View PDFThe content displayed below is for educational and archival purposes only.
Unless stated otherwise, content is © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.’’—Ps. 13: 5.
\i’i;iL, ih-iii
BROOKLYN, N.Y.
“Watchtower” Campaign Begins
“Battle Siege” Testimony Period First Full Month
Have You Your “Refugees”?
Biggest Part of Quota to Be Cared for by U. S. Publishers
our work for the next three months will keep all of us very busy. Commencing with Memorial, through "Battle Siege" Testimony Period, up to and including the "Locust Army” Testimony Period, in June, v.e have a great responsibility.
The Lord has entrusted his consecrated people with Hie work of delivering to the people of good will Ilie only message of real hope and prosperity for the people now. In a world confused ami blinded by international diplomacy, intrigue and hypocrisy, there are millions of people of good will hungering and thirsting after righteousness, feeling after God. if haply they may find him. The only hope for these people is the Kingdom message. The meat in due season provided by the Lord is the only torch to enlighten their pathway. The Watchtower contains this light in its most vital form, and it is our duty to see that it is made available to them.
Consider for a moment some of the articles appearing in the recent issues of The Watchtower:
“Rejoice in His Salvation” ;
“The Reproach of Men” ;
“Power of the Demons” ; “Refuge” ;
and now “Instruction”, based upon the prophecy of Zephaniah, which, according to The Watchtower, every person consecrated to do the will of God, including the remnant and the Jonathan class, should now in the fear of God study with the keenest interest because they are involved in the fulfillment of this prophecy. This prophecy shows to everyone who hopes to receive Jehovah’s approval that he is now in need of the instruction contained in that prophecy. This information is necessary not only to those now consecrated, but to those people of good will who are feeling after the Lord but have not yet found him and who will, by the I,ord's grace, be a part of his consecrated before Armageddon.
With these vital facts before each of the Lord's people no one can close his eyes or side-step the responsibility resting upon him now.
Our Job
World-wide quota!
12,000,000 Refugees booklets, 1,000,000 bound books,
100,000 Watchtower subscriptions, in three months.
Not a difficult proposition if all the consecrated throughout the earth were free to participate in the campaign, but, as Brother Rutherford forcefully called to our attention in his letter of January 20, “in a number of countries of the earth the advertising work seems to be practically done. There are increased opportunities on the American continent.” This means that by far the major portion of the distribution of literature during this campaign must take place on the American continent. Therefore, let each of us. one and all, tighten up our belt and go to work, truly thankful to the Lord that the door of opportunity is still open to us. Let us start oil' with a bang by making well over our portion of one-third of the quota during the "Battle Siege” Testimony Period. World-wide quota for the first month will be 4 million booklets, 333.333 bound books, and 33,333 subscriptions. How much of this shall we do in the United States? We do not think there is any question about making our portion of the quota, but what we want to see is how much additional we are going to make, over and above the quota for this month.
The Offer
High points of the campaign are: 12 million booklets,
1 million bound books,
300,000 subscriptions, in a period of three months,
77m Watchtower, one bound book and a Refugees booklet on $1.00 contribution.
When you speak to persons of another tongue and you do not have Ref-uyecs in stock in foreign languages, use any other self-covered booklet as a substitute for it and present The Watchtower, one book
Fifty Thousand Publishers
Has Your Company Reached a New Peak in Publishers?
We started our present fiscal year witii 45.200 company and pioneer publishers in the United States, with a goal of 50,000 to be attained during the year. Due to the fact that we had experienced an increase of more than 12,000 publishers during the preceding year, we really anticipated reaching our 50,000 by Memorial time; and when the March reports are all tabulated we may find this to have been reached. However, during no month since October have we readied the peak of 45,200, and we have averaged only 43,225 during the five months of this fiscal year.
The severe winter, which has been general throughout the country, with the sickness it brought, has doubtand a booklet on the regular contribution for The Watchtower in that particular language.
Any one of the bound books may be used, particularly Salvation, Enemies, and Riches.
Offer a bound book and booklet on a 25e contribution where a subscription cannot be obtained.
Leave Refugees in every home where it will be read, accepting any contribution they are able to make.
Leave it free if the people are too poor to contribute and the interest warrants it.
