Informant, August 1950

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INFORMANT

AUGUST, 1950_________________________________“Preach the word,”—2 Tim. 4: 2,________________________________ BROOKLYN, N. Y.

“Theocracy’s Increase’’ Testimony Period Spread Convention Enthusiasm

End Service Year with a Fitting Climax

Abel had faith in it, Abraham hoped for it, Isaiah foretold it, and Jehovah established it in 1914. What was It? The Theocracy! Today, thirty-six years removed from the Theocracy’s establishment, we behold the increase Isaiah foretold when he said, “Of the increase of his government [Theocracy] and peace there shall be no end.” (Isaiah 9: 7) What a privilege and joy it is to have a small part in announcing Jehovah’s Theocracy and to see it increasing to the ends of the earth'.

August will undoubtedly be a great month in announcing that kingdom, as it begins with the “Theocracy’s Increase” Assembly in New York city. The effects of this great assembly will not be limited to New York city, but will be felt throughout the entire earth as servants of the Theocracy, refreshed by the feast of fat things, return to their individual countries, cities and companies, there to share the abundant blessings of the assembly with those who could not attend. The information carried back will be a driving force to bearer and hearer alike for energetic and enthusiastic service yet ahead.

August Ends 1950 Service Year

With the month getting off to a good start with the assembly, August should be a pinnacle month of activity in the eventful 1950 service year. Can it be? It can if each publisher accepts his responsibility before the Lord to participate in the field service and to report this to his company. Remember, August 1949 saw an all-time peak, up to that time, of 91,463 publishers enjoying field service privileges in the United States. The October, 1949, Informant carried that most pleasing report and asked: “With diligent effort on the part of all, is it possible that there will be 100,000 publishers in the United States [by convention time] ?” Through our diligent effort and Jehovah’s blessing, over 100,000 publishers were active long before the convention arrived. Now, with each publisher spurred on by the convention and expressing his appreciation for this great provision, what will the number of publishers be in August, to fittingly close the eventful 1950 service year?

Reaching a climax for August will require sincere effort on the part of each publisher to get in some time during the month without fail and then report it. There will have been unlimited opportunities to announce the Theocracy’s increase at the convention, to the people in whose home you lived while there, en route, and at home. Opportunities to preach are plentiful both for those who went to New York and for those who remained at home. So everyone should have a report to turn in. Brethren who will not be back to their local company by the end of August should send their field service reports to the company servant before the month’s end so that a complete and accurate company report can be sent to the Society by the 3rd of September. The offer for August Is one bound book, on a contribution of 35c.

Resume Local Activity

As soon as possible after arriving home arrangements should be made to devote portions of the service meeting to reviewing the high lights of the “Theocracy’s Increase” Assembly. This will present a splendid opportunity to share Jehovah’s goodness with the brethren who could not attend. The meetings should be well planned and a real effort put forth to invite newly interested persons on whom we call and others interested in the Theocracy’s Increase to attend. These meetings will be stimulating and beneficial to all in attendance.

Arrangements for resuming all features of service activity will be put into operation as soon as conventioners are back. Organized group activity from the Kingdom Hall and company book studies will let the community know that you are back and better equipped than ever to declare the way to life to all who will listen. Every publisher desiring to swell the Theocrat's praise will respond whole-heartedly to the arrangements for house-to-house work, street magazine witnessing, store-to-store activity, advertising public meetings and supporting other company arrangements. In addition, back-calls and Bible studies will be resumed, as well as our incidental preaching of truth every man to his neighbor, including the baker, grocer and all others with ears to hear.

Undoubtedly some who are beginning to appreciate the Theocracy will be so enthused by having attended the assembly or hearing the results from you that just a helpful “come with me” will start them in the service. Complete your assistance to them by aiding them to turn in their field service report. With every company publisher, special, regular and vacation pioneer lending full support to the company arrangements, aiding new publishers and encouraging others ready to publish, August will conclude, in a very fitting way, the grand 1950 service year.

Better equipped than ever before and having the definite assurance that the Theocracy’s increase will continue until it fills the whole earth, Kingdom publishers worldwide will intensify their faithful planting and persistent watering while God continues to give the increase.

