INFORMANT

OCTOBER, 1955           “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed,         BROOKLYN N Y

_    trusting in Jehovah.”—Psalm 112: 7, AS.                                 * * *

Holding Fast the Public Declaration of Our Hope

Awake! to

House to House for More Subscriptions

¹A. Christian witness of Jehovah must regularly assemble with others of like precious faith and express himself among them. This is in obedience to the command given by God. Taking teaching from Jehovah, however, is insufficient in itself, since salvation can be obtained only if one makes a public declaration of his faith. Jehovah’s formula for life, therefore, among other things, requires each servant to keep a proper balance of regularity in service and in attending congregation meetings. —Heb. 10:23, A'If.

² During October we shall continue to make known our hope by presenting Awake! and three booklets on a $1 contribution. Publishers will remit 90c for each new subscription. “This Good Hews of the Kingdom” should be left wherever possible with

It Is Time to Pioneer

• ¹ What has happened to the pioneer ranks in recent years? Year preachers active in service has conserved kindness. Yet, the full-time below.

Year Av. Pubs. Av. Pios. % Pios.

1938      25,596       1,910

1944     67,172      5,046

1952    126,626      7,110

1954     153,969       6,379

1955     163,875       5,809

Note that the number of pioneers (special, regular and vacation) now is not much higher than in 1944! And there are now 96,703 more publishers!

• ² Why are there so few pioneers now? Why are not more pioneering? What can be done about it? How do you, individually, feel about it? Do you see the need of serving full time? Do you appreciate the urgency of the times? Are you in position to serve as a pioneer? Are you free to

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the purpose in mind of calling back to start a home Bible study.

• ³ The Awake! magazine’s circulation is steadily growing. Your good ministerial efforts helped to increase Awake! to its present volume of 1,450,000 copies each issue. Further strides will be in evidence as we all continue making public declaration of our hope by means of Awake! House-to-house work is still the main avenue of obtaining new subscriptions. All should endeavor to arrange affairs in order to spend at least two or more hours going from house to house and then an additional hour or more making back-calls on all five Sundays in October. Deliver good three- to eight-minute sermons, varying your presentation to fit the offer. Enthusiastically present each issue of Awake! Midweek contacts should be arranged and given support by all who are able to do so.

• ⁴ Are you convinced of the merits do so, and yet not doing it? If so, why are you not pioneering? Let these searching questions find their way into your heart and mind. Ponder over them and then answer to none other than Jehovah and yourself. Can you? Will you? Now?

• ³ The Society recognizes the fact that there are many publishers in congregations everywhere who could pioneer but who fail, for one reason or another, to see itheir privilege and responsibility to pioneer. Are you in this group? If you have no Scriptural obligations, what is holding you back? Is it interest in materialism? Old-world pursuits? Being overly concerned about self? Or, do you think that everything must be “just so” before you can begin? Are you willing to put self-interests in a secondary place and work for Kingdom interests first? If so, then you should pioneer!

• ⁴ The Society cannot tell individ-(Continued on page 2, col. 2) of Awake!? Then be ready to show it by obtaining subscriptions in house-to-house service, in store-to-store work, on magazine routes, when making back-calls and when at your home Bible studies too. Encourage your friends, relatives, neighbors and business associates to subscribe. Be a subscriber yourself, if you are not on the list as yet. Each publisher should endeavor to obtain at least one subscription, while pioneers should obtain at least four during the campaign.

• ⁵ Remember, too, Brother Knorr’s suggestion at the Triumphant Kingdom Assembly to participate in magazine service before the congregation book study by presenting the magazines to householders en route to the study location. Are you doing so? If not, start now.

^B As we stand fast in our hope let us continue to upbuild one another, aiding and encouraging our brothers and persons of good will to join with us in dispensing Jehovah’s life-giving message of truth.

!' E YEAR

¹ From September 1 and right on through the entire service year a big question that all of us try to answer by good works throughout the year is: “Will we make the 10 per cent average increase?” Our 10 per cent quota for 1955 was 169,366. Did we make it? No. We fell short, averaging only 163,875. This is a 6.4 per cent increase for the year.

² Where did we fall short? After getting off to a rather slow start September through March, we all rejoiced to be able to say: “We Made It”—187,120 in April. A 21.5 per cent increase! What a grand increase! Then what resulted in the months that followed? In May we dropped to 173,310; in June, to 160,085; in July, to 164,455 and in August, to 164,760. Does not this make us more fully realize the need to assist new and less mature publishers consistently each month to share in and grow to maturity in the ministry? Let us make this all the more our determination this new service year.