The publishers will deduct 25c from the yearly subscription rate for The Watchtower to cover the cost of the book and booklet, and turn in the balance of the contribution with the subscription blank properly filled out.
Where you cannot place a subscription, always mention the route arrangement for delivering The Watchtower on the 1st and the 15th of each month.
Reports
The Marell report is not to be divided, but is to be sent in complete, one report for the entire month. This report should also show the Memorial attendance, separating the number attending from the number partaking of the emblems. Each subsequent month during the campaign will, of course, be complete in itself. Always show clearly how many subscriptions and how many individual magazines were placed.
Report all items of outstanding interest. Make the “Battle Siege" Testimony Period a month of really intense action on behalf of The Theocracy.
less been responsible to a large degree for the drop in publishers. Now, however, with milder weather in evidence and three of the best months of the year ahead of us for the Watchtower Campaign, we should be able to show a substantial increase, and we may confidently expect to reach that 50,000 and more by the time “Locust Army” Period rolls around.
Our attaining that goal of 50,000 publishers boils itself down to this one quota: Every publisher of The Theocracy setting a quota of one publisher—himself or herself; then seeing to it that he or she gets out in the service every month. Additionally, every publisher making back-calls, conducting model or Salvation studies, should have always in mind the point Brother Rutherford stressed in his letter ।
Theocratic Convention
Columbus Again Selected for General Convention
The April 1 Watchtower announced the 1940 Theocratic Convention or Jehovah's witnesses, and we know that great is the joy of all people of good will because now they can prepare and make their arrangements for attending this great convention. The dates, July 24 to 28 inclusive, bring the middle of summer, when the weather is fine, and all the brethren should arrange for their vacations at that time.
The Watchtower pointed out that Columbus will be the central point of activity of the Theocratic Convention for 1940, and that many other cities throughout the country will be tied in by direct wire communications so that in all parts of the country the “other sheep” not able to come to Columbus can go to the one near by and be assembled with all of the Lord’s people on this great occasion.
Jehovah’s witnesses have always felt at home at the Ohio State Fairgrounds at Columbus, Ohio, and have enjoyed its. spacious accommodations. There is ample room for a trailer camp and the parking of cars. It is expected that pioneers from all parts of the country will gradually be working their way toward Columbus. As the pioneers finish their present assignments and would like to work toward Columbus during the next four months, please write the Society for assignments to the larger cities and smaller towns along the way, unless you prefer to make your trip to Columbus in one hop.
NOW is the time to plan so that you can attend the Theocratic Convention oi' Jehovah’s witnesses. Be sure to mention this important event of 1940 on all your back-calls; be sure all the “other sheep” are informed and invited to attend.
of January 20, namely, "informing those who are . . . interested of their privileges and the necessity of service.” They must realize that a knowledge of the truth will not bring them into the “cities of refuge”, the Theocratic Government, unless they have an active share in proclaiming the message of The Theocracy. They must become Kingdom publishers. and it is our duty to make this point clear to them. When this is done, the 50,000 publishers will be assured.
No doubt all companies had a good turn-out for the Memorial, many of good will there being blessed with a clearer vision of The Theocracy and of their responsibility thereto. Encourage these to become active servants of Jehovah and thus meet their obligations and be assured of the joy of the Lord. Your company should reach a new high in publishers in March and April. Remember the “Battle Siege” ; you will want to be in it!
Have on Hand a Good Supply of Watchtower Magazine
The first month of the magazine campaign, February, resulted in 159,836 individual magazines placed by the publishers of The Theocracy in the United States. Most of these were distributed by means of the street corner witnessing. All who have engaged in this magazine work enjoy it and look forward to many interesting experiences in the days to come. The boldness of the brethren in so advertising the Watch-lower and Consolation magazines not only is having a good effect on the people of good will but is aiding the brethren to be more fearless and efficient in their house-to-house field service. The Lord is certainly dividing the people, and this division enables his devoted servants to direct most of their time to the people who love righteousness.
