wrm/sfmsff0&

“From day to day tell the good news of salvation by him.” —Psalm 96: 2, NW.

GIVING JEHOVAH EXCLUSIVE DEVOTION

During 19th Annual “

• ¹ No one who has accepted God’s Word can help being thankful for it. No one who appreciates his promises can fail to be indebted to him. No one who receives Jehovah’s rich blessings should fail In rendering him exclusive devotion.

• ² Where do you stand? Is your view like Isaiah’s? He said: “Here am I; send me.” Are you like Jesus? He said: “Look! I am come ... to do your will, O God.” Are you like Peter and Andrew? When Jesus said to them : “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men,” at once they abandoned their nets and followed him.—Isa. 6:8; Heb. 10:7; Matt. 4:19, 20.

• ³ Have you abandoned your nets? Hundreds of thousands have. They see the work that is to be done, and they do it. The hunting and fishing for men is their first concern. Is it yours? Do you really search out of “every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks” those who will hear the message of life? Where are they? Some are right in your territory!—Jer. 16:16.

• ⁴ Are they being found? Certainly! Earth-wide, that is true. The Watcii-tower circulation now stands at 2,550,000 in forty-six languages, an increase of more than half a million in the last twelve months! How much of that increase was in your territory? How many new readers did you find?

• ⁵ Beginning January 1 hundreds of thousands of your brothers who likewise have said, “Look! I am come ... to do your will, O God,” will be joining with you in the greatest Watchtower campaign yet. All congregations should arrange special subscription-offer witnessing for New Year’s Day. Get acquainted now with the new sermon about God’s name; use it in this ministry.

• ⁶ The offer? A one-year Watchtower Subscription and What Do the Scriptures Say About “Survival Aft

  Watchtower” Campaign

  
  

er Death"? for $1; or both The Watchtower and Awake!, the special booklet and three other booklets, $2. Where the subscription offer is not taken, leave the booklet on survival after death and a copy of The Watchtower for 15c. Ninety cents will be remitted for new Watchtower and Aicake! subscriptions.

• ⁷ Subscription quotas for the fourmonth campaign: Special pioneers 30, regular and vacation pioneers 20,

  Carry Your Own Load of Responsibility

  
  

¹ Kingdom ministers, like Paul, desire to “preach the word of God thoroughly.” To do this we need to carry our own load of responsibility. God’s Word tells us: “Each one will carry his own load of responsibility.” So to thoroughly accomplish our Kingdom ministry we must be willing to bear two key responsibilities: (1) Prepare yourself for effective witnessing before going out in the field ministry. (2) Be willing to work alone.—Gal. 6: 5, NW.

• ² First, we need adequate preparation. Those who lack preparation are

I OFFER FOR JANUARY | > “Watchtower” subscription for one ( |year and the booklet “What Do the? | Scriptures Say About ‘Survival After 1 i           Death’?” for $1.           «

|      THEME FOR JANUARY

J   Give Jehovah Exclusive Devotion.

|       —Exodus 20:5, NW.

usually ineffective, unsure of them

selves and not as joyfully happy in Kingdom service as they could be. So know what literature is required. Make certain you have a sufficient supply. Know when and where to meet for Kingdom service.

• ³ Most important is the responsibility to know our doorstep sermons. congregation publishers 2. Meet the quota by spending at least two hours each Sunday in door-to-door work, then one or more hours in back-call and Bible study activity, as Jehovah’s visible organization has suggested.

⁸ Take the lead in this zealous campaign. Aid new ones who started in December to continue. Set them a good example as fishers of men. Encourage them to abandon their “nets” and to give Jehovah exclusive devotion through following Christ.

Kingdom ministers should have several of them. Before going from house to house, a few minutes should be spent in reviewing the ones to be used. Even if you have already used a particular sermon, refresh your knowledge of it. Practice it. For fluency and confidence public speakers review their hour lectures, though they may have delivered them before. So should the Kingdom minister with his doorstep sermons.