(Continued on page 2, col. 1)

Around the World with Jehovah’s Witnesses

Pioneering

Just as Jesus stated it would be in our day, 'the harvest is great but the workers few.’ The urgent need today is for more full-time workers. Pioneering is the arrangement made for Kingdom Sublishers to have a greater share in le harvest work. Are you in position to pioneer? Note the joys and blessings Individuals have reaped by pioneering!

In Okinawa many people are manifesting great interest in the Bible. A sister began pioneering there and has such wonderful blessings in the harvest work that even during the tropical summer her field work is most commendable. (191) And in Madeira the Kingdom message is now being proclaimed due to a pioneer’s starting to work In this new field the beginning of the year. By April he had already found several prospective sheep. Twenty-one attended the Memorial celebration and now there are four publishers. (240)

Pioneers are privileged to have many happy experiences and to be a source of blessing and joy to publishers in need of assistance and training. (New Zealand, 216)

Wise is the young minister of school age who does vacation pioneering and looks forward to entering the regular pioneer service upon completion of school. The proper viewpoint and goal to have in mind are nicely expressed by a young minister in the Sudan. (140)

Pioneering is so wonderful that once a publisher has had a taste of it his heartfelt desire is to continue the pioneer work. Little wonder, then, that many who start out as vacation pioneers expand their ministry by becoming regular pioneers and thus enjoy a greater share in the harvest work. (Ethiopia, 144; Panama, 232) Are you doing your utmost as a worker in the harvest? Why not pioneer?

1955 Service Year (Cont’d)

180,263 Publishers by December

³ On adding 10 per cent to the 1955 average number of publishers we find 180,263 to be the quota to reach by the end of December and 196,650 as the 20 per cent peak for April. These Increases can be attained if all of us regularly participate in the ministry and are diligent in assisting newly interested and less mature ones.

⁴ Jehovah gives the assurance that he will bless our work with rich increase if we conscientiously do our part in the planting, watering and cultivating. As all of us devotedly do our part this service year to advance Kingdom interests we shall look forward to seeing 180,263 in the field by the end of December and 196,650 by the end of April. Reaching these quotas and consistently aiding new publishers will result in at least a 10 per cent average increase for the 1956 service year.

Coming Literature Offer

November and December: Any volume of the Neio World Translation and one book on a contribution of $2.

With the Awake! Magazine

• ¹ Awake! needs no introduction to Kingdom publishers! One and all are well acquainted with its many merits. All appreciate it as an outstanding magazine because its news sources are alive to today’s vital issues ; it publishes facts, not just time-consuming Action; It is unhampered and not prejudiced against truth; it provides coverage of pertinent things as broad as the earth and as high as heaven that “all kinds of men” are interested in knowing about. And of all importance: it comforts mourners and strengthens those disheartened by the failures of a delinquent world with the sure hope of the righteous New World message.

• ² To acquaint many with Awake! effectively during October you might use the following appropriate and Atting three- to eight-minute sermon to good effect:

• ³ “I am a student of the Bible seeking to promote better understanding of world conditions. Perhaps you have wondered why there seems to be so much trouble and no hope for the future. At Matthew 24:3 the disciples asked Jesus: ‘What will be the sign of your presence and of the consummation of the system of things?’ Answering, Jesus told of ‘nation rising against nation’ and of ‘food shortages and earthquakes.’ At Luke 21 he also foretold that during the ‘last days’ there would be (verses 25, 26) ‘anguish of nations, not knowing the way out . . . while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming.’ Today

What Is Your Answer ? (Cant’d) uals what they are to do, but it certainly must point out that the opportune time to act is now! Now is the time to take advantage of this blessed privilege of service and to grow in Jehovah’s undeserved kindness. (2 Cor. 6:1; 1 Tim. 4:15, 16, NW) Why wait? Or, why put it off until later? That time may never come! Do not be lulled to sleep and inactivity or slow down and stop growing in Jehovah’s service. Consider those who took the step in the past and kept moving forward In Jehovah’s service and who are now doing so. Their portion constituted added privileges, blessings, greater opportunities of service and expanded ministry, plus long years of joyous and fruitful assistance to others in gaining Jehovah’s approval.

we see the troubles and this fear manifested by people and their leaders. Everyone is affected by the world conditions.

• ⁴ “But do Christians have to have this same fear? No, for Jesus explained (verse 28) ‘as these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.’ This means we are living at the time of complete change in the system of things, the time for the end of the Devil’s rule over mankind. As Revelation 12:12 points out, the Devil has ‘great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.’ He knows it is a short time till Armageddon, when Christ will smite the nations with a rod of iron and also put Satan out of the way. So, at Armageddon mankind’s woes will end and Christ’s thousand-year rule will begin. Things will be different then, no world troubles, no sickness, not even death will afflict mankind. Knowing this now gives us hope and peace of mind and does away with needless fear.

