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Branch Letter
Dear Kingdom Publishers:
On every hand there is evidence of an upsurge of interest in the truth and increased participation in the field ministry on the part of Jehovah’s people. What a pleasure it is for us here at Bethel to receive reports of this from the field!
Reports submitted by presiding overseers indicate that meeting attendance in many congregations is 22 percent more than the number of publishers. One congregation with 161 publishers averages 228 for its public talks; another, with 147 publishers, has 234 at its meetings. And for the service year that ended in August, here in the United States there were 55,775 baptized, an increase of 14 percent over the previous year. Just as Isaiah long ago foretold, now, in “the final part of the days,” many people are joining us in ‘going up to the house of Jehovah’ to be instructed in his ways.—Isa. 2:2, 3.
As more persons become convinced that God’s kingdom of a thousand years is close they feel impelled to tell others about it. What has been the result? During August there was a new peak of 472,662 publishers in the field. That is 54,269 more than the number reporting last August, and a 13-percent increase over last year’s average. Isn’t that grand? These publishers, whether new or experienced, do not share the world’s view that ‘God is slow,’ but they see that his patience affords opportunity for repentance. Appreciating it themselves, they are urging others to do the same. (2 Pet. 3:9) During this same month they spent 7,964,141 hours in sharing the good news with others, nearly 2 million hours more than were reported last August. Magazine placements went up more than 2 million. Return visits and Bible studies also showed fine increases.
Stimulated by an awareness that Divine Victory over this wicked system is near, many more are buying out the time to pioneer. During August, 17,484 were temporary pioneers, which is unusually high. Others planned to do it in September in order to share fully in distributing Kingdom News No. 16. And no doubt many will do it again in December when we take Kingdom News No. 17 to the people. Will you?
We keenly anticipate the Divine Victory that lies ahead. May we prove our faith in it now by firmness in our integrity.
To all of you we send our warm Christian love.
Your fellow servants,
BROOKLYN BRANCH OFFICE
