INFORMANT

“Salvation” Testimony Period

Magazine Distribution Work

Increase Publishers, Hours, and Back-Calls

Thousands of New Orders Pouring In

Offer Salvation and Government and Peace

The brethren everywhere will rejoice in knowing that early reports indicate that in January we were able to place more bound books than during any previous month. This very excellent work was accomplished in the midst of the worst winter weather in years; thus showing that nothing can stop the "locusts” from carrying on their work. Enthused by this knowledge, the, brethren should go out with renewed ; zeal and vigor, determined to put in many more hours in the field and make many more back-calls, beginning at once with the February ‘'Salvation" Testimony Period.

Brother Rutherford, in ins encouraging letter of January 20, points out that we here in America have "increased opportunities", while the reverse is true in many other countries. To take advantage of these increasing opportunities, we must increase our time in the field and the number of back-calls we make. This is something for all of us to consider seriously, beginning with “Salvation” Testimony Period.

Our offer from door to door during the “Salvation” Testimony Period is the book Salvation and the booklet Government anil Peace, on a contribution of 25c. Where there is good interest the offer should be increased to include either Enemies or Riches, or both', and arrangements should be made to place such person’s name on your magazine distributor’s route as well as on your back-call list. Where the people cannot take the original offer, then place Government and Peace and two other booklets on contribution of Ide; and if they are unable to contribute that much, leave Government and Peace booklet with them for whatever they can contribute. Where people cannot contribute, but will read, you can leave with them free the booklet Government and Peace. With everyone you call upon you should at least leave a copy of Kingdom News or the Salvation folder. In other words, get everybody you can better acquainted witli the Kingdom work; for the Kingdom is the only hope of the world.

Always Place Books

We hope that the January campaign has deeply impressed upon all of us the necessity of placing the books in the hands of the people and not letting them accumulate on the shelves of the stockroom. Literature will do no good lying on the shelves. We must get the books into the hands of the people as quickly as possible; and that was the reason for making the special offer of three books on a con

Those in America Have Much to Do

A few days ago Brother Rutherford’s letter of January 20 “To the PUBLISHERS OF THE THEOCRACY” WaS forwarded to all companies. This letter should be carefully read and studied at the next four service meetings, in order to get the import and force of the message it has for each publisher in the company.

The letter graphically depicts the manner in which the work is closing down throughout the earth, and the great privileges afforded the people bn the American continent at the present time to have a part in the service. It empliasiz.es the importance of tile back-call work and the fact that each publisher should make three back-calls a week, or 12 back-calls a month.

These points are to be carefully considered and plans made to get and maintain at least three back-calls each week.

While the enemy is regimenting all of those in sympathy with the Devil’s organization under the totalitarian state, it is gratifying and thrilling to note the consistency with which those associated with Jehovah's Theocratic Government continue to push the battle to the gate.

For the fiscal year, to January 1, the number of company publishers participating in the service: October, 42,430; November, 41,140; and December, 42,020. In years gone by it was the idea that because of weather conditions and the “Christinas” holidays, and other excuses, the Lord's people were not expected to do any witnessing during the month of December, and, in fact, a large percentage of them figured that" they were not required to do much of anything during the entire

Are You a Magazine Publisher Too? February 1 ushers in what promises to be the biggest and most enjoyable campaign in which we have ever engaged; for this is not of a week's or a month’s duration, but will continue indefinitely, and is a permanent addition to our work of advertising The Theocracy, and as the campaign progresses it will grow in magnitude until every Kingdom publisher will be doing his share therein.

Arrange Your Route

Before February 1 many of the publishers have arranged their routes winter. Those days, however, are gone for ever. .That was really religion manifesting itself among the Lord's people. Those who are looking to the Lord today are thrilled with the vision of the Kingdom and with their privilege of having some part in the service, and they go into the field regularly, rain or shine, every week and every month.

The hours in the field have kept up fairly well; still there is a tendency toward a decrease in this respect, which should not exist. In October the average number of hours per publisher was 19.1; in November, 15.4: and in December, 14.5. This should be watched by each individual, each company servant and other brethren in the organization, and each zone servant, and see if this trend can be turned definitely upward rather than downward.

