Informant, August 1955

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INFORMANT

AUGUST 1955 “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, BROOKLYN, N. Y.

’ trusting in Jehovah.”—Psalm 112: 7, AS.

RECOGNIZING THE THEOCRATIC ORGANIZATION FOR LIFE

Aid Others to Recognize and Work with It

Finish Out Year with Increased Activity

1 Our humble and loyal recognition of the theocratic organization means zealous action, faithful submission and co-operation with it. In turn, this results in our being fully fed, satisfied and being granted blessed privileges of service. What a happy, gratifying relationship! And it leads to life!—1 Sam. 2: 30, AS.

2 August brings to a close the 1955 service year. Bend every effort to make it a well-rounded-out month of theocratic service. For many it will be the concluding month of vacation pioneering and the last month of summer vacation. Make good use of the time by spending the maximum of it serving Jehovah. An avenue of service for all this month will be regular participation in house-to-house work, offering on a 50c contribution

Wise Distribution of Literature

Use Literature Discreetly

1 Lovingly Jehovah provides his servants with Bible literature to use in conjunction with their ministry. It is our responsibility to distribute it wisely and in a uniform manner so that the best results may be attained in the preaching work.

2 The literature that we present to the people should be clean, unused and, in the case of magazines, current. If we offer literature that is dog-eared, frayed or dirty, an unfavorable reflection is cast upon the message and the preaching activity. Let the literature you carry be a praise to Jehovah and demonstrate the cleanliness of his servants.

3 The Society makes the arrangement for books, booklets and magazines to be placed with people on a cost basis. The contribution asked is so small that most persons can easily afford to give the amount suggested. By contributing for the literature people are inclined to put a higher value on it than they do if it is given free. If, however, you find sincere, honest-hearted people who a book and a booklet. Congregations will see that all associated ones, including new publishers, are helped to preach and advance toward maturity as qualified ministers.

3 The “Triumphant Kingdom” Assemblies will be past for most publishers, but not the fond recollections. It should be a memorable event, truly a wonderful occasion. A bountiful feast spread with instruction and counsel! How much richer spiritually all who attended should be! For the benefit of those who did not get to attend, and for a refreshing reminder to all who did, it is suggested that congregations arrange to devote some service meeting time to discussing convention activity.

4 The remaining long summer evenings are an excellent time to do magazine work for an hour or more from service centers before congre-are eager to read the literature, but are really too poor to give even a small contribution, then, of course, exceptions may be made. Generally speaking, tracts are what Kingdom publishers will give free to people manifesting some interest and they should be carried for that purpose. Always carry tracts with you and use them when the opportunity arises.

4 When calling at people’s homes or while you are doing magazine street work it is better to offer the books, booklets and magazines and mention the contribution they can make toward our work than to give literature away free to the people. In some cases it has been found when brothers have indiscriminately given literature to people, other brothers working the territory later properly presenting and asking a contribution for the literature have been told by householders, “I’ve always been given the literature free before.” This, of course, results in confusion. Also, some religious organizations encour-(Continued on page 2, col. 2) gation book studies. Use thirty- to sixty-second presentations when making the magazine offer. Reports continue to pour in relating the success had in this work and numerous joyous experiences publishers have engaging in this service just before the study.

5 All who recognize and submit to theocratic organization will work unselfishly to help others find the way to please Jehovah and thus gain life and happiness. These will co-operate by serving the truth to others at every opportunity, from door to door, before congregation book studies, through back-calls and home Bible (Continued on page 2, col. 1)

A CAUSE FOR CONCERN

Why has the number of pioneers been dropping steadily? What has caused and is causing the number of pioneers to drop continually while the number of congregation publishers climbs steadily? Look at the pioneer figures.

Vacation Regular Special 1954 1955 1954 1955 1954

April 253 226 5,392 4,932 309

May 403 230 5,276 4,995 327

June 1,145 425 5,344 4,906 312

A goodly number are enjoying the work! Why do not more of you have this pleasure? Are old-world interests more attractive? They will not pay. Pioneering is still one of the most honorable and worthwhile .works on earth today. Surely many thousands could be active in pioneer service, and yet are not. Why? Pioneering is for everyone, the anointed and the other sheep class. If you can possibly arrange to be in this service, do not put it off, thinking it is for someone else. It is for you! If you qualify for the pioneer service, write for an application. Start pioneering now!