Theocratic Ministry School Essential

Everyone Contributes to Its Success

An indispensable aid to efficient service! How true this is of the Theocratic ministry school! Would you be without the knowledge and training it has given you since April, 1943? Reflect for a moment. Think how your appreciation of God’s Word grew as you studied concerning the origin and authenticity of the Bible, the growth of its canon, the geography and history of Bible lands, following this with a book-by-book examination of this marvelous library. Then, how thankful you were for the lessons on Theocratic tact, argumentation, composition and delivery, Bible helps and translations. Yes, you can only conclude that the Theocratic ministry school has been very necessary to you and all Theocratic ministers.

Now we are entering the final section of Theocratic Aid to Kingdom Publishers. Have you considered how practical and useful will be the information you will receive during the next few months? The history of false religion, its fusion with apostate Christianity and the subsequent birth of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, the Dark Ages and Reformation, plus a brief review of many present-day religions, climaxed by Jehovah’s vindication over demon religion. Certainly, armed with this knowledge, you will be better able to approach people from a position of vantage, and know how to tactfully refute their religious contentions.

Everyone Shares and Benefits

Viewing the ministry school from its relation to Kingdom service, each one will want to contribute his share toward its success. How can this best be done? First, attend regularly. Study your lesson beforehand and come prepared to take part in the oral review. This also prepares you for the written review, which should be taken by all. Good-will persons can gain much from attending the school, as they will receive early training for their future work of preaching.

Secondly, let all brothers enrolled as students set a good example. Do not take the school lightly, but accept each speaking assignment you receive. Prepare your student talks well and at the appointed time deliver them, keeping in mind previous counsel. Counsel given is for your benefit; seek continual Improvement by endeavoring to Improve upon the weak points brought to your attention. Instruction talks especially require much preparation and should be given extemporaneously, covering thoroughly the information in the lessons. All those on the program should make the most profitable use of the allotted time as well as stay within their time limit.

Role of the School Servant

The Instructor, too, plays an important part in making the school an instructive and beneficial meeting. He should prepare himself in advance to counsel by becoming familiar with the material to be treated each week. In offering counsel he must be guided by love, understanding, kindness, and a sincere desire to aid the students to improve. To that end counsel given will be constructive, including suggestions on how to improve, referring to Theocratic Aid to Kingdom Publishers when fitting. The same consideration should be given when grading the written review papers.

The company servant can schedule various features of the school on the service meeting program from time to time. Through demonstrations, forum discussions, and talks illustrate the value of Theocratic ministry, how to prepare for the written review, how to use in the field the Information gained, etc. This practical application of what is being taught will aid to equip the publishers for proficient service.

The Theocracy is advancing. The Theocratic ministry school is a gracious provision contributing to Its increase. Are you keeping pace with it? You cannot afford to miss out, so form the good habit of studying, attending and participating in the Theocratic ministry school, and strive to apply all that you learn.

UNITED STATES QUOTA FOR 1950 91,254 Publishers

Monthly Field Service Report

June Report Av. Av. Av. Pubs. Hrs. B-C Bi. St.

Sp’l Pios. 334 119.7 45.5

Pioneers 5,592 86.1 29.4

Co. Pubs. 100,445 9.4 3.1

Total Pubs. 106,371

Public Meetings Held: 7,469

Pioneer Reports

A few pioneers are improperly reporting public meetings and Bible studies. Though sometimes held by pioneers, public meetings in company territory should always be reported by the company itself. When pioneers sponsor a public meeting in isolated territory only one pioneer should report it. (See paragraph 41 of Counsel on Theocratic Organization.) The number of studies on the report card means the number of places you hold a study, not the number of times you call at each place. Each time a study is held, however, a back-call should be counted. Thus, if you held studies at five locations and conducted each one four times in a month, you would have 20 back-calls but still only five studies to report. Do not put messages on your report cards other than remarks about your service; otherwise there will be a delay In handling or replying.

“Stick to Your Work”

New Peak Expected in First Month of Service Year

Three Booklets to Be Offered

In this day when so many persons are sighing because of the conditions upon the earth and are crying for deliverance, no more fitting command could be given the servants of God than “stick to your work!” Yes, continue to “preach the word”, in season and out of season, for all that will hear. Regular, consistent work—that is what brings results and is to the saving of “your hearers as well as yourself”. —1 Tim. 4:16, Moffatt.

