October 1, 1927

“ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD”

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know thatyour labor is not in vain in the Lord.”—

1 Corinthians 15:58.

THE classes all over the country, with possibly once in a while, here and there, a very rare and a very unhappy exception, are getting out regularly in the service work and are finding from actual experience that the joy of the Lord is theirs, and the happiest of all are those that get out regularly, rain or shine, and are always abounding in that work.

We do not make the weather. Rains are necessary and desirable, and if they sometimes come on a service day we should remember that there are some who are glad for the rains. The Lord sends His rain alike upon the just and upon the unjust, alike upon His own people and the people of the world. Other people have to go to work when it rains. The Lord’s people have no reason to think of their work as one of less importance than that of the postman, the milkman, the grocer boy.

If the postman, the milkman, the grocer boy and many others whose work takes them from door to door in all weathers can dress for the work they do, and are not injured by it, the Lord’s people can do as much. Raincoats are to be had; rubbers are to be had; umbrellas are to be had; warm underwear and hosiery and clothing are to be had; and in a pinch the service work itself may be made to provide these necessities if not otherwise obtainable.

So we urge that if you have set aside a day for the Lord’s service, you let nothing turn you from your purpose. Go to bed the night before in good season, so that your body will be properly refreshed. Rise early, dress properly and get out in the'work rain or shine, always abounding in the work of the Lord, and get out on time.

Most people get to work at eight o’clock, and there is no reason why one who is working for the Lord should choose a later hour. If people are at meals, the simple query, “Do you care if I talk to you while you eat ?” will always result in a courteous response and often result in a sale. People are restless when taken away from the table in the middle of a meal. If the weather is unpleasant more people will be at home, and the places of business will be less crowded than on other days, so that rainy days are good days for canvassing; none better. But no one should go out expecting to work in rainy weather unless dressed for it. The Lord ^xpects us to use our brains in this matter, as in every other.

The apostle was one of those who was always abounding in the work of the Lord. He says so in the same chapter, verse ten, that he did more work than all the rest of the apostles put together, or at least more than any one of them; he was blessed in doing it and he wished the Corinthians to whom he was writing to get his spirit in the matter and share with him the great blessings he was then receiving and the greater blessings of the future.

METHODS OF WORK

Reports we have received of the work during I. B. S. A. Week show the greatest distribution of literature that has ever been accomplished in one week in the United States. The letter of instructions to the directors gives a detailed report. A general survey of the work reports 9398 workers out in the service during I. B. S. A. Week. These workers placed in the hands of the people 18,254 Harps, 31,499 copies of Deliverance, 2460 sets of Studies in the Scriptures and other bound volumes, making a total of 67,-981 bound volumes. In addition there were placed 189,456 booklets. The sales of Studies in the Scriptures indicate to what extent the people are ready for the set of Volumes. As has been emphasized in past Bulletins, the Studies in the Scriptures provide a comprehensive work on all Biblical questions. They make a reference library that people who have read other publications of the Society can use to good advantage in their homes. Wherever there has been work with the volumes or booklet combination there develops a field for the set of Studies in the Scriptures. The following letter shows the success of placing the volumes in Hawaii:

In the service week just closed I was able by the Lord’s grace to place the following: 24 Deliverance, 23 Harps, 12 sets of 7 Volumes, 10 Volumes A, and 171 booklets.

Hilo is isolated territory, and this trip here is the second one in two years. I have found several who are showing deep interest from the result of the first canvass, and I am hoping that a class can be formed the same as we have in Honolulu. One man, a Hawaiian, who had bought the set before, said that he had read the Harp ten times and is now going over the volumes for the second time.

The workers are few here • but the truth is going forth all over the Hawaiian islands, which have largely been held in slavery to Papacy and Mormonism, and Buddhism among the Japanese.

• E. Burnham.—Hilo, T. H.