⁴ Are you carrying your responsibility to prepare beforehand? If not, what is the reason? Examine yourself: “Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching.” Is there laziness or negligence? Is there complacency because of being conversant in the truth, with a resultant attempt to try to speak whatever comes to one’s mind at the door? Such random witnessing is not conducive to efficiency. A more effective, thorough witness can be given by using a sermon with a well-developed theme.—1 Tim. 4:16.

⁵ The second key responsibility: Be willing to work alone. Some publishers are often found working in pairs though they are well-grounded in the truth. Why? It may be a misunderstanding; they may feel that (Continued on page 4, col. I)

FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY

Theme: Give Jehovah Exclusive Devotion.

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min; Talk on “Give Jehovah Exclusive Devotion.” (See “Watchtower,” 1/1/57, p. 30, and 1/1/56, p. 8.)

23 min; Develop and demonstrate a model sermon for the “Watchtower” campaign. A competent brother, possibly the school servant, should be selected as chairman.

CHAIRMAN (3 min.) Kingdom ministers need to “be ready for every good work.” (Titus 3: 1) Are we ready for “Watchtower” campaign? Now is the time to prepare an effective sermon. “Watchtower” a vital instrument to aid persons of good will to give Jehovah exclusive devotion. An apt theme, then, is “Jehovah.”

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (13 min.) Chairman will have the following outline of the sermon based on God’s name placed before audience, using a blackboard or some other means.

People pray,“Hallowed be thy name,” but Just what is God's name?

God indefinite term; our Lord has personal name—Father has too

—1 Cor. 8: 5, 6

Jehovah is God’s name —Ps. 83: 18 or Ex. 6: 2, 3 We pray for his kingdom and blessings                —Rev. 21: 3, 4

Must know and do Jehovah’s will to live under Kingdom—Matt. 7: 20, 21

Chairman will call on the audience to develop points of the outline. He will draw out good points on all features of the sermon and be prepared to contribute ideas himself. Special attention should be given to the transition from sermon to offer. For example, one might say: “This magazine, ‘The Watchtower,’ is exclusively devoted to announcing Jehovah’s kingdom, to learning about Jehovah’s kingdom and what we are to do to serve him in an acceptable way. Note here on page — it informs us . .

The chairman’s objective should be to draw forth from the audience a wealth of ideas on ways this sermon might be developed. Kingdom ministers may then select the ideas that appeal to them the most.

DEMONSTRATION (5 min.) The chairman will have a publisher, selected beforehand, demonstrate one effective way of presenting the “Jehovah” sermon. The model sermon should be well prepared. Should the householder not take subscription, minister may demonstrate dropping down to the “Survival” booklet and a sample copy of “The Watchtower” for 15 cents or a “Watchtower” and “Awake!” for 10 cents.

CHAIRMAN (2 min.) Chairman stresses importance of not dropping down to booklet and single-copy magazine offer until reasonable efforts have been put forth to obtain subscription. Our diligence in preparing sermon will show our desire to give Jehovah exclusive devotion and to help others do the same, thereby avoiding the penalty of everlasting destruction for not knowing Jehovah.—2 Thess. 1: 7, 8.

12 min: Discourse on article entitled “Giving Jehovah Exclusive Devotion.” 10 min: Arrange locally. (Read pioneer letter sent with this “Kingdom Ministry.”)

SECOND MEETING IN JANUARY

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Cover by questions and answers Judgment Days in “Make Sure of All' Things,” from Family or Community Condemnation, p. 223, to Psalm 72: 4, 7, 8, on p. 224.

7 min: Talk on “1958 International Convention.”

18 min; By a demonstration cover “Presenting the Good News: To the Indifferent or Self-satisfied.”

10 min: Talk based on the pioneer letter read last week.

10 min: Arrange locally.