The instruction, enthusiasm and spiritual uplifting received at the New York convention will continue to live and serve as a real source of strength as we ‘stick to our work’ of preaching in our home territories. There is so much to do in the way of aiding those of good will, and we have received so much to assist us in this regard at the convention, surely each one of the Lord’s servants will be very diligent in contributing his part toward reaching an all-time peak of publishers in September.

The offer for the month will be three booklets, one of which will be colored-cover, on the contribution of 10c. This will make a convenient and attractive offer to present, and provides means to make good use of the booklets we have on hand. The stock servant should check his supply of booklets now to make sure he has sufficient to care for the publishers’ needs. Perhaps additional

Subscriber Address Changes

Are you notifying the Society in advance each time you change your address? Not all subscribers do. Every month thousands of magazines are returned to the Society by the post office with the notation that the subscriber has moved, cannot be found, or for some other reason the magazine cannot be delivered. At present, the Society must pay 2c postage for each magazine returned, and this charge is soon to be raised to 5c a copy. It can readily be seen that this represents a substantial outlay of money that could better be used otherwise.

The importance of sending the Society notice of your address change in advance cannot be overemphasized. Even though you notify the post office of the change, magazines will not be forwarded to you, since they are second-class mail. When one of your magazines is returned by the post office and your address is changed from the information that accompanies it, there are probably two more magazines yet in the mail which were sent to your old address and which will therefore be returned at a cost of 5c each to the Society.

For each magazine returned the Society sends the local company a card (L-47) requesting the correct address of the subscriber. Since only about 20 percent of these cards are returned, it would seem that a more careful check should be made by the company or the publishers to whom the cards are assigned. Each such card represents a person who has subscribed but who is not getting his magazine. Some of the subscribers may have moved, some have died, the post office is sometimes in error, or the address may have been wrong in the first place. But in every instance a thorough check should supplies can be obtained from nearby companies that are overstocked.

A Full Month of Organized Service

Reaching a new peak of publishers will mean receiving field service reports from all those who have reported in the past, and assisting those who have advanced to the point of doing service to share now in this work of preaching. To render individual assistance in this regard, we suggest that the servants and company book study conductors make their plans now to aid all associated out into the field service during September.

At the company book study locations, arrangements can be made for group booklet work for at least an hour before the study while the evenings are long. Regular publishers should cooperate in this and not miss the opportunity to assist the new publishers to share in this interesting work of distributing the three booklets. “Let the hearer too say, ‘Come’.” (Rev. 22:17, Moffatt) Those who do not report field service by the 15th of the month should be given attention and aided to join in with others as the different features of the service are engaged in. Organized rural work can still be pushed while the weather is good.

By sticking to our work of gospelpreaching and working unitedly to advance true worship, we will reach our goal of a new peak in the first month of the service year, all to Jehovah's honor and praise.

be made and all of these cards returned to the Society promptly, giving the results of your investigation.

It will facilitate the handling of your change of address if you will use the regular "Change of Address” slip (L-201), showing your new address and also your old address exactly as it appears on the address label of the magazine. The “Key Number” should also be included, as it shows us immediately where your stencil is filed. (Example: G3 51, means Awake! expiring March, 1951; W 5 51, means Watchtower expiring May, 1951.) Always specify which magazine you desire changed, whether The Watchtower or Awake! or both, and, if possible, attach one of your address labels to your correspondence to eliminate any possibility of error on your part.

Regular calls on new subscribers will also eliminate much of this difficulty. Undoubtedly few of these people realize the importance of notifying the Society of their address changes in advance; but if we are calling on them regularly we will be in position to help them in this respect as well as to help them better understand their magazines.

The full cooperation of every company, publisher and pioneer with regard to the above matters will effect a tremendous saving and assure more efficient service to all.

August Report

Since August concludes the service year, 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. Publishers can help considerably by turning in all their reports promptly.

Circuit Assemblies

Play Vital Role in Kingdom Expansion “And the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” Daniel foretold it, Christ Jesus directs it, Jehovah blesses it; and the Kingdom’s expansion goes on today as never before! A definite cog in this wheel of expansion is the circuit assembly.

