind of starting a study. Be alert for ways by which to accomplish this. Often a study can be started on the very first call.
If we are back-call and Biblestudy-conscious, many opportunities for this service will present themselves to us. We will learn to watch for the leanings of the people as we talk to them; to get acquainted with them and to let them know that we are interested in their welfare.
Back-calls should be made on those who have subscribed for The Watchtower during this last campaign. and calls should be made promptly upon persons whose subscriptions of last year are expiring. Their expiration slips are being sent to the companies regularly by the Society. With but few exceptions these people once had at least a spark of interest in the Kingdom. That interest in truth and righteousness is in many instances still there, even though they may not have examined their magazines thoroughly enough to realize how vital a message they contain. They simply need someone to teach them, to point out the truths in The Watchtower and Awake! Call back promptly on each one, talk to them about the truth and contend for the faith to their eternal welfare.
During June let us use every opportunity to let men know of the faith for which we contend, and then call back, conduct studies and give them a helping hand to gain salvation.
87,622 Active
129,025 Attend Memorial
87,000 publishers! That was our aim for April. Would we reach it? Above is the answer; the highest number of publishers yet active in the United States in one month. To Jehovah our God we give thanks for such bountiful blessings bestowed upon his diligent, united servants.
The new peak is 11,249 above the number active in March, 1948, last year’s Memorial month, and it is 4,982 above our previous all-time high of March, 1949, when 82,640 reported field service. In fact, the company publishers alone nearly reached this figure, for 82,585 company publishers reported and 5,037 pioneers. Undoubtedly the stimulus of the Memorial week contributed to the reaching of our quota, for 129.025 assembled for Memorial, of whom 10,050 partook of the emblems, and
Cash Item Orders
The following information is given to aid in overcoming difficulty encountered by some in handling cash item orders and the remittances therefor. Accounts servants should note that some cash item orders are invoiced but those which are not are listed on the small slip headed “Duplicate Copy of Your Cash Item Order” which is sent along with the order when it is mailed. The remittance that you send in for items that we invoice will be credited to your account at the time it is received by us. Then the invoice will be charged to your account, thereby balancing the credit that has been previously made.
As it is sometimes impossible to list the invoice on the statement until the following month, please wait for the next statement before making inquiry. It will be necessary in such instances for the accounts servant, as he checks the monthly statement, to take into consideration the fact that money has been listed on the statement for cash items that have not yet been charged.
As in the past, when we list your cash item order on the small slip headed “Duplicate Copy of Your Cash Item Order” this slip is to be retained by the accounts servant for his records. All bookkeeping adjustments pertaining to this order are to be made from this slip. No other receipt or invoice for that particular shipment will be sent to you; nor will a record of the charge and remittance appear on your monthly statement as it does when cash items are invoiced.
The accounts servant may wish to clip this article and save it with his instructions.
Publications Now in Stock
The Joy of All the People—Chinese 1949 Yearbook—German
The Joy of AU the People—Icelandic “Let God Be True”—Spanish
1,729 public meetings were held that week.
We rejoice exceedingly in the testimony of the above figures, for they furnish proof positive that the name of Jehovah is being magnified by an ever-increasing multitude of his consecrated servants and the challenge of Satan falls flat. As these 87,622 keep on praising God, month after month, the number of God’s true ministers is certain to expand still farther, to the glory of the Most High.
Having attained this special quota for April, there is every reason to believe that our average monthly quota of 80,239 will be realized for the service year. This will surely be the case as each of those reporting in April holds fast to his treasure of Kingdom service and praises “more and more” during coming months, yes, until the witness to Jehovah is climaxed at Armageddon.
Order Through the Company
As far as possible, all brethren associated with companies should order their literature and magazines through the company. Those who require literature, whether foreign or English, that is not usually stocked by the company can place their order with the stock servant. He will include it on the next company order. Company servants should instruct the brethren in this, particularly the foreign-speaking, and the stock servant should keep an up-to-date list of foreign literature as it is announced in the Informant so that all will know what is available.
Similarly with extra copies of the magazines and subscriptions, turn in both new and renewal subscriptions, including personal ones, to the company instead of sending them direct to the Society.
It should be remembered that as much time is required to fill an order for an individual as for the entire company. Your co-operation in ordering literature and magazines through the company will permit the Society to give better service to everyone.
1949 Watchtower Campaign
As of April 30, publishers in the United States obtained 161,108 subscriptions for The Watchtower and Awake! Although somewhat below our quota of 165,000 subscriptions, this number of magazines going regularly to the homes of new subscribers during the coming year will effect a tremendous witness. Subscriptions obtained during the first two weeks of May will also be counted on the campaign total.