Special Booklet Report

All congregations and isolated publishers should report on their August monthly report card how many clergymen were mailed copies of the booklet Christendom or Christianity —Which One Is “the Light of the World”? and how many copies were sent to editors of periodicals.

Around the World with Jehovah’s Witnesses

Working Isolated Territory

Jehovah’s witnesses are eager to preach ‘this good news of the Kingdom in all the inhabited earth in fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 (NW) and thus rejoice to serve people living in unassigned territory as well as those living within the bounds of their assigned territory. As in previous years, many of the other sheep living in unassigned territory will be located by publishers and they will respond to the Kingdom message. (270)

In addition to making new contacts in unassigned territory many publishers will be returning to territory previously worked. In these cases every effort should be made to render further assistance to good-will persons previously contacted. Most likely you will be received as were publishers in Alaska. (74)

Within the last year and a half the Society has directed special pioneers into many unassigned territories in the U. S. A. and other countries. The results may well be illustrated from the report from Colombia, where three new special pioneers organized a congregation and within a year there were twenty publishers and a new local pioneer. (123)

Unusual conditions in various parts of the world sometimes make it quite difficult to reach unassigned territory. But to exert the effort to reach and work the territory brings most gratifying results, as you can read on pages 219 and 220. A witch doctor becomes a Kingdom publisher, a public talk draws 293 persons, more than twenty new con-gregationsareenrolled and many scores of groups of isolated personsareformed. Read, too, the most unusual experience of finding a lost congregation of sheep.

Literature Inventory

Two Literature Inventory forms are being sent to each congregation with this Informant. An actual-count inventory of literature is to be taken on September 1 and recorded on these forms accurately and completely. All pioneers associated with congregations will take a count of their literature and turn in to the congregation literature servant a signed slip showing how many books and 32- and 64-page booklets they have. The total for all pioneers associated with the congregation will be shown at the bottom of the Literature Inventory form. The congregation servant should check with the literature servant to see that the inventory is properly taken and give him help if necessary. Send the original to the Society not later than September 3 and retain the duplicate for your files. The results of this Inventory and the latest statement of the congregation’s standing with the Society should be read to the congregation.

Vary Your Sermons

1 Variety is the spice of life! Sameness produces monotony and monotony is unnatural as well as uninteresting. On the other hand, the handiwork of Jehovah is ever fresh and new because of its variety. The alert theocratic minister will make his Bible sermons live by following this same principle in presenting the good news from house to house.

2 Using a variety of three- to eightminute Bible sermons will enable you to put more warmth, feeling and enthusiasm into your discussions at the doors and you will not grow tired of what you say because of repeating the same sermon or become stereotyped or mechanical. Also, it will help you fix many different scriptures in your mind that you can recall in future discussions, and make you more familiar with God’s Word.

3 As offers change, so should our sermons. New Bible sermons can be made up from the publication we are presenting by our choosing a theme, then selecting three or four scriptures from an article or chapter to support the theme. “Make Sure of All Things’’ is a ready, unending source, as the

Wise Distribution . . . (Cont’d) age their people to accept all the free literature they can get and then burn it as a means of stopping the spreading of the message.

5 Use current Issues of The Watchtower and Awake! when engaged in the house-to-house work, store-to-store work and on the streets. Do not allow the magazines to accumulate. Participate regularly in Magazine Day activity so copies will not be left to stack up and become old. Be magazine conscious. While they are yet current, place them; do not waste them. scriptures on various interesting subjects are already prepared for us. The scriptures In our sermons can be jotted down on the flyleaf of our Bibles or put on little cards, which can be kept close at hand until we have them well in mind. Also, Presenting the Good News sermons and those in Your Service Meeting column may be cut out of the Informant and carried in our Bibles for ready reference. Of course, all sermons should be practiced before they are used, so they can become our own.

Correction for

You May Survive Armageddon into God’s New World

The sixth line on page 270 is incorrect. Below, in the same size print and style of type as used in the book, are the first six lines of page 270 the way they should appear in the book. You can cut these six lines out and paste them over the section in the book containing the mistake, so that your book will read correctly.