THIRD MEETING IN JANUARY

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

8 min: Talk from “Yearbook” material on “The Watchtower.” That it is a vital preaching instrument our new “Yearbook” clearly shows. In Denmark two instances show where subscriptions led to studies, dedication and baptism. (129) The first copy a Finnish subscriber received prepared him for a home study and theocratic progress. (143) Also in Finland a 74-jfear-old pioneer obtained 35 subscriptions by telephone. (144) Where you cannot get subscriptions leave single copies and call back. A single copy led to a Thailand Buddhist woman’s having two studies a week, each two hours long, and now she publishes. (276)

12 min: Question-and-answer coverage of “Congregation Organization: The Training Program.”

25 min: A demonstration to follow through on what was learned the previous week regarding developing and using the “Jehovah” sermon.

CHAIRMAN (2 min.) Those in training program, the more mature ones, are to “support the weak,” the newer ones. (1 Thess. 5: 14) Mature ones do this by helping new ones develop and use a sermon.

SCENE I (4 min.) The congregation servant is discussing the progress of the less mature with a more mature publisher. Congregation servant inquires about results mature publisher is having with sermon. Brother “More Mature” responds, telling how much he enjoys giving sermon and the grand results he is having. Question comes up as to whether mature publisher has aided his training program companion to use sermon. Mature one has not aided him to develop and use sermon. He is counseled to do so.

SCENE II (10 min.) Brother “More Mature” and “Less Mature” are going over the sermon together. Brother “More Mature” refreshes the mind of “Less Mature” regarding the points developed at the congregation discussion of the sermon, including ideas on the opening and close at the door. In conclusion they arrange to meet for Kingdom service Sunday morning. Brother “Less Mature” promises to come prepared to use the sermon.

SCENE III (7 min.) The two are Working together in field service. Brother “More Mature” has taken a few doors and now it is “Less Mature’s” turn. He goes to a door and successfully gives the “Jehovah” sermon. In conclusion Brother “More Mature” offers appropriate counsel and gives encouragement. Thereafter each publisher continues in door-to-door ministry, but instead of working together they decide to work separately so as to accomplish more in Kingdom ministry.

CHAIRMAN (2 min.) Mature publishers should be willing and anxious to carry out responsibility to “support the weak.” Less mature publishers should be willing and anxious to learn and improve their Kingdom ministry and thus help make “Watchtower” campaign best yet.

10 min: Arrange locally. (Suggestion: Consider the slogan on the bottom of page 1.)

FOURTH MEETING IN JANUARY

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

12 min: Demonstration back-call based on material in “Make Sure of All Things,” under Judgment Days. Take from subheading 1,000-Year Day of Test Comes After Armageddon, p. 224, to end.

6 min: Talk on “Prepare for Public Meetings.”

12 min: A group of publishers are at a home for a social evening and they start discussing some “Yearbook” material on giving Jehovah exclusive devotion. Page 98 shows how completely a man in British Honduras freed himself from the snare of materialism. We can also give exclusive devotion by serving where the need is great, as some in Australia have done by moving to Pacific Islands where no witnesses are to be found. (79) That giving exclusive devotion also means being cautious as serpents is highlighted in the Berlin report, where 1,300 are still in prison. (90, 91) Giving Jehovah exclusive devotion in spite of strong opposition caused Greece to have a seven percent increase this year (157), and caused a reported quadrupling of ministers in Poland in the six years of the ban. (242) For other striking reports the publisher group can bring out see comments on Mexico (209) and Libya (181).

15 min: Talk on “Carry Your Own Load of Responsibility.”

10 min: Arrange locally. (Suggestion: Consider the slogan at the bottom of page 4.)

CONGREGATION

The Training Program

• ¹ This is another Kingdom ministry goal. Training brothers to become efficient in the ministry is an obligation laid upon all Christians. Christ Jesus set the example and we are instructed “to follow his steps closely.” Giving of ourselves in this way brings happiness. Paul said: “You must assist those who. are weak and must bear in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, when he himself said, ‘There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.’ ”—1 Pet. 2: 21; Acts 20: 35.

• ² The training program is designed to assist weaker^- publishers to become regular and more effective in all activities of the ministry. Therefore, let those assigned to work with weaker ones consider their assignments seriously as to Jehovah. Begin working together in a systematic way. Start with a schedule. Adjust your personal affairs so that you have definite times to work together, not only every Sunday, but also during the week in back-call, Bible study and magazine work.