The average number of back-calls still continued at 2.1. Brother Rutherford's letter calls attention to the new quota for back-calls for the year 1940. Instead of 2.1 for the month, it should be running 12.1. Each publisher should definitely set this quota and see what can be done to attain it. The year 1940 offers the greatest privileges and the greatest prospects of any year to date, and undoubtedly those who are truly for The TheOcracy are going to rejoice in taking advantage of every opportunity.

COMPANY PUBLISHERS’ FIELD REPORT

Last Year This Year

Company Av. Av. Co. Av. Av.

Pub'rs Hrs B-C Pub'rs Hrs B-C Oct.    29,550 13.1 2.1   42,436 19.1

Nov.    25,863 10.9 2.4   41,146 15.4

Dec.    28,371 12.1 1.9   42,020 14.5

Jan.    31,679 14.9 2.7      ?    ?

Feb.    29,599 14.4 3.0      ?    ? from their list of interested persons in their individually held territory, and they will begin calling on these immediately with February 1 issue of The Watchtower and February 7 issue of Consolation. We wisli to especially emphasize the establishing of a route for magazine distribution in the territory held by the publisher, for it will be those people who obtain the magazines at their homes that are apt to take them regularly. Ask the back-call servant for all back-calls in your territory (and perhaps in the adjoining territory, if it is not now assigned and has not been covered for some time) and call on these people—all of them are good prospects for the two magazines, or at least one. Many of these may already be taking one of the magazines as subscribers and may either subscribe for the other one or agree to have you bring it regularly. Some may have subscribed for either or both of file magazines and allowed their subscriptions to lapse because they did not have the dollar to resubscribe, and these will doubtless be pleased to have you bring the magazines to them direct and contribute five cents per copy. So GET YOUR .ROUTE STARTED AND HELP FEED THE SHEEP THEREIN.

Back-Calls

Your back-calls should materially increase witli this new work. Those who show interest and who wish to discuss the truth with you should be called on with the series of records, and model studies started with them if possible. Have in mind the new quota of three back-calls per week, which Brother Rutherford has called to our attention in his letter of' January 20, 1940, addressed “To the Publishers of the Theocracy”. By meeting these people of good will in our territory each week, the opportunity of calling back on Iheni is practically thrust upon us; don’t lose it.

Magazine Bags

The Society will supply for the magazine publishers a cloth bag which will serve both to keep the magazines clean and to identify the publisher, as the names THE WATCHTOWER and CONSOLATION will be prominently displayed thereon. The bags will hold a good supply of The Watchtower and Consolation. They will be furnished at fifteen cents each, or seven to one address for one dollar, remittance with order. Company servants should order for those wishing to use them.

Do not mar I lie magazines or handle them unnecessarily; be sure that they are clean when placed. Nor should you write or stamp the local headquarters on either The (Continued on page 2, column 4)

Back-Calls Doing Marvelous Work

It is a joy to report the first month’s activity for the new fiscal year, which began with 1he “Theocracy" Testimony Period. Without Question, Jehovah is directing His organization, This is proved by the fact that 73.469 publishers reported, and spent 1,861.513 hours in the field. These publishers delighted in making 209,106 back-calls. These are three things over which the publishers of the Kingdom have control, and they took advantage of it; namely, they saw to it that they were in the field serving the Theocracy; they put in time; and they made back-calls. The results accomplished by doing this work are set out below in the complete report compared with the corresponding Testimony Period in

“Battle Siege” Period

Due to its importance and the need for proper advance preparation, the “Battle Siege” Testimony Period and its offer are announced at this time. The period will begin with March 23, the date for celebrating the Memorial, and will usher in a three-month world-wide campaign for new Watchtower subscriptions.

The results of the Watchtower Campaign last year are very gratifying, over 120,000 new names being added to the subscription list. With the splendid increase in publishers which has taken place doubtless we shall far surpass that figure in the coming campaign. To do this, each one must make necessary preparation well in advance, in order to go forward the day the campaign starts, March 23, having sufficient copies of The Watchtower for use in the field (increase the distributor’s order so as to have extra sample copies), also subscription blanks, introductory phonograph record “Instruction” (P-154), etc. Don’t wait until the campaign begins, but prepare now.