Consider the facts: In December 1946, the last month prior to the institution of the circuit assemblies, the peak number of publishers in the United States was 69,876. Little did we think then that within three and one-half years we would see over 108,000 publishers in the field! The February, 1947, Informant asserted, “Circuit Assemblies to Stimulate Further Progress,” and so they did, as we note that four months later the Informant stated, “servants to the brethren report many companies showing Increases in activity following their assembly, and this is borne out by the fact that each of the five months, November to March, witnessed the highest number of publishers for that month on record.” From that time to this increase after increase has been seen.

Yes, the brethren have noticed the blessing of Jehovah on the circuit assemblies and have come to appreciate them more and more as a vital part in the Kingdom’s expansion today. Latest reports indicate that regular increases in attendance have resulted at the circuit assemblies. And there are good reasons for this Increase when we consider the practical advantages of the circuit assembly.

It is accessible to almost all publishers and persons of good will; it offers practical suggestions for every publisher to use in gospel-preaching work; and it furnishes refreshing Bible instruction concerning the organization and purpose of Jehovah. Nor can we overlook that helpful, stimulating association with our brethren; for to hear their experiences and to know how they overcame problems similar to ours Is a source of strength and encouragement.

Starting September 1, when circuit assemblies will be resumed, there will be refreshing changes in the program, especially the circuit activity meeting. Some will be called upon to aid in this meeting, and we know you will count it a joy to cooperate with the district servant in this. You are encouraged to write down your service questions and give them to the company servant to send in with the Analysis Report form immediately after the completion of the month’s activity prior to the assembly. Service questions may also be handed to the circuit or district servant on Friday night of the assembly. They can then be discussed during time allotted for this Saturday evening.

Saturday will be Magazine Day at the assembly, so all publishers should come prepared to share to the full in this Important service. “Choose Life that You May Live” will be the district servant’s public talk for Sunday; none will want to miss it. And the altered arrangement of the closing session will be refreshing to all in attendance.

Bring Good Will to the Assemblies

Today many persons of good will are associating with the companies. Remember them and aid them where possible to attend the assembly. The person with whom you study may

Actual-Count Stock Inventory

In harmony with paragraph 120 of Counsel on Theocratic Organisation, an actual-count inventory of stock on hand is to be taken on March 1 and September 1 of each year. The count taken on September 1 is to be sent to the Society on the forms provided. Two of these “Stock Inventory” forms are being sent to each company and each pioneer with this Informant. Record the count of your inventory on these forms accurately and completely, send the original to the Society not later than September 5, and retain the duplicate for your files.

This inventory should include only literature which is clean and in proper condition to place in the field. Note on the inventory any literature in stock in especially large quantities. All foreign literature should also be listed, although that which was obtained free from the Society should not be included when figuring the value of literature on hand.

The completed forms 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 company servant should check to see that the stock servant has filled out the forms properly, and should have the report and statement of the company’s indebtedness to the Society on that date read to the company.

Bethel Vacation

The Brooklyn Bethel home and factory will be closed from August 26 to September 5 inclusive for vacation, as pointed out in the July 1, 1950, issue of The Watchtower. No mail or correspondence will be handled during this period, join you in the field service there for the first time and take advantage of the opportunity to symbolize his consecration. To see, to associate with, to work with others sharing the Kingdom hope, which is just beginning to flower in their hearts, will aid new ones to take their position in the ever-increasing ranks of Kingdom announcers.

At the assembly itself much goodwill interest is contacted. These should be especially aided to attend the Sunday lecture. Definite interest should be followed up, and to aid in this respect the Society has printed the “Assembly Good Will Follow-up” slip. Companies should not order this slip, as it is only intended for assembly use. It will be ordered in sufficient quantity for the assembly by the circuit servant at the same time he orders handbills and programs. Brethren from outside the assembly city who will not be able to follow up the interest they contact will record the names and addresses of the good will on these slips and turn them in at a box provided at the circuit assembly. The local company will then diligently follow up this interest to aid them to progress in the truth. Publishers will continue to report assembly field service at their home companies and not at the assembly.

Appreciating that the great Stone, Christ Jesus, is gathering in the “other sheep” before he smites Satan’s wicked organization, Jehovah's witnesses will recognize the vital role that the circuit assembly plays in this Kingdom expansion and will support it. The big convention in New York city will not detract from, but rather enhance the value of the circuit assembly and our need to gather together more and more as the final day approaches.