We’ll Reach Our Peak of 14,000 Workers Soon

The Lord Blessed Their Efforts Richly

The lntcrnationa.1 Thanksgiving Testimony Period, March 20-27, proved to be a source of great joy and blessing to the anointed of Jehovah throughout the United States. The figures submitted herewith give eloquent testimony of the zeal and enthusiasm with which the friends took hold of their privileges. However, these figures cannot, of course, give all the details [ so we are going to supplement them with a few figures from former issues of the Bulletin i.o enable you by comparison to appreciate the progress in the Kingdom activity that is actually taking place.

The first point. The increase in the number of workers participating is brought out very encouragingly by a comparison with Midwinter Week in 1931 and Prophecy Week in 1930, which took place at the same season of the year. During Midwinter Week there were 9,9(58 who participated in the field work; and in Prophecy Week, 7,663. Compare those figures with the International Thanksgiving Testimony Peri

How Much of Your Time Will Be Used in Witnessing?

Brother Rutherford lias designated July 2 to July 10 as the 200,000-HOUR TESTIMONY PERIOD. Jehovah’s witnesses will desire to prepare, so that they will be all ready to take the fullest advantage of the opportunity to glorify and honor the name of Jehovah by bearing TESTIMONY to the people.

During that season of the year good weather usually prevails, which will enable Jehovah’s witnesses to devote as much time as possible to the field work, and a quota has been set at 200,060 hours for that TESTIMONY period. During the recent International Thanksgiving Testimony Period Jehovah's witnesses in the United States devoted 110,668 hours to bearing TESTIMONY. From this it is seen that each witness will have to put forth a determined strenuous effort, so that, by the grace of Jehovah, the utmost in bearing testimony may be accomplished.

It is hoped that by July 2 there ’.-.-ill Jie 2,0(19 pioneers in tiie field. od of tills year, when we had 13,624 workers. This is nn increase of 37 percent over Midwinter Week in 1931 and 78 percent over Prophecy Week in 1930.

Another point is the amount of time each worker devoted to the service. We had one day less in the International Thanksgiving Testimony period this year than we had in the former periods, due to the fact that it did not commence until Sunday. Naturally this reduced the time that the workers had to devote to the service, but even in this the average time per worker exceeded that of 1930, although it did come short about au hour and a half compared with 1931. These facts all indicate that the Lord’s people are appreciating their privileges more than ever before. In Jjct, the number of workers fdlWlnternational Thanksgiving Testimony Period exceeded anything that we hud up to the present time. This is our peak to date, and when we realize that this has taken place in the midst of the winter, with rain, sleet and intense cold, in the Bast and North particularly, some Idea of the possibility of 1932 is brought home to us. During this period regional service directors and other brethren advise that in some sections to the northand if for the 8-day period from July 2 to 10 they would each devote 5 hours a day to witnessing they would achieve a total of 80,000 hours in Jehovah’s service. If for that period one thousand auxiliaries witness for 2$ hours a day they will have devoted a total of 20,000 tu.iurs In honoring the name of Jehovah. And if 11,500 witnesses from the ranks of the companies apd sharpshooters could devote a total of but 9 hours each for the whole 8-dny period, it would mean that they' participated in giving testimony for a. total of 103,500 hours; and thus for the three divisions a grand total of 203,500 hours will be reached. If it is borne in mind that this period will present a wonderful opportunity to henor Jehovah’s name, that It conies at a season when most time can be utilized, Jehovah’s witnesses will more than attain the quota indicated. It is suggested that the brethren everywhere join in prayer to the end that their united efforts during the 200,000-HOUR TESTIMONY PERIOD may redound to Jehovah’s praise in the greatest pos-west entire companies were sick in bed with the grippe and unable to go out in the service at all and, in other cases, feeble and infirm brethren are handicapped considerably in the wintertime so that they cannot do as much as they would like. With the advent of the spring weather, when the sun is shining, the roads are open, and all the friends can get out, there is not a shadow of doubt that we shall exceed the estimated peak of 14,000 workers very early.