While complete details will be given in the next Informant, note that the offer will be The Watchtower together with any bound book and a self-covered "booklet on a contribution of one dollar.

Please Use Order Blanks and Fill Them Out Properly

It will be a great aid to the office in dispatching your orders promptly if pioneers and company servants will check their orders before mailing them and observe the following:

At the rop of the order blank print the name of the company or pioneer plainly ; never put a pioneer order and a company order on the same order blank, but use separate order blanks; fill in the complete address at which th? shipment can be received, whether sent by freight, by express, or by mail; the same address should be used on all orders, except by pioneers moving from place to place. Wherever possible, orders should be shipped to the company servant’s address : but if another address is more convenient, then that address should be used on all orders, as the Society makes out a stencil, which speeds up the work. If your address is different every time your order comes in, your stencil is of no value. Company servants should not give one address one time and a different address for the next order. If possible, the notifying address should be the same as the shipping address. It there is no freight station at your town, write on the order blank the location of the nearest freight station. All orders must be signed by the company servant or pioneer.

When writing orders, always show the

year, which is very

“Jehovah’s

“Theocracy" Battle”

Oct. 1939 Oct. 1938

338,018   207,634

2,471,411 2,622.252

2,810,029 2,829,886

4,239      3,412

1,263

69,230     53,442

73.469     58,117

1,861.543 1,207,367

10,483      9,326

1,926,552 1,944,666

209,106     99,132

“Enemies” Record

Some publishers have reported that when going from door to door and running the "Snare and Racket” record people tell them they have heard it. It is advisable to carry with you more than one disc, particularly if the territory has been covered several times with a particular recording.

A good extra record to carry with you at this time is the “Enemies” record. Those publishers who are not supplied with this record can order through their company servant. The Society has a good supply of these on hand and can fill orders immediately. The “Enemies” record is P-113, P-114. Use the number when ordering.

Notice to Company Servants

Some o£ the brethren in the companies seem to have a misunderstanding of the method the Society employs in handling its accounts. From February 1 on the Society will have two accounts for the average company : one account is for magazine distributors, where Watchtower and Consolation other than subscriptions may be charged: the other account is the book and booklet account, where the books and booklets which are termed “campaign literature” may be charged. All other orders should be accompanied with remittance, or at least a partial remittance, as in the case of phonographs and records. The Society is willing to assist companies whose accounts are in fair condition but who are unable to pay the entire amount for phonographs and records in one payment, by accepting a down payment of approximately twenty-five percent of the cost of the phonographs and records and charging the balance to the company’s account. Bookmarks, folders, subscriptions, Biblek, Yearbooks, calendars, Model Study booklets, musical records, phonograph parts, magazine bags, and supplies of that nature, should always be accompanied with a remittance to cover. These are not chargeable to any account.

Phonograph Repairs

When ordering phonograph repairs it is necessary to give this office the serial number of your phonograph. Slight changes have been made in the phonograph from time to time, and the only way we can know how to supply the proper part would be to have your serial number. Please note this when ordering repairs.

quantity before the title. EXAMPLE: GO Salvation. When large quantities of foreign literature are ordered, it would be appreciated if the company servant would use a separate order blank for each language. Company servants, stockkeepers and pioneers can assist the office greatly by properly filling out order blanks and following out the above instructions.

Model Study Booklet and Bookmarks

The Model Study No. 2 booklet is the latest provision the Lord has made, and tn It he makes it possible for every publisher in the company to conduct model studies and aid the people of good will to see the issue and take their stand on the Lord’s side. Each publisher should have with him a number of these booklets when he goes on a baek-call or to conduct a model study. One never knows how a back-call is going to open up when one gets there, and it may be possible to develop that into an immediate model study if one has his equipment with him. Therefore, in addition to the series of records, a number of Model Study booklets in which the series is contained should also be on hand. This will be a definite aid to ail publishers in getting their three back-calls a week, or 12 back-calls each month.

Bookmarks are something that should be used extensively by all companies, also. This is a definite aid to the people of good will who obtain literature, because it provides them with a permanent address of where the meetings are held, the time they are held, and how they may have their questions answered. Therefore the bookmark should be left with each placement of bound books (or of booklets, if you wish).