In view of the importance of regularly getting in personal touch with the people of good will and the backwardness on the part of many to take the magazines from the publishers on the street corners, the necessity of establishing magazine routes throughout the entire territory becomes more and more evident. So far the magazine work has lagged behind because the majority of the brethren prefer the more interesting feature, street corner witnessing, and devote their energies to it. While street corner witnessing is very necessary and should be carried on as much as possible, yet the magazine route feature of the campaign should be pushed to the point where all the known interested people of your territory are regularly being served witli either The Watchtower or Consolation or both. Those who have conscientiously tried to establish routes have been doing well. One pioneer reports having a route of 100 names and expects to increase this.
The advertising servant should cheek with each person holding a territory assignment and find out whether the interested ones in the territory have been asked to regularly take the magazines. It is well as a start to leave a sample copy free with each interested party and
then call back with the next issue and ask for the regular contribution, and so on.
Dispose of Back Issues
The company should not keep on its shelves and the publishers should not keep on hand back issues of The Watchtower or Consolation. If you cannot, distribute the current issues on the street corners or magazine routes by the time you receive the next issue, then such magazines should be promptly distributed from door to door in the regular field witnessing. Do not offer back issues to the people on the street corners, for they rightly expect to receive and should receive up-to-date issues. Any publisher finding himself with too many back issues should promptly take the matter up with the company servant or advertising servant, so that they can be placed without delay. Of course, the company should at all times keep a limited supply of The Watchtower for use at the Watchtower studies.
In view of the Watchtower subscription campaign now under way, each company and pioneer should have on hand an extra supply of the Watchtower magazine. During the next three months the publishers will need extra copies of The Watchtower in the field service and in back-calls, so as to obtain tts many subscriptions as possible as well as to build up their routes.
Street Corner Witnessing
All companies have the privilege and are urged to establish street cornel- witnessing with the magazines in the downtown sections of their territory, whether or not the company holds the assignment from us to cover their business districts. In carrying on this feature of our work, the magazine publishers should be moderate in their speech on the street, and not holler so loud as to disturb anyone, but pursue a dignified course. The magazine publishers should not get rough with anybody, so that they will have no occasion to charge the publisher with disorderly conduct. Care should be taken so as not to obstruct traffic.
Have You Considered
Increased Privileges
On March 11 a letter addressed “To All Publishers of the Theocracy” was sent to each company with instructions that it be read at a service meeting and a Watchtower study during the month. That letter may be considered again in connection with this article.
The purpose of that letter is to place the privilege of engaging full-time in the Kingdom service as pioneers before all who are vitally interested in seeing the message of God’s kingdom being given “in all the world as a witness unto all nations” now before the “end come”.
The information concerning Tub Theocracy, with which we have been so abundantly furnished in The Watchtower, comes as an answer to our prayer, “Lord, increase our faith”; because we realize that our salvation comes only from Jehovah God, through His Theocracy. This information is given us not merely that we may have the food so necessary for our spiritual sustenance, but particularly that we might step out on that faith in full-time service and “freely give” to others that which we have ‘freely received’ from the Great Provider of all things good.
The question is, What will we do about it? We might answer as did
the prophet: “Here am I, Lord ; send me.” Those who are unencumbered should be able to so answer this question without hesitation. Others will be seriously considering how to make some arrangements so that their encumbrances will not be the determining factor. Surely the privilege was never greater, nor were the people more in need of the life-giving truths which it is now our obligation to supply them with.
One company after another writes us in this vein: “Due to the importance of stressing individual territory, we find much of our territory neglected. Send us a couple of young zealous pioneers”; or, “We find it difficult to care for all the good-will interest in this territory. Can you send us a couple of pioneers to help out?” One zone servant writes concerning a company just enrolled: “They are all new in the truth, with little knowledge of how the work should be done. They need to have some pioneers work with them and get them started out right.”
Truly ‘the harvest is great and the laborers few’. So carefully and prayerfully consider your individual condition, and if you can arrange your affairs so as to meet the pioneer requirements, we look forward to hearing from you.
Plan Your Witness Work
Companies, Take Notice!
The companies are not to supply pioneers with literature at pioneer costs. This arrangement applies only to zone servants. In fact, as repeatedly stated in the Informant, no transfer of stock is to be made except upon authorization from the Society or the zone servant. In all cases where authorization is given, the transactions are to be reported to the Society on the regular Transfer of Stock blanks.
