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Subscriptions—‘Wisdom Calling Out’!

In 1939, the year of the first Watchtower subscription campaign, 67,229 publishers from 59 countries placed 121,073 new subscriptions. Today The Watchtower is published in 102 languages and Awake! in 52. Subscriptions are available in those languages listed on page 2 of the magazines. With The Watchtower and Awake! available in so many more languages, what will be the result in our subscription campaign this April and May?

¹ Apart from the confused din of human wisdom, one voice is distinct, speaking truth and pointing to God’s Kingdom as the only solution for mankind’s problems. That voice is The Watchtower. For the past 103 years The Watchtower (later joined by Awake!) has been like ‘wisdom calling out.’ It has been helping millions to emerge from the jumble of false religious teachings and worldly ideas into the clear pathway of a better “life now and that which is to come.” (Prov. 8:1; 1 Tim. 4:8) We hear its cry and respond favorably. Can we help others to do likewise?

POSITIVE VIEW NEEDED—DO YOU HAVE IT?

² How important is The Watchtower to your spiritual life? Is it vital? If so, you will read it regularly because, as stated in its purpose on page 2 of each issue, The Watchtower “adheres to the Bible as its authority.” And you would want others—your family, friends and neighbors—to read it regularly too. With the exception of the Bible, do you know of any other literature that supplies as much divine wisdom as does a year’s subscription to The Watchtower? Are you personally a subscriber? Are your family members subscribers?a

³ Having a positive attitude toward The Watchtower entails maintaining a proper appreciation for its contents. Then, once we are convinced of its unique value, we will eagerly look forward to each issue, read it and not hesitate to offer it to others in our field service. What the book of Proverbs says about wisdom can help us estimate the value of this journal in comparison with other magazines:

“True wisdom has built its house; it has hewn out its seven pillars. It has organized its meat slaughtering; it has mixed its wine; more than that, it has set in order its table. It has sent forth its lady attendants, that it may call out on top of the heights of the town: ‘Whoever is inexperienced, let him turn aside here.’ Whoever is in want of heart—she has said to him: ‘Come, feed yourselves with my bread and share in drinking the wine that I have mixed. Leave the inexperienced ones and keep living, and walk straight in the way of understanding.’”—Prov. 9:1-6.

⁴ Godly wisdom described in this Pr chapter 9, as well as in Proverbs, chapter 8, is in sharp contrast to the immoral wisdom of the world depicted in Pr chapter 7. Unlike the sly harlot who lurks secretly in darkness, trapping her prey and leading the victim “to the interior rooms of death,” wisdom issues its call publicly “on top of the heights.” It invites its hearers into its sturdy and well-supported mansion of “seven pillars.” (Prov. 7:27; 8:2; 9:1) Thoughtfully, wisdom organizes a banquet of fresh food and drink to nourish the mind and heart of its guests.

⁵ How well this proverbial illustration can be extended into our modern spiritual life! “The faithful and discreet slave” class sees to it that Christ’s “domestics” and their “other sheep” companions are properly fed spiritually. (Matt. 24:45; John 10:16) How is this done? Primarily through the Watchtower magazine. Much forethought and planning are necessary in preparing for a successful banquet and this is also true with The Watchtower. Its articles, like ‘meat’ and ‘mixed wine,’ make Jehovah’s people spiritually strong and happy. (Prov. 9:2) Note how some Kingdom publishers feel about recent issues:

● “First of all, they cleared up areas of Scripture I was never sure of. Second, they opened up new areas of thought for further study. But more than that, they made me feel closer to Jehovah, like a more personal friend.”

● “With the vexation of this present evil system of things, there are constantly new problems to face. The Watchtower and Awake! assist us in facing and solving those problems as they appear.”

● “Thank you, Watchtower, for working hard in establishing a ‘spiritual consciousness’ in every reader the wide world over.”

Is that how you feel about The Watchtower and Awake!?