The Society had to print a second edition of the Yearbook. These are now available for any who have not received their supply. These should be mentioned on practically all back-calls and at model studies. The newly interested should be advised to obtain a copy of the Yearbook and see the magnitude of the work that the Lord is doing in the earth at the present time.

(Continued from page 1, column 2) During “Salvation” Testimony Period be prepared to offer In addition to the regular combination of Salvation and Government and Peace other books and booklets.

How Many Publishers??

The publishers are available, but so far not all of them have gone out during any one month. If this is accomplished, we shall have many more than 50,000 publishers. Truly Brother Rutherford has pointed out that “the privilege of advertising THE THEOCRACY will soon be completed”. Each publisher who believes this will let nothing interfere with his regular activity in the field. We hope there will be 50,000 publishers in the field during February. It can be done. Let each company strive to get out all its publishers in the field during this and every other month from now on.

Phonograph Work

With the interest of the people being more keenly aroused to our activities, especially now as we boldly carry on the new magazine work, the opportunities for using the phonograph will increase. People will want to learn more about the “strange work” Jehovah’s witnesses are doing, and the best way we can tell them Is by means of the recordings, the single and series records. In the door-to-door service, use the "Snare and Racket” record, or, if you have just covered the territory with that recording, use the “Enemies" record (P-113, P-114) or any other suitable recording.

The “Salvation” Testimony Period ushers In the most extensive advertising campaign, and it is our privilege to participate therein.

(Continued from page 1, column 4) Watchtower or Consolation. Instead it would be better to leave with the people, when these are placed, a copy of your Salvation folder or Public Meeting folder, properly stamped with name and address of the company.

Various methods may be used to advertise the magazine distribution. Some of the companies have done Sidewalk witnessing with the booklets to good advantage and will find this experience beneficial in carrying on the magazine- distribution in the business districts. One company had a table for the booklets and a phonograph, with a sign in front of the table identifying the work. Two publishers were assigned at 1 o’clock Saturday afternoon, two others relieving them at 3 o’clock, and so on until 9 p.m.

One publisher may carry an overhead placard advertising The Watchtower and Consolation on one side and perhaps on the other side a notation such as “Uncensored truth", “The Bible made clear,” etc. Another publisher with him could have a good supply of the magazines, both, however, equipped with magazine bags. Saturday afternoons and evenings seem to be the best time for this type of work, as a great majority of the people are doing their shopping and can be found in the business districts. Hoivever, any evening, at the rush hour, would be good.

As you try out various methods and find them successful, let us hear from you, so we can pass the information along.

Organization

This is a new work to all of us, and we don’t expect all of the companies or publishers to get thoroughly established at once; and so, until the publishers do know how many magazines they will use regularly, no doubt many will be running out and will be wanting more of the same issue. In order to get additional copies of a particular issue to the advertising servant as quickly as possible, he may order these from us at the rate of 40 copies for $1.00. Remittance must accompany the order unless the company has a magazine distributors' account, in which case they may be charged to the account. Rusli orders should be marked on the envelope 'Urgent, Magazine Desk”, in lower left-hand corner.

New Publications

Government and Peace—Chinese, German. Portuguese. Fascism or Freedom— Japanese, Polish. Warning — Cinyanja, Hungarian, Polish, Xosa. Safety—Clii-shona, Malay, Sesnto. Face the Facts— Cinyanja. TF/mt You Xeed— Chishona. Cause of Death—Spanish. His Vengeance —Bohemian. Supremacy—French, Hungarian. Model Study—German. Armageddon—Sesuto. Protection—Ilocano.

In Stock : Crusade Against Christianity, in Polish.

Discontinued: Consolation in French.

Will Not Be Published: 1940 Yearbook in French.

Notice to All

Kingdom Publishers

This article is to be cut out and pasted in back of the booklet Advice for Kingdom Publishers. Keep it as a permanent part of that advice.

Should you be convicted of violating an ordinance of a village, town, ■borough, city or any otherwise-named municipality, be sure to secure a “certified copy” of the ordinance of the municipality, which “certified copy” should be filed with the appeal papers or attached to the appeal papers. This Instruction should be drawn to the attention of your attorney if you employ one, and should be followed without fail by you.