July and August 1, 1925
BE DILIGENT
"My sons, be not now negligent: for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him,"to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.”— 2 Chronicles 29:11.
HEZEKIAH was a good king. He pleased the Lord. He called before him the priests and Levites and instructed them, saying the words in the text above.
Israel after the flesh finds a parallel in Israel after the spirit. Those who are begotten and anointed of the holy spirit are the sons of God. The instruction in this text therefore applies to the new creation. Let each one of the consecrated take it to himself. .
Spiritual Lethargy
To4)e negligent means to be listless or indifferent concerning the Lord’s Word and work. Now the sons of God see that the kingdom is being established. The Lord has put his words in their mouth and made them his witnesses. The command to such then from the Lord is to be not now negligent; for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him to serve him.
Those who are indifferent or negligent concerning the advertising of the King and his kingdom at this time are missing the greatest opportunities for blessing that have ever been offered to any creatures. These opportunities are conferred not for the Lord’s benefit but for his son’s benefit. Are you one of his sons? Are you diligently putting forth your best endeavors to serve him ?
Some of the consecrated will not be able to answer these questions in the affirmative. Some say: “I cannot sell any books; therefore why should I go out in the service work ?” Have you really tried ? If there is some one in your class that does go out in the work and sell the books you go to that one and ask him to take you along that you may watch and see what he says and what he does and how the Lord blesses him. Take some instructions and learn how the Lord pours out his spirit upon his sons and handmaidens who really and earnestly seek service. The result will be so energizing that you will be unable to refrain from putting forth an effort yourself.
When you have thus done, and entered joyfully into the Lord’s service, you will receive the Lord's blessing in a far wider degree than ever before.
Service Weekly
Every class should set aside at least a half day a week in which every member of the class will make some effort to give a testimony concerning the Lord’s kingdom. As a rule Saturday afternoon can be used by every class. The books with which the Lord has provided us contain the message concerning his kingdom. To put these into the hands of the people is preaching the gospel of the kingdom. You are not in a commercial business. You are going out as a witness for the Lord. By giving this witness you prove your love and faithfulness, without which it is impossible to please the Lord.
If you go forth with fear of men this is proof that your love for the Lord is not perfect. (1 John 4:17,18) If you go forth conscious of the fact that you are the Lord’s witness and sent out by him to represent his cause, and you forget yourself and are anxious to serve the Lord, you are certain to have his blessing.
The marginal reading of this text is: “My sons, be not now deceived.” These words have a peculiar significance at the present hour. In discussing conditions in the very end of the church’s earthly experiences, Jesus said that the false Christs and teachers would work such deceptions “that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect”. It is not likely that many who have been • long in present truth would be deceived now by doctrines because the fundamental doctrines are thoroughly established. The deception is more likely to come in this, that the adversary, by subtle influences, would lull to sleep some and cause some to become negligent in the faithful representation of the ’King and the kingdom interests, and thereby be overreached. Diligence in service . is essential to victory.
The Apostle Peter in writing to the church said: “Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” It would follow then that those who are negligent will not make their nailing and election sure. The most important thing of all is to receive the approval of the-Lord; and since he has commanded that his sons shall not be fearful but loving, that they shall not be negligent but diligent, they must earnestly seek for opportunities for service and joyfully enter into them, remembering always that “the joy of the Lord is your strength”.
I. B. S. A. week, September 7-12, will, we trust, offer many opportunities for service. This period being set aside throughout the world will provide time for all the consecrated to engage in field work and, in addition, to take advantake of the opportunities that they may have of telling the truth to as many people as they can during this special service week. I. B. S. A. week of past years has given, a tremendous witness for the truth, but I. B. S. A. week of 1925 finds more people interested in our message and anxious to hear the truth. We feel that the workers, more than anyone else, know and appreciate this situation.
There are many people who are desirous of knowing more about the message. Answering all their questions takes too much of the workers’ valuable time, especially when there are so many families yet to be reached. In order to take advantage of the larger opportunities of service we suggest that the workers endeavor to limit their call at each home to seven minutes, and in any case to not spend more than ten minutes. What you have to say regarding the message is contained in the books or booklets you have with you, and if a book or booklet can be placed in the hands of the people it will enable them to get practically the same information that they would obtain from you by asking questions. But what is more important, it would allow you to go on and call on other people who too are anxious for the message.
The plan of work during I. B. S. A. week
is to canvass fqr the Seven Volumes of Studies in the Scriptures and the Harp Bible Study Course for $2.85. Since it is quite probable that you will not call at many of the homes again within a year our suggestion would be that you impress the people with the scope of the work of the International Bible Students Association by offering the entire eight volumes. This will let them see that the message .of the kingdom is comprehensive, and that the I. B. S. A. is bringing it to the attention of the people in such a form as to deal with all the questions and problems of the present time in their relation to prophecy. Impress them with the fact that the eight volumes fully cover these matters which interest everybody. The general experience of the workers who write to . us is much along the line of the following letter:
Bleating Attended Efforts
I am a little surprised at myself in the work, as I always thought I could not sell a complete set of books. I have been in the, „ truth since 1921 and did not sell a. full set of books until this year. I was afraid to trust myself in canvassing for the set, yet I could always sell Harps. But since April 28 I have sold fifteen full sets besides nine single volumes, forty-nine Harps, 25 Comforts, 25 Hell Booklets, three Our Lord’s Return, and forty-one Golden Ages. So I am rejoicing in the Lord, my strength.
Sr. W. Watson, Colp.— Wash., D. C.
