July 1, 1926

I Must Work . . . While It Is Day^:

J

NE of the most thrilling stories of Holy Writ is the experience of Jesus and the man that was blind from his birth. The disciples, reflecting upon the great problem of why evil is permitted, and seeing the misfortunes of this unhappy man, had asked the question which, in one form or another, humanity has been asking from the cradle to the grave.

They wanted to know of the Lord, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus did not dismiss their question as unworthy of attention, but proceeded to give them a practical illustration of the reason why evil is permitted and how it is to be overcome. He said to them:

“Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

The Lord thus disclosed that evil is permitted in the earth for God’s glory, that it is to be removed from the earth by those that have been appointed by God for that purpose, and that the grand outcome will be to the glory of God, as was manifest to all when this poor blind man washed at the pool of Siloam and came seeing.

The thing that caused the blind man to see was work on the part of our Lord. We are permitted to understand the picture, how that the Lord mixed the clay with the spittle from his mouth; and how that represents that human beings, endowed with the Lord’s holy spirit, the truth which comes from his mouth, may be used to open the eyes of the blind.

What an encouragement there is to us for service in the miracle performed by our Lord! The work in which wc are engaged is the Lord’s own work. The Lord himself is directing it. Our part is to submit ourselves to him, and to be permeated with the truth and the spirit of the truth as the clay was permeated with the spittle from the Lord’s mouth. What an honor to be thus associated with the Lord, and to be thus used by him in anointing the eyes of the blind!

There is a further inducement to ser-

f ADVhKIISE I HE~RIN'G~ANI) I HE KINGDOM I

vice in this text when we reflect upon the time limitation which the Lord mentions. He realized that he had a work to do while he was in the flesh. The time would come when his eyes would be closed in death and his day of service would be done. Is it not so with us? Do we not see that our time is limited also? There are few hours in any week we can give to the Lord, and we can not be sure how many weeks remain in which we may have the honor, now ours, of acting as his ambassadors in the earth. .

New Booklet Covers

What we hope will be a help in the circulation of the booldets is the printing and binding of the Hell and Our Lord's Return booklets with a new cover design. The new covers are in three colors and try to convey some im’pression as to the contents of the booklet. The Hell booklet cover tries to leave the impression that the opinions of the people regarding the subject are somewhat hazy and confused. The cover of the Lord's Return booklet presents a picture of the inventions that are evidences of the Lord’s second presence. We urge, however, that the old booklets be disposed of before the new booklets are used in canvassing.

Canvassing for booklets, of course, should be secondary. The principal work is that of canvassing for the full set of Studies in the Scriptures. As nearly as we are able to determine, the stock in the old binding is about exhausted; and a supply in the new binding has been consigned to all classes.

Colored Catalog for Workers

To try to lighten the load of the worker, a small catalog containing a picture of the books in color has been sent with the shipment of new books. We suggest that workers try using the catalog as a prospectus, and report to the director the results obtained. We would rather have the actual results reported than an opinion of the worth of the catalog. The best way to test out a matter of this sort is to try it; and hence if workers will report to the directors how many days they canvassed with the new catalog, how many sets they sell, and whether the catalog enabled them to sell more sets, the director can then report actual information to this

office. We are waiting for such information £ before proceeding with the printing of an- <’ other edition of the colored catalog.              i

The work of printing and binding a suffi- | cient number of Deliverance books is well ' p under way, and we trust that the campaign f _: can begin with I. B. S. A. Week.              , £

Meanwhile we urge the workers to get well acquainted with the contents of the Deliver- t. ance book, so that they will be able to pre- ’ sent it to the public. Prices and the method     1

of work will be announced in the next

Bulletin.

Consider Business Sections

There seems to be quite a field for work s in the business sections of cities and towns.

Many colporteurs are enjoying good success , • i. in confining all their work to the business

section. The following is a letter from a

colporteur who specializes in this sort of

canvassing:

I asked your permission last fall to

work only business houses, as these places

have been sadly neglected even in towns

where there are lively classes. You wrote

me to carry out this program as I had

outlined to you. As a result I have had

my best success in the last three months.

Have made a greater percentage of sales

than ever before. Last Saturday, in a

town listed at 150 population, we sold over 80 books in no more than a dozen f stores. Feel confident we would not have f • sold half as many if we would have can- ■ 1 vassed the homes. In other words, I believe by the way things have been going that if two colporteurs were to go ahead ' of us and work the homes of a town, we could go back later and work only the j business houses and sell as many as were , sold in all the homes. This is why, if satisfactory with you, I would like to continue the present method, since it is meeting with such success.

When you get a group of men in a store and canvass them your chances of selling the sets of eight to them are very small.

If one does not start the crowd off with

a purchase, then usually none of them j buy. By selling the 65-cent combination,

when one man buys I have sold as high

as ten to twelve in one crowd. They had that much change in their pockets and for this reason purchased. So am trying that which I think is best under the circumstances.                      ,

Since such results are to be had, and especially in class territory, we urge workers to consider this work and such as are willing to undertake it, to get in touch with the director for the assignment of territory.