In view of the extremely severe winter weather in most sections of the country we can be well pleased with the results of the 11th Watchtower campaign. Pleasing to Jehovah will be the efforts of his servants as they help subscribers understand this life-giving truth that will regularly come into their homes.
“making Trustworthy Friends for the Future”
Men of Good-Will to Be Assisted in Ministry
Different from this greedy, mammon-enslaved world, God’s ministers diligently seek to follow the wise counsel of Christ: “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness ; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.”—Luke 16:9, A.S.F.
We know that the real friends worth having are not those gained with ill-gotten mammon or the wealthy ones of this world, but rather are those who can give more than mere material possessions, namely, Jehovah God and Christ Jesus. Our wisdom lies, therefore, in making these our trustworthy friends for the future by treating what material wealth we now possess, not as our master, but as our slave in expanding praise to God. After all, Jehovah’s service, coupled with the Kingdom truth and the privilege of being God’s ministers, is of higher value than all the mammon on earth. And in that service we shall continue during July to use everything at our disposal, yes, even our very lives, in “making trustworthy friends for the future”.
Aiding Others to "Make Friends”
Jehovah’s servants will also “make friends” with people of good-will by presenting the offer for July: any cloth-bound book and four booklets, including The Kingdom Hope of All Mankind, on a contribution of 50c. The offer not only will give goodwill persons now enjoying home Bible studies an opportunity to add books they may not now possess to their Theocratic libraries, but will also provide a means whereby other interested ones can begin cultivating the proper eternal friendships.
Book placements will, of course, be followed up by back-calls, and back-calls developed into home Bible studies. The minister should remember that Bible studies are the source of new Kingdom proclaimers and often from the very start of a study he can work toward introducing the newly interested to Kingdom service. Perhaps you can begin by relating some interesting field experiences you may have had, showing the joys and blessings of the ministry. From time to time, read an instructive experience from The Watchtower. Make note of points in the study dealing with service and the privilege of serving the Lord now in the way outlined in His Word. Invite the good-will person
SUBSCRIPTIONS TO DATE 262,858
Legal Questions
It is important, when the Society’s legal counsel is asked for advice, that all of the facts be presented for consideration. If you wish to have an opinion concerning the validity or application of an ordinance, a copy of the ordinance should be sent with your inquiry. This is just as important as sending in a copy of the ordinance and the complaint when an arrest has occurred.
Reports of arrests or interferences, or requests for information of a legal nature, should be addressed “Attention Legal Desk”. It is preferable that this be done both on the letter and on the envelope. to attend the service meeting, Watchtower study, company book study or public meeting. Let him become acquainted with the brethren and the local organization. All of these things tend to familiarize the man of good-will with the service and create a desire to participate therein. With this preparatory work followed through from the very start, the Bible study conductor should have little difficulty in tactfully bringing up the matter of service and inviting the new one to share in the ministry of praise.
Cultivating Friendships in July
During the winter months many new home Bible studies have been started with book obtainers ami magazine subscribers, and many of these are now prepared to take the forward step into gospel-preaching. In July, therefore, a special effort should be made by each publisher to take these new appreciative ones into public Kingdom ministry.
Invite the potential publisher to join with you as you perform your ministry, sharing in all features of Theocratic activity. Perhaps he can share in handbill distribution, or accompany you in the magazine work on “Magazine Day”, or attend one of jour home Bible studies. Evening work can also be enjoyed during the summer months and companies that have not yet arranged for this feature of the work are encouraged to do so.
Of course, we will not fail to invite our new interest to circuit and district assemblies and other special meetings, where they can receive much counsel relating to the public ministry and engage in actual field activity. By following these and similar suggestions we not only shall be “making trustworthy friends for the future” for ourselves but will be aiding others to do likewise.
Therefore, let July be a month marked with this special effort on the part of all Kingdom publishers to educate men of good-will in the service of their Eternal Friends, Jehovah God and Christ Jesus.
Reporting
The following information is presented to clarify questions that have been received at the Society's office in recent weeks regarding reporting.
A home Bible study should be reported though conducted but once during the month. Each conductor, of course, will try to conduct his study weekly. But where circumstances prevent this some months, and the study can be conducted only once, it should, nevertheless, be reported as a home Bible study. Please remember also that if a home Bible study is conducted four times in one month, four back-calls are reported, but just one home Bible study.
The one who delivers a public talk may count the time spent preaching in this manner.
Attention is directed to the statement in paragraph 35 of Counsel on Theocratic Organization: “When in the field time is to be counted from the beginning of your witness work to the end of your work.” Travel time to and from one’s territory, whether for house-to-house, back-call, or magazine work, is not counted as field service. But the time from the beginning of your witness work in the field to the end of your witness work for that period will be reported as field service. The time spent preaching the gospel when not
in the field should also be reported. Bearing the above in mind, the publisher will encounter no difficulty in properly reporting field service.