It is only by putting forth an effort such as the worker above put forth that will demonstrate whether or not you can place the eight volumes in the people’s homes. We trust that you, too, may have the success of the brother who writes us as follows:
What Will be Placed
My first day’s canvassing showed five sets and nine Harps. This was surely encouraging to me and seems to indicate the Lord's blessing on the work here. While some of the orders have been canceled, the excuse
• being lack of money, I trust to make enough sales to stay in the work. ... I left Volume Six with a lady to show her husband. He told her that the books were at their church; but I suggested that they get a set for their home, and the woman ordered and paid for a full set. Then she told me that a man across the street had seen the Sixth Volume the day before and requested me to call. I did so. and found him to be a teacher in the high school here. He took the full set and said that he was surely going to read them.
Brother E. E. Steidley, Colp.—Texas.
During I. B. S. A. week it is well to make a point of emphasizing that you are connected with the International Bible Students Association, and also to mention in some part of your canvass the slogan, “millions now living will never die.” We believe that this will gain entrance to many homes that are as a rule not open to canvassers, such as the sister mentions in the following letter:
We surely feel that the Lord is directing the work here. Many women have said after ordering the set of eight, “I did not Intend to let you in, there are so many canvassers; but I am glad I did.” One lady met me down town and exclaimed: “Oh, here is the lady with the books! You may bring me a set of them now.” Have also received an order by mail, and one lady who had ordered the books herself wrote me that a neighbor of "hers, who was’not at liofrlfe the day I called, wished me to call and demonstrate the books to her, and if they were satisfactory she would take a set.
Sisters L. and V. Pierce, Colpts.—Mich.
In addition to opportunities for service that I. B. S. A. week offers in the field you will probably have occasion to bring the truth to the attention of others in many varied ways. If you have occasion to visit some relative, we urge you to mention the truth to them particularly during I. B. S. A. week. If you have occasion to make some gifts, we suggest that in keeping with I. B. S. A. week some of our publications be given to the people. Probably your efforts may be blessed with the same results that the sister writes us of in the following letter:
, I have had several interesting experiences, one in particular which showed me so plainly that the Lord is supervising his work. After giving the lady my canvass at the door she said, “Please tell me, are those books Mr. Russell’s?” I told her the seven were, but the eighth was Judge Rutherford’s. I said, “Have you ever read any of his works?” Her reply was, “No, I have not I am afraid to.” I asked her why she was afraid, if some one had warned her against heading them; and she said they had. We had quite an interesting conversation, in which I found out that she was the organist in one of the largest churches in St. Louis. She said, “I tell you I have just about as much faith in what the ministers know about the Bible as I have in what I know myself.” She also said, “I often sit there and think: Are you sincere or are you not?” She admitted she did not know much about the Bible herself.
However, she did not think she could afford to take the Harp; so I showed her the Comfort booklet. The minute she set her eyes on the book she said, “Wait a minute,” and turned and went into the house and brought out one of the books. She informed me that her father was an old man and had been working for the Missouri Pacific Railway for years. The employes gave him a birthday party, each one bringing him a gift. One person (one of our sisters) gave him the little booklet. When she found out that this little book was our literature she bought the Harp, and is now reading them both.
Sisteb R. C. Showman—St. Louis, Mo.
There are many opportunities about us for service; and by taking advantage of the opportunities offered in telling the truth to the people whom we meet in every-day life, going to and from our work or those with whom we have business dealings, we can extend our efforts in that direction and make I. B. S. A. week of 1925 greater than the witness of previous years by telling the truth to more people than ever before. In fact, the spirit that is emphasized in the following letter could well be adopted by all the friends:
I called at a house on the outskirts of Howard City where there was every evidence of extreme poverty. My first thought was that there would be no use of showing the lady the entire set of volumes, feeling that a ten cent booklet would probably be as much as she would be able to purchase. But I know how Satan is always suggesting thoughts to prevent our canvassing for the set; so I make it a rule to show them the volumes anyway, regardless of appearances. When I finished my canvass I found that this woman showed little Interest in the booklets, but was so pleased to find that she could get all these books explaining the Bible at such a cheap price that she told me to send her the full set of eight books. I did so, half expecting they would be returned, but the money came Instead.
Sister C. G. Morgan, Colp.—Mich.
By keeping in mind the strains of the hymn, “To the Work, To the Work,” and particularly the line that says, “And pass none by,” the witness during I. B. S. A. week will be greater. If some evenings of the week have been set aside for auto trips, probably a stop along the road at one or two houses could be arranged conveniently and five or ten minutes employed just to tell the message and attempt to leave some literature. If during each day of I. B. S. A. week you grasp such little opportunities, though they may seem to be trivial, hardly worth mentioning, you will, we are sure, find that the week has provided many opportunities for service over and above the time that you are able to give in the field by going from door to door.
During I. B. S. A. week we urge that the friends keep in mind that it is a week for concerted witnessing for the kingdom, not only in your community but in every community and in every country throughout the world. If each of the friends everywhere will seize upon all the odd moments of time that they can, this I. B. S. A. week of 1925 can be made to far exceed any similar effort of the past. Be assured of our interest in what you are accomplishing and of our particular interest in the experiences you may have in the line of most effectively engaging your present opportunities of service: (1) by watching and limiting the amount of time that you employ at each home you call upon; and (2) by attempting to bring the message to as many people as possible with whom you chance to meet during I. B. S. A. week.
With Christian greetings, we are
Your brethren and co-laborers in His service, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society