WHY HAVE A PERSONAL SUBSCRIPTION?

⁶ If each member of your family has a subscription, at least for The Watchtower, if not for both magazines, arrival of each issue by mail is as if ‘wisdom is calling out.’ A fresh reminder to partake of spiritual nourishment is thus given. But cannot the same spiritual feeding be received by regularly picking up your personal study copies at the Kingdom Hall? Yes, providing one does not fail to pick up the copy as soon as it arrives. Yet there are advantages in receiving your personal copies in the mail. What are they?

⁷ For one thing, your spiritual meal is served in your home where it may be more convenient to read one or two articles right away. If the magazines were picked up at the Kingdom Hall you would have to wait until later that day to read them, if you are not too tired to do so. Also, if you were to pick up personal copies at the Kingdom Hall you might receive two issues at the same time. Especially would this be true if you missed a meeting due to illness. Home delivery is spaced evenly, one issue per week. Both reasons show that personal subscriptions are advantageous in keeping your personal study on schedule. This, in turn, helps you spiritually, as well as those to whom you preach. Remember, more reading done, more confidence at the door. They go hand in hand.

⁸ Has this ever happened to you? You search high and low but you cannot find your study copy of The Watchtower. Only later you discover that you placed it in field service. Having a personal subscription will eliminate that annoyance. It is not likely that you will place your own copy of the magazine, especially if you have studied and marked it. Can you think of any more advantages?

⁹ Children are greatly benefited by having their own subscriptions. What child does not enjoy receiving his own mail? In one South American country two daughters thanked their mother for their own individual Watchtower subscriptions, saying: “This is the best present you have ever given us!” And here is what some of our brothers from different countries have said about the value of publishers having personal subscriptions:

● FRANCE: “I know a family where each member receives his own personal copy by subscription. They are much more inclined to read them and the good effects are evident when they present them at the door.”

● BRAZIL: “A girl of six years has her own subscriptions. The father firmly believes that for children to have their own subscriptions to the magazines, even though they are very young, teaches them the value of the magazines and the need to take care of them.”

● SOUTH AFRICA: “My parents were not wealthy, yet all four of us children had our own subscriptions. I always thought the Society knew me personally. The magazine was addressed to me and only I opened it. Even before we could read we had our own Watchtower.”

● UNITED STATES: “I was one of four children. It was the Depression. Money was hard to come by, but I worked mowing grass to pay for my own subscription just for the joy of receiving it in the mail, labeled with my own name.”

¹⁰ Do you have your own Bible and your own songbook? Then why not your own subscription? Once you are convinced of the unique benefits of our two magazines, it becomes natural to want to convince others of their value too. Be positive in your attitude toward ‘wisdom calling out’ through The Watchtower and Awake! How can this be done?

CONFIDENTLY PRESENT SUBSCRIPTION OFFER

¹¹ The apostle Paul did not hesitate to share the good news with others. Rather, he spoke “boldly in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 9:27) Wisdom’s figurative lady attendants confidently “call out,” inviting inexperienced ones to taste of Jehovah’s wisdom. Our neighbors feasting on God’s wisdom in The Watchtower and Awake! would likely improve their life and establish right motives in their heart. People need this if they want to “keep living.” (Prov. 9:3-6) When in field service we, too, need to muster up boldness by means of our God and confidently offer the subscription to each householder.—1 Thess. 2:2.

¹² ‘But the householder does not want a subscription,’ you may say. Leap over that negative mental obstacle! Often it is not that the public is unwilling but, rather, that our own attitude toward subscriptions needs to be changed. Consider these examples:

● “When serving congregations during the months of the subscription campaign, I stress offering the subscription at every house and not wondering if we should. Let the householders make the decision. Don’t make it for them. Publishers have come back from the field and said: ‘I really didn’t think they were interested, but I offered the subscription and they took it.’”—Circuit overseer, United States.