“Tell Your Neighbor”

One brother writes that much of his success in canvassing, especially when offering booklets, is attributed to his suggesting to the people that they pass on some of* the booklets to their relatives or neighbors. The following letter contains a suggestion, especially since it emphasizes a work that Gentiles can do for Jews. However, such combinations are not to interfere with the canvass for the Studies in the Scriptures. Rather such an offer is to be made only when the worker has been unsuccessful in placing the set of Studies in the Scriptures and must of necessity call attention to other booklets that are for sale:       -

Wishing to get as many Comfort for the Jews books as possible into the hands of the people, I have found it advantageous to offer the Harp Course at $1.00 with four of Judge Rutherford’s lectures in booklet form, making the Jew book one of the lectures, with the suggestion that after reading it one will recognize the importance of loaning or giving it to a Jew- ish friend, neighbor, tailor, huckster, etc., because their message must come through the Gentile.—Isaiah 40:1, 9.

Tried first making a combination offer for $1.00, but sell more by charging $1.00 for the Harp and including the others. Also they are more apt to take the Harp at 35c alone after dropping from $1.00. In this way I sell nearly as many Jew books as Harps, and the Jewish message goes forth with almost no extra effort.

Some of the results that isolated territory holds can be gleaned from ,the following letter:

During the last week we visited lumber camps in California,- finding among the workers quite a few Italians. To our surprise we sold 799 books, all the stock that we had in our car; and during the last feW days we canvassed for booklets only. Our hearts were made glad to see the Italians in these camps taking the message gladly.

In one day two of us sold 243 books, and we are praying the Lord’s blessing upon the message that it may bring forth much fruit.

Remember the Farmer

Nearly all assignments include some isolated territory. By “isolated” we mean territory that is almost inaccessible and is not reached so regularly as city territory. Reports that we receive from directors indicate that the rural sections particularly are proving a good field for sales ttiis year; and we would urge that classes consider the rural sections even more particularly during July and August. Probably with a little foresight, workers can arrange to exchange books they are offering, and especially complete sets of Studies, for the farm products that the farmer has to offer. This may allow workers to supply their tables with fresh produce and at the same time at more reasonable prices than they could purchase the same supplies in the cities.

From all indications we believe farmers are having difficulty in marketing their products this year; and help of this sort would, we believe, be welcomed by the farmers, and in addition place a good number of Studies in the Scriptures in their hands. We believe that this method would prove more successful in placing sets if the worker, knowing the particular kind of produce of a farm, would offer outright a set of Studies in the Scriptures for vegetables or fruit in such quantity as would be a fair value for the books. This might prove a more inviting offer to the farmers than to offer the books first at $2.85 and then to suggest, when they say they have no money, that you will take farm produce. The farmer will probably look at his produce as extra and of little value to him; and the suggestion that the worker could use the produce in return for the Studies in the Scriptures would make him, we believe, a more ready customer. At any rate, the Studies In the Scriptures seem to be more what the people are interested in ; and hence we urge that workers devise ways and means of placing the complete set of eight books in the hands of the people.

The following letter tells of results had in canvassing for the Studies:

Last week I finished two rural counties. As far as I could find out, there had never been a colporteur through the territory; and I placed more sets this week than during any week of the two years I have been at work: sold 21 sets and received orders for two more. This is evidence to me that the Lord wants those of us who can to go to the people with the message, and there surely will be no excuse for those who cam go and do not.

Cooperation Blessing to All

There is one advantage in summer work,' and that is, that what may appear to be work can oftentimes be changed into an outing; and especially when there are children in the home and they are home 'from school. The following letter indicates how one sister has worked out a plan that is meeting with the approval of the children and accomplishing much in the line of service:

I thought perhaps you would like to know a little about how we work. I have five children: Russell (17) is consecrated and works with me, while Louise (14) and the twins, David and Ruth, aged 5, sit in the car or play by it. We take our lunch and eat in some cool, shady place as we work the rural routes; and I can keep the little ones right with me and care for them and witness for our King at the same time. Tom, who is 12, usually is busy at home.

Last week three cars from Springfield drove to Eldorado Springs, Mo. Mine, loaded with books, children, etc., was one of them. We camped in the tourist park, had a lovely outing and worked the town. Russell and I sold 69 books together. We have yet about two months of summer weather, and with its end a great part of the territory will be closed to further activity. Hence the present is the time -to take advantage of the opportunity of working the country and isolated territory. I. B. S. A. Week will prove an excellent opportunity; and we believe that with the efforts of the workers I. B. S. A. Week, 1926, will be the greatest that has ever attended any concen- . trated effort in the field. Next month’s Bulletin will outline plans for I. B. S. A. Week.

One of the brethren canvassed a man. for three booklets. He understood the . price to be 25c each, but was corrected, and even then insisted on paying 50c for the three. This was refused, however, stating that the price was 25c and no more. He said, “I know you. are not trying to .do me as I have been done in the past.” He was then told about the set of eight books for $1.78. He ordered them. The brother had a Hell booklet in his pocket, so he took it out, saying, “I have another little book here on hell.” The gentleman said, “I will take that one, too.”

This was on Tuesday; so on Friday the books were delivered. The man and his wife were out in the yard at the time. -Before the brother reached them she said, "We were just speaking of you, wishing that you would bring those books.” "Here they are,” the brother said. She said, "Oh, I am so glad! And did you bring the Harp ? I have read those little books and am now so anxious to read the Harp.” She could hardly wait until the books were unwrapped, but picked up the Harp as soon as she saw it, stating that she was so thankful that the books had come, adding, “I cannot thank you enough.”

Of course this experience made us all feel better; and even if we do not find another grateful heart this summer we shall feel amply repaid. One worker sold three booklets in each of nine consecutive homes. Oh, that we could have more workers and more machines ! The work is to great, but the "joy of the Lord” is even greater, for those who work, of course.

Tout brethren and servants in the Lord,

Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society.