Suggestion for Washing Magazine Bags
Cut a piece of board or stiff heavy cardboard to the size of your magazine bag so that the bag will be stretched taut when pulled over the board. Wash with brush, using lukewarm water and a mild soap. Kinse off well, removing all soap solution, and hang by straps to dry, leaving the board in the bag. By using this method there will be no trouble with colors running, and there will be a minimum of shrinkage of the bag. When dry, remove the board, and save it till the next time your bag needs washing.
Special Notice to Company Servants and Secretaries
Ever since the last Watchtower campaign companies have been negligent in listing subscriptions on their Subscription Record Sheets (S-JO). Also many .-ire failing to sign the subscription slips with the name of the company. Have in mind the present Watchtower campaign and the use of the Subscription Record Sheets and please sign each subscription slip by placing on it the name of the company (or of the pioneer when they are sending them in). You will save the office much extra work.
Subscriptions Cannot Be Charged
Even though companies or pioneers have a distributors’ magazine account, subscriptions cannot be charged. This account is only for distributors’ copies. Subscriptions cannot be charged to any account except of those pioneers who have a credit balance. Pioneers without a credit balance in their account must remit with the subscriptions. The Society prefers that even the pioneers who have a credit balance en-
Result: Much More Time and Many More Back-Calls
The report of the company publishers for the month of February shows a decided increase in the number of publishers as compared with February 1939, there being an increase of almost 10,000 publishers. However, there has been a decrease in the average number of hours, from 14.4 in 1939 to only 13.6, and the average number of back-calls fell from 3.0 in 1939 to 2.8. The average of 13.6 hours is the lowest since Brother Rutherford set forth as our objective the quota of 60 hours a month.
In January, 1939, Brother Rutherford, in a letter to all publishers, emphasized the importance of putting in much more time in the field service, and a year later, by the Lord’s grace, he was used to point out to us the necessity of making many more back-calls. And for what purpose? That we could all fully realize on our privileges and responsibilities of furthering the interests of the Kingdom, that the name of Jehovah might be glorified and the people of good will benefited by our increased activities.
The company servant and the back-call servant should check on the record of the publishers, with the purpose of aiding those who are putting in little time in the field and are making few, if any, back-calls. Let those who are making back-calls regularly and holding model studies take along with them the publishers who are delinquent in this respect. Show them how to carry on and keep back-calls, and leave an established back-call for them to take care of personally. Let each one be “baek-call-cons'cious”, that is, be always
on the alert, while witnessing anywhere, to seize every chance to call back on interested persons. In fact, the publishers who seem unable to find interested persons should then arrange to call back on every person with whom literature lias been left. Take down the address of each person with whom you left any literature. Casually call back, two or three weeks later, to find out what they think of the publications left with them, and thus, as lias been tried out successfully, succeed in establishing regular back-calls and model studies. Let each one who does not now have back-calls try this method, and you will be pleasurably surprised with the results. Remember, we can all make back-calls and put in time; in fact, more time and more back-calls.
Let each publisher arrange his time and affairs. Definitely set aside certain days and times for field witnessing; back-calls and model studies ; magazine work, routes and street corner witnessing; and time for service and study meetings. In other words, arrange your personal affairs so that you can devote all the time possible now to advancing the Kingdom interests. Do this and the Lord will richly bless your efforts and great will be your joy and strength.
Company Publishers’ Field Report
LAST YEAR
THIS YEAR
Company Av.Av. Company Av.Av.
Pub’rs Hrs B-C
close a remittance with all subscriptions for The Watchtower and Consolation.
Do not order- magazines on the regular order blank. Use the special magazine order blank for this purpose.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
March April
29,550 25,863
28,371 31,679
29,599 31,729
36,247
New
13.1
10.9
12.1
14.9
14.4
15.2
17.2
2.1
2.4
1.9
2.7
3.0
2.9
2.4
Pub’rs 42,436 41,146 42.020 37,475 39,454
Hrs B-C
19.1
15.4
14.5
15.2
13.6
2.3
2.1
2.1
3.7
2.8
Publications
Yearbook—German.
Safety—Tagalog.
Reprints In Stock The Harp of God—English.