Follow up with Study Combination

We urge therefore that during the winter Ihonths the workers specialize with the canvass for the eight-volume combination. We have recommended in the letter of instructions to directors that they allow workers to canvass in territory that they have previously canvassed. The advantage in this is that workers know what they have placed in their territory and generally can remember where they placed the different combinations. At homes in which the Harp or Deliverance has been placed, workers can call back and be pretty sure of a welcome and invitation to come into the house. This will permit a great deal of winter canvassing without their having to stand on the doorstep or in the cold.

Radio Introduction

Especially is this so when you introduce yourself by the introduction which is used by the radio station in your territory. If the programs are introduced by “This is the Watchtower”, or This is the I. B. S. A.”, such an introduction will identify you or the work that you are doing. Experiences along this line are being related by all who are using this method, and they report success. The following is one of such letters:

I opened my canvass by representing WORD Radio Station, and produced Deliverance; and she looked back and said, “0 Pa, here’s the book brought right to your door that you’ve been asking me to send for.” Turning to me, she said, “He is so interested in that station and listens especially every . Sunday morning.” I quickly produced the Harp, ran over the table of contents, and said I would be glad to show the books to him. She invited me in, saying, “He’s an old retired Presbyterian preacher”; and he spoke up and said, “Yes, I’m just past ninety-seven years; and you’ll no doubt think it strange that I, being a preacher, would need these books. But I’m beginning to get my eyes. open, and I enjoy the way the Bible Students stick to the Bible.” He took the Harp and the Deliverance, and thanked me for bringing them.

A young lady who was being entertained at a small afternoon “sociable” heard me introduce myself to her hostess as a WORD representative and canvass for Deliverance; and as I was being very graciously dismissed she called out, “Oh, wait a minute, Miss, I’m very much interested in those Bible Student lectures and was going to send for that book. Will you go across the street with me for the money?”

Sb. G. M. Thomas

Many Waiting for Scripture Studies

The work with the Studies in the Scriptures has lagged during the summer months, due to the emphasis placed upon the booklet combinations. It was never the thought of the Society to push booklet combinations; but if workers can get a start in the service by using a smaller combination or a booklet combination, there is no objection to their doing so. Unfortunately this procedure led many who had canvassed with Studies in the Scriptures to give their time to booklets. We urge therefore that the work that has been done during the summer be realized upon by canvassing for Studies in the Scriptures, particularly in territory where there have been large sales of the booklet combinations. Studies in the Scriptures are sold at comparatively as small a cost for a book as the booklet combinations are for booklets. This is generally recognized by people when the seven volumes are offered to them. They quickly note that what the seven volumes cost is what they pay for one of the season’s best sellers. The following letter is an encouraging one toward emphasizing the relative cost:

Just a few lines to tell you of an experience which is the result of the message over the radio. While canvassing recently in Ramona, we called on a preacher who complained very much concerning the falling away of membership from his church, saying that the people prefer to stay at home and listen in to our lectures because these are just what they want. He said that we sell the books so cheap that people buy them and read them and learn more than going to his church, a message that appeals to them.

Bro. and Sr. Desserich.—Colporteurs.

Our records indicate that in many classes there are still large supplies of Studies in the Scriptures. If these sets can be put into circulation they can be used during the winter months; for people are kept indoors and are wanting something to do. We trust that workers will see the advantage of getting Studies in the Scriptures into the hands of the people who have purchased other volumes, and that the necessity of this will be felt much as this was impressed upon the class which writes us as follows:

We have had a large stock of books on hand for several years that have moved but very slowly, and most of the time we have had ten and twelve in our class here. But now we have dropped down to four, with only two workers.

After coming home from the Toronto convention and making special plans for drive week we have sold out every book we had in stock, 180 being sold during drive week by the two of us. It has proved to us that the Lord can give us a special blessing when we put forth special effort when our numbers are small.

Levi Peterbon.—Newark, N. Y.