● “A lady refused the two individual magazines. We explained that we are not peddlers. Explaining that it was possible to subscribe to both, were we surprised when the lady accepted our offer! What lesson can we draw from this experience? Propose the offer systematically. Then leave the decision up to the person.”—District overseer, France.

● “One publisher with whom I worked said he had never obtained a subscription although he had been a publisher for 20 years. When asked what the problem was, he answered: ‘The people just aren’t interested in a subscription. So what’s the use of offering it?’ At the first house I offered the subscription and the householder took a double subscription. So I encouraged the brother to try at the next house. He did so. To his amazement he also placed two subscriptions.”—Circuit overseer, Brazil.

¹³ Do you feel that the day of the magazine is finished? The above experiences and the following statistics for the United States prove otherwise. One survey shows that during the past 30 years, 1951-1981, secular magazine circulation in the United States grew by 92 percent—nearly twice as fast as the population. In the past three years, circulation grew three times faster than did the population. In addition, statistics show that today 9 out of 10 adults in the United States are monthly magazine readers and that they each read an average of nearly eight magazines per month!

¹⁴ Therefore, do not entertain a negative misconception but be positive. In order to offer the subscription do not look for more than “normal interest.” Confidently present the subscription offer AT EVERY HOUSE.

SUBSCRIPTION IS PRICED RIGHT

¹⁵ Important, too, is our attitude toward the subscription rate. It is true that in some countries, due to postage, it is more expensive to receive 24 copies of the magazine in the mail than it is to purchase single issues. For example, Japan’s one-year subscription rate is $7.20 (U.S.) as compared to $4.80 (U.S.) for 24 single copies, or half again more expensive. Yet the publishers there placed 124,852 subscriptions during 1982, the highest total of any country outside the United States. The subscription price is at the level it should be. “Brothers in business, who are acquainted with price rises, have no hesitation in presenting the subscription offer,” reports the Watch Tower Society’s branch office in South Africa. In 1981 the average price in the United States for popular magazines was $1.62 per copy and the average one-year subscription was $18.06. In addition, for many people a subscription is the only way that they can regularly receive the magazines.

¹⁶ In Brazil one Kingdom publisher noted: “Do not take for granted that certain people will not have money for a subscription. Many people spend money on items that not only are of little value but actually are harmful, such as tobacco. One publisher hesitated to offer the subscription to a poorly dressed elderly man whose house was also run down. He not only subscribed but also added that he would place a special box at his door to receive the magazines.” And as some publishers like to point out, the cost of a yearly subscription is less than the cost of one meal in a restaurant or the cost of a haircut.

WAYS TO OBTAIN SUBSCRIPTIONS

¹⁷ Subscriptions can be obtained in the following ways: house to house, return visits, street witnessing, business witnessing, from neighbors, fellow workers or schoolmates, from Memorial attenders and as gifts to relatives. Do your Bible students have their own subscription? Can you think of any others?

¹⁸ Here are some of the ways our brothers have obtained subscriptions:

HOUSE-TO-HOUSE WITNESSING: “My wife makes good use of outstanding news events and includes them in her Topic for Conversation. In one day she obtained 10 subscriptions.”—Circuit overseer, France.

RETURN VISITS: “During one month I was able to obtain 10 double subscriptions and start two new home Bible studies.”—Elder, Federal Republic of Germany.

STREET WITNESSING: “I approached a woman and asked her if she had ever read the magazines. She answered, ‘Yes, several months ago.’ I used this opportunity to offer the subscription and obtained a double subscription.”—Publisher, Federal Republic of Germany.

GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS: “Since my auto mechanic was so kind to me, I sent him a gift subscription to show my appreciation. Seven years later not only the mechanic but more than a dozen people have taken a firm stand for the truth.”—Publisher, Australia.

FELLOW WORKERS: “One brother obtained 41 subscriptions in one month at his place of work. His presentation was simple, merely asking his co-workers if they liked good reading material. If the answer was in the affirmative, he offered the subscription.”—Publisher, Brazil.