4 Householders will appreciate this variety of sermons and will want to listen to the different material you have each time you call. Even when the territory Is covered often, if your sermons change along with the offers it will be like working the territory for the first time. Although some might say, “I’m not interested,” on your first call, by changing your sermons perhaps you may kindle a spark of Interest or strike upon a subject they would like to know more about.

5 Variety does add spice to life and it will also add effectiveness to your Bible sermons as you faithfully present the message of life.

New Circuit and District Servant Talks

Starting September 4, 1955, circuit servants will give the public talk “How Bible Principles Apply to Your Life.” The new public talk to be given by the district servant at circuit assemblies starting in September is “Overcoming the Fears of This Generation.”

6 Appreciating the value of the Bible literature Jehovah has so lovingly provided, let us all wisely distribute it to the people in accord with the suggestions of the Society.

Recognizing the Organization

(Cont’d) studies. Pioneers and publishers alike will use and apply the good counsel given at the conventions. Thus all will recognize and work with the theocratic organization for life.

him to shake the heavens and the earth of Satan’s organization to pieces that Jehovah the God of Jacob or Israel may alone be exalted. He has already shaken all the nations, shaking them by the world-disturbing restoration of his spiritual remnant in 1919 and by the preaching of his witnesses

YOUR SERVICE MEETING

Convention High Lights

Part I (16 min.) Two brothers will summarize the program of the assembly they attended, one talking on the first three days and the other, the last twTo days. These talks should deal with points made in the discourses at the assembly, showing the need of applying the information in our ministry and personal lives. The publications released can be displayed and their future usefulness in the ministry briefly explained. Such things as the number baptized, attendance on the different days, the unity and harmony displayed, etc., can be brought in to fill in the program details. The thought behind these talks should be that we are not to forget the assembly and its spirit, but to carry it on into the field so that others may share it with us. Also, persons who could not attend will be enlightened and those w’ho failed to appreciate the importance of attending will be made to know what a treat they have missed and be encouraged to plan for the next assemblies that will be provided.

Part II (8 min.) Experiences from the audience willbe entertained. The brother in charge of this part will arrange to have a variety of experiences related, by talking with various brothers beforehand and then calling particularly on those whom he knows will offer a stimulating experience to the audience. Others can also be called for if time permits. Experiences dealing with traveling to ana from the assembly, talking with people the brothers stayed with or interesting contacts made with brothers from other places or with persons of good will could be used: however, personal impressions made by the talks and the assembly Itself would also be beneficial.

The Training Program

(This demonstration should be scheduled on the second or third service meeting program in the month.)

Chairman (4 min.) Gives short talk recounting blessings received during the past service year. Highlights new truths set forth in “The Watchtower,” at conventions and particularly the training program arrangements made through the organization to focus more attention on the individual minister, making him more efficient. Shows how Jehovah has directed his people to have tighter and closer-knit organization, so

CONGREGATION

Our Goal in the Ministry

1 How is the training program progressing in your congregation? It would be well to take stock and see what adjustments are necessary from time to time and determine who have progressed to the point where they do not need specialized assistance and can work alone or be assigned, in turn, to assist someone else.

2 Remember our goal: To aid less mature ministers to be mature house-to-house publishers ; and this means being able to witness alone from house to house and follow up the interest effectively with back-calls and home Bible studies. To accomplish this we must utilize the training program to the full. The more mature publisher will need to prepare himself, to teach effectively by exmore help can be given each one. He reviews progress that the local congregation has enjoyed in carrying out the training program so far and tells of further prospects and blessings that will result during the coming service year if all co-operate with training program.

SCENE I (8 min.) All study conductors, in round-table discussion, report on progress made at service centers as to training program arrangements. Show how some publishers have made excellent progress and are now in position to aid others who need assistance as well as new publishers. They discuss plans for greater improvement for the coming service year. With “Triumphant Kingdom” Assemblies and vacations over, all are able to work closely together to expand true worship. Conductors lay before publishers the arrangements for service activity so that they will be able to co-operate. (In congregations having only one or two service centers other servants may assist in this discussion.)