⁶ “To acquaint sincere persons with the real meaning and far-reaching effects of today’s events, Awake! magazine truthfully reports world news and gives Scriptural comment thereon. For example, notice the articles in this issue . . .”

⁶ During October many more thousands of good-will persons should be reached with this instrument Jehovah has put into our hands. Use it well! Do not overlook your individual part in this world-wide campaign or minimize the importance of each publisher’s doing his full share.

⁵ Do you want to show your faith in Jehovah’s promises to his preachers and fully trust him? Do you want to keep on growing in his undeserved kindness ? You can by increasing your share in the preaching work as a pioneer. It is true you will have to make wise use of your physical strength, budget your time and stick with a schedule to avoid beating the air. And it will also mean diligent work making wise use of this world’s goods, living within one’s means and being satisded with less. But is not the privilege to pioneer worth all of this? This may present a challenge, but do you want to prove to God and men that it can be done? (Prov. 27:11) If you do, answer by stepping into the pioneer service and continuing in it.

Diligent Service Brings Results

SCENE I (3 min.) Chairman sets scene for demonstrations by showing need for all to have optimistic view of subscription campaign. All can obtain subscriptions. Thorough preparation of sermons and following Society’s suggestions for taking advantage of all available time will bring results, blessings from Jehovah.

SCENE II (5 min.) Two publishers, “Mature” and “No Sub,” are discussing their parts in the “Awake!” campaign. “No Sub” dejectedly asks, “Have you gotten any subscriptions this year?” “Mature” happily replies, “Yes, I’ve gotten three so far.” Then when “No Sub” says, “I don’t see how you do it. I just can’t seem to get a subscription,” “Mature” offers helpful suggestions. Tactfully he mentions the need of a variety of effective three- to eightminute sermons: “People will really want the magazine if our sermons are appealing, informative and right to the point.” Also, being familiar with the contents of the magazine and enthusiastic about it ourself is vital. But of great importance is the need of spending much time in the service offering the subscription at the doors and on back-calls “the more times we present the offer, the more opportunities we have of placing subscriptions.” “Mature” shows It is essential to spend at least two hours In house-to-house work Sunday morning to get maximum results, and then an hour or more making back-calls. Invites “No Sub” to work with him if he would like to see suggestions in action. “No Sub” is glad to go along.

SCENE III (12 min.) At first door “Mature” delivers good, instructive sermon and makes presentation. The lady is interested but has no money, but will take subscription later. The interest is recorded carefully on house-to-house record; a call will be made in two weeks. . . . After an hour passes and little other favorable response to message is found, “No Sub” says. “I think I’ll go home. No one seems to be interested.” “Mature” responds that it has been suggested that two hours be spent In the house-to-house work on Sunday, so he will continue working. There will be many more opportunities for “No Sub” to find interested persons and place subscriptions if he remains for another hour. “No Sub” sees point and stays. At next door “No Sub” tries sermon that “Mature” has assisted him to prepare and obtains subscription. Very happy over success “No Sub” appreciates need of proper preparation and spending longer time in service. Later, as two hours come to end, “No Sub” says, “Two hours are up. It’s time to go home.” Quickly “Mature” reminds him of Society’s suggestion to make back-calls for hour or so after house-to-house work. He has back-calls in the vicinity and would be glad to share them. There is definite need to follow through on interest aroused in house-to-house work. “No Sub” recognizes necessity of calling back and accepts invitation to make

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SCENE IV (3 min.) (Pantomime) Call together on back-call; “Mature,” using back-call sermon, places subscription. “No Sub” is overjoyed with day’s work and glad they are spending extra time in back-calls rather than going home.

SCENE V (2 min.) Chairman sums up, pointing out that good results come from thorough preparation and diligent service and by using all available time in field service.

CONGREGATION PREPARES SERMONS

Below is found an outline for a three-to eight-minute sermon and a ten- to fifteen-minute sermon. These sermons may be cut out and carried in the Bible or otherwise by publishers, for ready reference in the ministry. To become familiar with the outlines and how they can easily be used, each congregation will arrange an audience participation part to develop points the publishers can use in giving the sermons. A capable brother, perhaps the school servant, can be assigned to serve as the chairman. Publishers should study over the outlines before coming to the meeting and join in the discussion, developing points that may be used. Publishers might profitably have with them a pencil and paper to jot down particular points they wish to remember for later use. The purpose of the outlines is to provide a handy reference that can be carried and used in the field. By discussing the outlines and developing points that may be used through an audience participation part, all publishers should become familiar with the advantages of using such outlines and will be assisted to have a variety of sermons. From time to time additional three- to eight-minute sermons and ten- to fifteen-minute sermons will appear in issues of the “Informant.” When they do congregation servants will see that they are discussed and developed at a service meeting in accord with the above information.