MAGAZINE ROUTE WITNESSING: “On my magazine route I plant the ‘seed’ of subscribing in the householder’s mind by saying: ‘Have you ever thought of a subscription to these two magazines?’ And I would mention it each time I would call. Eventually most would subscribe. I average 150 subscriptions a year.”—Publisher, United States.

PRACTICAL POINTERS

¹⁹ The following suggestions come from around the world. Can you use some of them to good advantage in your local territory?

● Tell how long you have been receiving the magazines by mail.—United States.

● Show the inside cover, highlighting the international readership in view of the number of languages and circulation figures.—South Africa.

● Show how articles are continued on successive pages, thereby eliminating the need to search from one page to another, as is the style in many other magazines.—Canada.

● Use tract Are We Nearing Armageddon? (Kingdom News No. 31), with its illustrations of a paradise earth on page 2 and the magazines on page 3, as a stepping-stone to introducing the subscription offer.—United States.

● Carry with you several different issues, illustrating the variety of subjects covered.—Brazil.

● Take along with you your own personal subscription wrapper with your printed name, showing how they will come through the mail.—Australia.

● Take along your personal copy of The Watchtower that is all marked up for the study and read some of the high points that you found to be interesting. Then take a new copy from your bag and offer it.—United States.

● Bring a bound volume on a Bible study or a return visit, explaining that for $3.50 a year they will be getting a 768-page reference, similar to a Bible encyclopedia.—United States.

²⁰ The word “subscription” frightens many householders. They associate that word with “joining” something or with “worldly salesmen and fraud,” report a number of Watch Tower branches. Therefore, some Kingdom publishers have found the following expressions advantageous:

● “You will be visited twice a month by a magazine that would be brought to you discreetly by the mailman.”—France.

● “You can receive the next 24 issues directly from the publishers by means of mailing.”—Nigeria.

● “The magazine will be sent for one year without further obligation. The mailing will stop automatically after one year unless you renew it yourself.”—France.

● “I have this magazine posted regularly to my home and have found that it really benefits my whole family. You can order a year’s supply of this magazine too.”—Australia.

● “You will receive a one-year course in the Bible with printed questions for some of the articles.”—United States.

²¹ The first Watchtower subscription campaign began in January 1939. Its goal—100,000 new subscriptions. Was it reached? Yes! The 1940 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses announced 121,073 new subscriptions obtained by 67,229 publishers from 59 countries. Northern Europe more than doubled their subscriptions, prompting this response as reported in the 1940 Yearbook: “Prior to this campaign we had never imagined it possible to secure Watchtower subscriptions in door-to-door work, but the Lord is in charge of his organization and is continually giving us delightful surprises if we but obey the instructions we receive.”

²² Can we set our own personal goal? Strive for at least one new subscription per publisher and four per pioneer. Will you do your utmost to let ‘wisdom call out’ by keeping busy in magazine witnessing? If you do, you will be helping yourself and others to “walk straight in the way of understanding.”—Prov. 9:6.

[Footnotes]

[Chart on page 5]

Cost of Magazine Subscription in Nine Countries

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

■ Watchtower Cost

□ Average Cost of Leading Magazines

Australia

Watchtower ■

Other mags. □□□□□□□□□□□□□□

Brazil

Watchtower ■

Other mags. □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□

Canada

Watchtower ■

Other mags. □□□□□□□□□□□

France

Watchtower ■

Other mags. □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□

Federal Republic of Germany

Watchtower ■

Other mags. □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□

Great Britain

Watchtower ■

Other mags. □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□

Nigeria

Watchtower ■

Other mags. □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□

South Africa

Watchtower ■

Other mags. □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□

United States

Watchtower ■

Other mags. □□□□□□□□□□□

* Unit price 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

* Each unit equals cost of Watchtower subscription.