Growing Desire to Know

The manner in which the people have purchased the volumes during the summer and their interest in what the Bible Students are doing is a pretty good guarantee that these books and booklets have been read. That there are other homes that have first heard of the message of truth by radio is a further guarantee that your message will be better received than in the past. To all such homes the set of Studies in the Scriptures is the next thing to offer them. The people generally want as much reading matter as can be of use to them and supply them well. To take full advantage of such a condition in a home or an opportunity for the message is to offer them the eight-volume combination, a set of volumes that will permit them to answer their wide range of questions; for if the desire has been created for the books, they should be given the full line of publications.

The following letter emphasizes this point. The radio had introduced the message; and with the people in the home wanting the books it would seem a loss of opportunity not to acquaint them with all of the books and let them select what they desire. This is a better procedure than to bring them one or two books when they probably want all that they can get:

One lady who ran the cream station said it was her earnest desire to understand the Bible, but thus far she had failed. She took $1.95 worth. Another lady said, “0 Ma, here are those books Daddy wanted, and we have another chance to get them now.” They took them quickly from the sister. So you see they are even beginning to ask for them.

Jos. Greig.—Colporteur.

Let Us Also Grow

There is likely a number in the class who will not attempt a canvass for the Studies in the Scriptures. Having started with the smaller combinations they have by now proved themselves quite proficient in canvassing for a fifty-cent or a dollar offer. A progressive step, then, would be to try something a little larger; and to this end we recommend a discussion of ways and means and methods of procedure in canvassing and placing sets of Studies in the Scriptures. The course taken by the class which writes us the following letter is one that we would recommend. Proceeding in the work with some well-defined plan of action will place more books than starting into the field without some definite line of procedure in mind:

You will note that the friends put out four complete sets of seven volumes with Deliverance and lecture course. These were put out by the workers in one auto. At our Bulletin study on Sunday, June 19th, we tried especially to emphasize canvassing for the set of volumes first, and I know a number of the friends now practically always follow that procedure. I heartily agree that it does not spoil the sale of booklets but rather increases them.

Wm. W. Weaver.—Lancaster, Pa.

The experience of those workers who have been canvassing for Studies in the Scriptures reports that the specializing with Studies in the Scriptures does not interfere with the sale of booklets. If the people do not want the Studies in the Scriptures, they will generally purchase some booklets; that is to say, people who will purchase booklets anyway will purchase them whether they have received a canvass for the bound volumes or whether they have just received a canvass for the set of Studies in the Scriptures. That is why we emphasize that the winter work should be with the set of Studies in the Scriptures.

A Fitting Sunday Offer

We believe that Sunday work will place a great number of sets of Studies in the Scriptures as it brings the books to the attention of the whole family. If the wife would hesitate to spend that amount for books, the husband would probably be more ready to supply the family with all the helps that are possible for him to obtain. Let Sunday canvassing oiler sets of Studies in the Scriptures; and we are sure that your Sunday work will produce Sunday sales as was the experience of the colored class which writes us as follows:

Last Sunday was our first day under this arrangement and the results obtained were very encouraging to us. There were twenty-six workers out, selling 311 books. About five sets were included in that number. I think one of our experiences is worth mentioning: Three of our workers who were canvassing some people in front of a rural church were invited to come in. On, learning that the services were about over, we accepted the invitation and requested one of the ushers to ask the pastor if we could present our books to the congregation. He did so; and the pastor in turn invited us forward and, introducing us by name to the congregation, asked us to select a spokesman to state our mission. A brief witness was given, the books were introduced, and as a result thirty-six books were placed in the hands of the people there, including the pastor. “The Lord lo'oseth the prisoners.” Let us rejoice!

• F. K. Richardson.—Washington, D. C. Colored Class.

I. B. S. A. Week demonstrated the great extent of the demand for the Studies in the Scriptures. There were more homes in which the full set was placed than in any previous effort of canvassing. Offer the set by making it the particular point of the canvass. If you do not have the success that you anticipated, bring the matter to the attention of the class at the workers’ meeting by comparing your experience with that of others. Probably you and they can evolve some plan that will place the sets in your territory.

With Christian greetings, we are

Your brethren in the service of our Lord, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society.