The vital fact that all who partake of the symbolic cup at Memorial should be consistent and true to that which they symbolize and partake of the real cup which the Lord pours for his people regularly Is home home with greater weight to the Lord's people cacti year. This becomes a very vital issue with each one now'. The time for fear, indifference or compromise is past. Each one must now take his stand wholly and completely on the Lord's side, and undoubtedly all are doing this. The heart attitude of the anointed is getting more and more to be that expressed by Hie psalmist when he says, “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of tiie Loud. I will pay my vows unto tiie Lord now in the presence of all his people.”

(Continued from page 1, column 4) and naturally cut down the number. The time has now come, however, to recognize this fact and to put forth every effort to overcome this handicap. It will mean a consistent and strenuous pushing of the bound books during the next six months. We believe, however, that if each one puts forth the effort wc can overcome most of this handicap, if not all. Therefore, let the slogan be, ‘Push the four books for .$1.00 contribution, and after you have pushed them push them some more,’ and then commence pushing them.

(Continued from page 1, column 1) pioneers. Of course, it is well, if possible, to have an emergency fund to cover unexpected situations, but those taking up the pioneer sei'vice should do so with full confidence tn Jehovah, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, confident that all “these things” will be added unto them. This does not mean that merely having one’s name enrolled as a pioneer is sufficient. It means that those who are wholeheartedly in the Lord’s service, and who are really putting in all their time in the field service actually bearing testimony from house to house, are enjoying great privileges and placing the greatest quantity of literature, and thus effecting the widest witness. The Society supplies the literature Io pioneers at much less than the actual cost of production and delivery, and this is for the purpose of enabling pioneers to meet expenses incurred In the work of bearing testimony.

Some brethren perhaps are hesitating to enter the pioneers' ranks for fear of being unable to meet their expenses. The best answer to that is in the fact that many of the pioneers have been in the service as such for the past five, ten or twenty years. They arranged their affairs so as to do away with all unnecessary expenditures, and took their stand for Jehovah, and enrolled in his service for all time, looking to him with confidence for the things needful. The tacts show their confidence in Jehovah has not been misplaced. Those who know Jehovah desire to obey his commands. Those who are thus hesitating should carefully consider the Lord’s words in Luke 12: 16-38, and take action accordingly.

Others have perhaps felt that they did not possess what they termed 'natural ability’ to make good as pioneers. In this they are looking at the matter from the wrong viewpoint. Jehovah uses those in his service who are whole-heartedly devoted to him mid who obey his commands. (Jolin 15:1-11) Christ Jesus is the vine, and all the members of his body are the branches, and can bear kingdom fruits if they abide in him, keeping his commandments in love. Unselfish devotion to Jehovah ami a desire to honor his name are the requirements for the pioneer service, and not any so-called ‘natural ability'.

The conditions now existing among the people are extremely propitious for preaching the gospel. Institutions in which the people have heretofore had confidence, and to which they looked for security, are failing them now in their time of need, anti the future looks dark. The only remedy is Jehovah and his kingdom, and it Is the happy lot of Jehovah’s witnesses to be able to tell of the near destruction of the entire organization of Satan, and of the happiness which will come when the meek of the earth have taken their stand on the side of Jehovah and join in honoring his name. The pioneers arc a happy company, and in their ranks it is hoped that many others of the Lord’s witnesses will find increased opportunities and privileges of honoring the name of Jehovah. Now Is a good time to begin the pioneer work!

Only 3</₂ Hours per Day?

During the month of March the pioneers averaged only 26.93 hours per week in active field witnessing, and the auxiliaries 10.5 hours. This means that many hours of witnessing were lost, and it is strongly urged Ihat each one do his or her utmost, to make up this lost time. It is hoped that pioneer and auxiliary reports will show a greatly increased number of hours spent in singing forth Jehovah’s praises.