Chairman (1 min.) Some are still not too familiar with procedure to follow when training another publisher from house to house. To get clear picture of what to do let us illustrate by demonstration.

SCENE II (10 min.) This scene shows study conductor working together with less mature publisher in door-to-door work. Study conductor gives witness, using simple, easy-to-follow four-minute sermon, which arouses and holds attention of householder. Offer is accepted and arrangements are made for return visit. Between doors conductor discusses points of effective witnessing with less mature publisher. Less mature publisher gives witness at next door. Makes fair presentation, after W’hich study conductor makes encouraging remarks. Tells him presentation was quite good, then kindly and tactfully offers loving constructive counsel and suggestions for improvement, such as to follow theme, use Bible more, make comments to the point, let householder see scriptures and place literature in hands of householder, etc. Suggestions are well received by less mature, who eagerly awaits trying them at next door.

Chairman (2 min.) Sums up by showing need for keeping this practice up throughout service year and outlines blessing to be expected as a result.

ORGANIZATION

ample and to give constructive suggestions for improvement. Likewise, the less experienced publisher will be diligent in absorbing and putting into practice the suggestions that he receives. Every opportunity to share in the service under this arrangement should be taken advantage of. They are “companions in service” and should make the best schedule in order to share in the service together as often as possible.

3 Since many publishers are working together under the training program, are we to conclude that it Is recommended and advisable even for two mature publishers to work together in the house-to-house work? No, the goal is to aid each publisher to progress to the point where he can effectively witness from house to house without assistance. Our commission is to preach the good news and make the best use of our time and resources. We can reach more people, cover more territory, make more back-calls and aid more persons of good will to study Jehovah’s Word if each mature publisher works by himself, except where conditions in the territory seem to make It advisable for two to make calls together. So when not training a less experienced one mature publishers should work alone.

4 From time to time the circuit servant or congregation servant will be making adjustments in trainingprogram assignments. Count it a privilege to share in this divine provision when invited and count It a blessing from Jehovah if you are one given the opportunity to receive assistance from one more experienced in the ministry. Take the assignment seriously as from Jehovah, for he now is providing for his people in various ways. The King is ruling I The Kingdom is in operation ’ On earth the King has given “some as missionaries, some as shepherds and teachers, with a view to the training of the holy ones for ministerial work.” (Eph. 4:11,12, jVW) Are you taking full advantage of the provisions made by Jehovah through his organization in order to be a mature, effective house-to-house publisher?

“Make Sure of All Things?

Evolution (page 116, starting with Gen. 1: 26-28, to page 119) Back-call on college student where subject of evolution was discussed before. Scriptures used to show man did not evolve from lower animals, how imperfection and death degraded man and the folly of believing doctrine of evolution.

Do Not Neglect to Report

If you are away from your home congregation at the end of a month, send your report slips to the congregation servant by mail just before the end of the month. Do not become an irregular publisher because you neglected to report.

UNITED STATES QUOTA FOR 1955 169,366 Publishers

Monthly Field Service Report

June Report

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

Sp’l Pios. 296 131.4 46.8

Pioneers 4,906 88.7 28.6

Vac. Pios. 425 89.0 18.2

Cong. Pubs. 154,458 9.1 2.8

Total Pubs. 160,085

Public Meetings Held: 9,040

Sociables and the New World Society

1 From a number of places in the country, east and west, inquiries have come from brothers disturbed and uncertain as to what to do. This is in regard to arrangements that some congregations are carrying on for the holding of special sociable affairs, not only a local congregation backing them up with the approval of the congregation servant, but also inviting other congregations of the city or congregations in neighboring towns to join in, irrespective of their service arrangements or schedule. Even special announcements and feature programs are printed and distributed and invitation forms sent out for the congregation servant to sign. The ostensible purpose of such sociables is to get acquainted. “Hi there . . . JW’s . . . Let’s Get Acquainted” is how the front page of one invitation reads.

2 The effort to ring in the congregation’s sponsorship and backing on the affair is causing a division among the friends. Rightly, many question the fitness of involving a congregation and the use of its facilities in order to ease the consciences of everybody.