Three- to Eight-Minute Sermon Theme: Destiny of the Earth

• 1. Fear of H-Bomb great; opinion expressed earth or population on it will be destroyed

• 2. Such fear not justified (Eccl. 1: 4) 3. God created It not to be wasted, but to be inhabited (Isa. 45: 18)

• 4. God will destroy would-be destroyers of earth (Rev. 11: 18, last part)

• 5. Blessings to follow (Rev. 21: 3, 4) This knowledge available by taking literature with Bible.

Ten- to Fifteen-Minute Sermon

Theme: Seek First the Kingdom

• 1. God’s kingdom Jesus taught us to pray for will bring peace on earth (Matt. 6: 10)

• 2. Heavy importance laid on it (Matt. 6: 33)

• 3. Why? It alone will stand (Dan. 2* 44)

• 4. This government brings peace on earth (Isa. 9: 6, 7; Ps. 46: 9)

• 5. Health, life and unending happiness restored (Rev. 21: 3, 4)

• 6. Must learn of God and King-Son to live then (John 17: 3)

Awake! and Watchtower Available in More Languages

Subscriptions may now be obtained at the rate of $1 a year for the following magazines:

The Watchtower in Chinese: Printed once a month beginning January 1, 1956, it will be 16 pages, all black. Individual copies will be 10c to the public, while the price of distributor copies to publishers will be 7c. Subscriptions can be taken by any branch beginning October 1, and forwarded to Hong Kong, where the magazine will be printed.

Awake! in Japanese: It will be a monthly magazine beginning January 8,1956. The price is the same as for the above magazine.

The Effect of a Single Awake!

How deep an impression can be made upon a person of good will by a single copy of the Awake! magazine? The following letter received at the Society’s office well replies. “Dear Sirs:

“Enclosed please find a one dollar bill for one year’s subscription to your magazine. I purchased a copy from one of your vendors recently and after reading it I realized what I had been missing. There is a ring of sincerity and inspiration that extends even to your most factual articles. Also, I can find news items that cannot be found in any other publication.

“I also enclose a second one dollar bill as a donation to your cause, because I agree with many of your ideals.”

Thousands upon thousands of individual copies of Awake! will be placed this month with householders who do not take the initial subscription offer. Make notation of such placements and then after completing house-to-house service the following week, make return calls on those who took individual copies previously. Undoubtedly they will open the avenue for many Awake! subscriptions, for many householders after reading Awake! will draw the same conclusions as the person who wrote this letter.

“Make Sure of All Things!’ 2d Week:

Friendship with the World (page 126 to John 14: 17 on page 130) Discourse establishing that Satan is controller of this world and thus world is in opposition to God’s servants and his principles. Christians must avoid propaganda and friendship of world, which will be destroyed. Must maintain integrity while in this world.

4th Week:

Friendship with the World (Gal. 6: 10 on page 130 to page 134) Demonstration: Young brother being tried in court. Judge asks questions bearing on his attitude toward society, rulers and law courts. How he can share in certain features of this world’s arrangements but yet be no part of world; how conscience enters the picture; why he feels justified in remaining neutral in world’s affairs, but loyal to commission to preach truth.

UNITED STATES QUOTA FOR 1955 169,366 Publishers

Monthly Field Service Report

August Report

Av   Av

Pubs. Hrs. B-C Bi. St.

Sp'l Pios. 315  132.9  49.1

Pioneers 4,961   88.8 28.0

Vac. Pios. 1,032   94.3  16.9

Cong. Pubs. 158,452    9.8   2.9

Total Pubs. 164,760 Public Meetings Held: 9,511

Use the New World Translation on Bible Studies

• ¹ To Jehovah’s people time as well as life is precious. As time lost can never be regained, we must continue to keep strict watch as to how we walk and the way we use our time. The days of this world are numbered ! Every hour is valuable and should be expended wisely in rendering praise to God. Now is the opportune time to prepare ourselves and others for survival from this old world!—Eph. 5 :15, 16, NW.

• ² During November the offer will be any volume of the New World Translation and a book on a contribution of $2. Additionally, offer New World Translation volumes to persons with whom studies are held. Help them to see the great value of the New World Translation and the advantages of using it.