It will be profitable, if not already done, to devote a portion of the service meeting to a thorough discussion of the new report forms (Study Report, Study Record, and Publisher's Field Service Report) used by the publishers. Publishers are asked to turn in their reports of field service to the company at least once a week, and Study Reports promptly at the end of the month. This is necessary in order that the report posted on the company chart, the report sent to the Society at the end of the month, and the nation-wide report appearing in the Informant, may be complete and accurate.
The nation-wide report in the Informant will show the results of the preaching efforts of all Kingdom publishers in the United States from month to month. This can be discussed in the service meeting, along with the report of the local company.
As Jehovah’s witnesses place uppermost in their lives the all-important work of preaching the gospel and seek to ‘praise more and more’, reports of field service will surely reflect a steady expansion of true worship, all to Jehovah’s glory.
Expanding Public Meetings
Meetings in the Homes Show Excellent Results
The expansion of public meeting work into the homes, especially those where company book studies are conducted, is having excellent results. Have you tried them in your company? If not, you are urged to do so. Perhaps you too will experience a doubling or tripling of attendance, and rejoice in the expressions of appreciation voiced by good-will persons who gather. And probably an increased attendance at the regular book studies will be realized.
The home public meeting may be held in place of the company book study for that night and in larger companies more than one may be in progress at the same time. After the series the regular company book study is resumed. Home public meetings will not replace the regular public meetings put on by the entire company.
All publishers within the area served by the company book study are encouraged to give support to the home public meeting work. Primarily they should make a special effort to call on and assist those of good-will in the vicinity, their back-calls and studies, to attend. These, in turn, may wish to invite others. The personal invitation, accompanied by an offer to stop by and take them to the meeting, will do much to create a responsive spirit. Many persons who seem reluctant at first to attend meetings at the Kingdom Hall are glad to come to a neighbor's home to hear a Bible talk.
It may not be necessary to advertise the talks with handbills if the publishers under the oversight of the study conductor show diligence in calling on and helping those already acquainted with the truth. Often a sizable gathering will result from among these alone. “Inactive” brethren in the locality should also be called on and invited to the public meetings. If it is believed best to use handbills, distributed among those in the territory of the study group, there is no objection to doing so.
Welcome the Stranger
At the meeting, introduce new ones to other publishers; make them welcome. It will mean much for them to see that Jehovah’s witnesses are a friendly people, having the interest of their neighbors very much at heart.
The meeting itself should be informal. After the chairman extends a warm welcome and announces the speaker and the subject of the talk the speaker will “explain” the subject as he might at a back-call. The loud volume required at larger gatherings should give way to an intimate conversational explanation. The Society’s outline should be followed so that the talk will be logical and easily understood. At the conclusion the chairman may state that questions will be entertained when the meeting is dismissed, and he should announce the regular company headquarters meetings in addition to inviting all to return for the lectures that follow or the regular book studies, as the case may be.
After having attended a Bible talk conveniently located in the neighborhood, persons of good-will will respond more readily to invitations to hear more such discussions and also to go to the Kingdom Hall meetings. The same personal interest should be shown toward them, inviting and assisting them to come, until they are strong enough to come by themselves.
In smaller companies or in rural sections where company book studies are not held as yet, it may be possible to arrange some meetings in the home of a publisher or a person of good-will, with neighbors and others in the area being informed of the meeting. The time of day for the meeting will be flexible.
Let us, then, expand our public meetings into the homes and share in the blessings that Jehovah is showering upon this feature of Kingdom witnessing.
Field Service Report
MONTHLY QUOTAS
Av. Av.
Pubs. Hrs. B-C Bi. St.
Sp’l Pios. ) 72„ ( 140.0 50.0
Pioneers t '’“s ) 100.0 32.6
Co. Pubs. 13.2 3.4
Tot. Pubs. 80,239
April Report Av. Av.
Pubs. Hrs. B-C Bi. St.
Sp’l Pios. 378 139.0 59.6
Pioneers 4,659 91.1 31,6
Co. Pubs. 82,585 9.6 3.1
Tot. Pubs. 87,622
PUBLIC MEETING CAMPAIGN Public Meetings Held 5,525
MEMORIAL WEEK-END ACTIVITY Attendance at Memorial 129,025 Partakers 10,050
Attendance at Public Meeting 75,661
District and Circuit Servant Talks
New talks will soon be given by the district and circuit servants. At the circuit assemblies the district servants will speak on the subject “The Only Light”, while in the companies, after July 1, the circuit servants will talk on “Safety in the World Crisis”.
We feel sure that you will want to have a full share in advertising and supporting these talks to the benefit of yourself and good-will persons.