3 Sociable get-togethers are and must remain strictly private affairs. The theocratic organization has appointed no entertainment servant for any congregation and will not do so. If our meetings at area group studies, Kingdom Halls, circuit, district, national and international assemblies do not enable us to assemble together regularly and get acquainted, then those who do or do not attend these gatherings are missing out on their privilege of mixing with their many brothers in a most wholesome, spiritually upbuilding, service-advancing atmosphere that is very refreshing.

4 These sociables do not correspond with the “love feasts” of the first century. Those feasts were not for entertainment and diversion, and they

Maintaining Sanctity for Theocratic Warfare

Follow Up Placements

1 “Jehovah’s witnesses are at war I” This may sound strange to some, but not to God’s servants, who realize that true Christians today have the greatest fight of all history on their hands. Their spiritual warfare has been sanctified by the living and true God, Jehovah. As they assume their proper station it behooves all of Jehovah’s servants to maintain sanctity for theocratic warfare.—Deut. 23:14, A’W. came to be abused and taken advantage of for wrong purposes. (Jude 12) In these last days we must guard against becoming “lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” We must guard against the forming of cliques and the mixing of groups just according to their age or their physical energies and abilities. We must guard against the deteriorating of our comings together from the high, theocratic, safe, beneficial plane to where the occasion takes on an appearance no different from that of a worldly group meeting for like diversional, entertainment purposes. We must not put the New World society in a bad setting or light. If individuals want to arrange among themselves a party aside from their service activities, that is a private, individual, not congregational matter, to be acted upon according to individual consciences and not with any congregational sanction or pressure behind it, putting some in an embarrassed position because of not falling in line for conscientious or other reasons, even when admission to the event is free and only contributions are accepted. None are to be criticized as self-righteous or extreme or one-sided because of choosing to keep their service responsibilities first on such entertainment occasions.

5 Hence Kingdom Halls are not to be used for such entertainments. Announcements are not to be made from the platform or over the microphone or by bulletin boards or by the distribution of handbills or programs at meeting places. No official sanction is to be given or sought by trying to prevail upon the Society’s appointed servants to subscribe to such in writing or making announcements at meeting places. The servants and the congregational facilities are strictly for service purposes.

2 As Jehovah's theocratic warriors begin a new service year greater zeal and determination will be . shown. During September we shall continue to present one book and a booklet on a contribution of 50c. How are we doing in placing the book-and-booklet offer? Have all placed at least one or more books?

3 Placing literature is only the first step in feeding the sheep. Therefore, return visits are essential. When calling back use ten- to fifteen-minute

CONGREGATIONS MAY REQUEST FILM

SHOWINGS

1 While the film “The New World Society in Action” will no longer be shown at circuit assemblies after the first part of September, the Society knows that a great number of congregations are still desirous of having the film shown locally. Therefore, the following arrangement has been made for the various congregations desiring to have showings to put on well-advertised public meetings.

2 Each circuit servant will ascertain what congregations in his circuit are desirous of putting on well-advertised public meetings with “The New World Society in Action.” He will keep a record of these congregations and as soon as he knows when the district servant is to serve the circuit he will contact congregations near the circuit assembly location that want to have the film shown and set up a tentative schedule. He will send the schedule to the district servant for approval and upon getting it back from the district servant he will advise the congregations scheduled for showings to make definite arrangements, which, among other things, will include proper and complete advertising work with handbills. Use the regular handbill order blank when submitting an order for the handbills.

3 Advertising the film with handbills for various evenings of the week has been very successful and effective throughout New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Eastern Pennsylvania. We feel it will be just as successful in other parts of the country as circuit and district servants and all congregation publishers enthusiastically get behind these special arrangements that have been made so that all people will have opportunity to see “The New World Society in Action.”

sermons, which serve excellently in starting home Bible studies. Whether working city or rural territory, note placements on House-to-House Record forms so interest located can be properly nourished. Strive for the goal of conducting at least one home Bible study.

4 Jehovah is a fighter, and his people are likewise! Having Jehovah's backing, let us aid still others to join us in maintaining sanctity for theocratic warfare.

* Add to Your Regular House-to-House Preaching Back-Call and Bible Study Service ♦