• ³ Can this be the best campaign month ever in placing the combination of a Bible and a book? Consider what we did before. September, 1953, saw 196,517 volumes of Bibles and books placed in the hands of goodwill persons. In December, just two months later, more persons were attracted to the value of this fine combination and an additional 197,368 volumes were placed. But, then, in November, 1954, the number dropped to 170,812 Bibles and books. Why was this? Doubtless, more house-to-house activity w’as needed. Let us spend more time in the house-to-house ministry and make November a peak month for Bible-book distribution.

• ⁴ Each passing day brings Armageddon closer. Walk wisely. Make your time count! Proclaim Jehovah’s name and Word! Buy out all opportunities to use the reduced time left to Jehovah’s praise.

Taking Advantage of Newspaper Publicity

With Jehovah’s New World society growing larger and larger, it becomes increasingly more prominent in the minds of the people. They are interested in Jehovah’s witnesses and their activities. Oftentimes persons of good will desire to locate the Kingdom Hall and attend meetings. Since they usually turn to the Church page of a newspaper to locate this information it would be well for each congregation to list the meetings, the times and address, with the local newspaper, where such service is provided free. It is not recommended that the congregation pay for these notices, as counseled in paragraph 81 of Preaching Together in Unity.

At times the congregation may sponsor a public meeting, such as the talk “Christendom or Christianity —Which One Is ‘the Light of the World’?’’ which was given last April. If the congregation wishes to pay for a notice in the newspaper to advertise such a special talk, this could be done in harmony with paragraph 109 of Preaching Together in Unity. Circuit and district assembly talks could, likewise be advertised in this manner if this seems appropriate. This might also include a Kingdom Hall dedication talk or other talk by an outstanding speaker. In any event, however, paid advertising of this nature must not be of any great expense to the congregation, and will not be resorted to unless the congregation has excess funds on hand after other expenses have been paid, and usually has excess funds on hand. The congregation committee will decide whether or not to spend funds for paid advertising in harmony with the above, and advise the magazineterritory servant how much money can be spent on any project that has been approved.

Are You Attending Meetings Regularly?

• ¹ The great importance of regular meeting attendance for everyone cannot be overemphasized. The Bible makes it clear that life in Jehovah’s new world is dependent upon knowledge of Jehovah and Christ Jesus and Jehovah’s kingdom. (John 17: 3; 8: 31,32, W) Yet for some unknown reason the attendance at the various congregation meetings does not reflect any improvement during the 1955 service year. The average attendance at the meetings is increasing, due mainly to the great Influx of new publishers, but the percentage of total publishers attending remains substantially the same.

• ² Some might conclude that this is not too serious, but when we convert the percentage of nonattenders into actual publishers not attending, we find the following (based on April’s peaks of publishers): 29 per cent nonattendance at the Watchtower study in 1954 represented approximately 49,000, while the same percentage of those not attending in 1955 would be approximately 54,300. Further, the 38 per cent nonattendance at the service meeting in 1954 would be approximately 64,200, while the same percentage in 1955 results in approximately 71,100 not attending. The ministry school nonattendance (39 per cent) increased from 65,900 to 73,000. The congregation book study nonattendance increased from 59,200 (35 per cent) to 63,600 (34 per cent). These figures would be even higher if based on the total publishers associated.

• ³ This indicates that among the new publishers, as well as many who have been longer in the way, there are a great many who are placing their hope for life in Jehovah’s new world in jeopardy by not attending the meetings regularly. These figures mean that in an average congregation of about 60 publishers there are between 29 per cent and 39 per cent, or from 17 to 23 publishers, who do not attend and support the meetings regularly. This is a serious condition and one that neither the Society nor the congregation servants can ignore. How to remedy it is the question. Not only are these publishers endangering their own everlasting life, but they are setting a bad example for the new good-will persons who are continually manifesting themselves and associating with the organization.

• ⁴ When this Informant material is considered at the service meeting, the great majority of those not attending meetings will not be there. If an announcement regarding the matter is made at the Watchtower study or congregation book studies, they are not there. We just do not reach them. Therefore, some steps must be taken to bridge this gap. The following is suggested.

• ⁵ Each congregation servant, with other mature servants, should seriously consider the matter. Very carefully ascertain who do not attend the meetings regularly and then make some local arrangements for these facts to be called to the attention of these brothers. Each congregation will have to work out the best arrangement for handling the matter locally and after that, if these negligent ones do not attend, at least their responsibility will have been called to their attention. The Society and the congregations will have tried to assist them and, of course, will continue to do so.

* Add to Your Regular House-to-House Preaching Back-Call and Bible Study Service »

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