• ³ Together prepare your three- to eight-minute sermons. Make your talks down-to-earth. Let your companion hear you give it at the door. Try to make your presentation simple, direct, tactful; easy enough for your companion to copy. Avoid long, drawn-out, polished sermons. They tend to discourage, leaving him to feel that he can never match your eloquence or presentation.—1 Cor. 2:1-5.

• ⁴ Work with your companion about half an hour, giving him counsel and

“The Ten Commandments”

Congregation servants should immediately arrange to submit to all the newspapers in their territory copies of the November 8,1956, issue of Awake! and the January 15,1957, issue of The Watchtower. The articles written as reviews of the Hollywood production “The Ten Commandments” should be specially marked. These magazines should be delivered in person wherever possible and an effort should be made to identify the one on the newspaper’s staff who writes movie reviews. If unable to contact this one in person, then a covering letter should accompany the magazines. The congregation servant should identify himself and his position as presiding minister of the local congregation. Grant permission to quote from the articles as long as credit is given to the magazine. Any response in the press should be forwarded to the public relations desk.

ORGANIZATION

advice. Then let him work alone applying the instruction, while you take the other side of the street. About an hour later return. See how he is progressing by going along with him to a few more doors. Commend him on good points. Show him where he can improve, but never counsel him in the sight or hearing of the person witnessed to. Wait till you are alone. Do this in a kind, casual mannei^- when going to the next door. Always think and talk encouragingly. Badiate enthusiasm and joy in the work. “Do not loiter at your business. Be aglow with the spirit.” Your companion will pick up your happy spirit and reflect it. Enliven in him a desire to be a right kind of minister.—Rom. 12:11.

• ⁵ Work with him this way week after week, for a whole year if necessary. When he has developed into an excellent publisher, then possibly he can be used to help others in the training program. Remember, however, the training program does not replace the need for aiding all irregular publishers. It is something added to aid publishers assigned to become mature ministers.

• ⁶ When assigning brothers use discretion. Brothers whose personalities might tend to clash should not be made to work together. It is not only discouraging but oftentimes causes them to shun contact points and ignore field service altogether. Congregation servants should keep close watch and make adjustments when necessary. The circuit servant will also make adjustments, when necessary, on his visit.

1957 District Assemblies

As soon as contract arrangements for the 1957 district assemblies are made, they will be announced. So plans can be made for this year’s “feast of fat things.”

Publications Now Available

1957 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses             —English

1957 Calendar

What Has Religion Done for Mankind?             —Portuguese

NOVEMBER SERVICE REPORT

Av. Av. Av. Av. Pubs. Hrs. B-C BL St Mags. Sp’l Pios.     304 147.7 56.7  7.7

Pioneers   5,298  94.9 33.5  5.2

Vac. Pios. 1,005  90.6 27.6  3.8

Pubs. 170,418   10,4  3.3   .5

TOTAL 177,025

Public Meetings Held: 12,436 UNITED STATES QUOTA FOR 1957 186,819 Publishers

1958 International Convention

All God-loving Christians are thrilled by the Watchtower announcement of an international convention to be held in New York in 1958. Now is the time for initial planning of personal affairs such as vacations, finances, etc.

Rooming accommodations are another earlier concern. However, the rooming or convention office will not be in operation until March or April of 1958. Your congregation will receive room request forms in ample time prior to the assembly. Then will be the proper time to fill in the type of accommodations needed for your requirements. This includes hotels. The Society is beginning now to make arrangements with the hotels to hold their rooms for our convention. It will be to everyone's advantage to write to the convention as mentioned rather than directly to the hotels. You can in this way cooperate with the Society and your brothers that will be attending.

New Circuit and District Servant Talks

All Kingdom publishers look forward to the public talks given by the circuit and district servants. Starting March 2, the new talk to be given by the circuit servant will be: “Are We Masters of Our Own Future?” Beginning in March, the district servant’s subject will be: “Removing the Barriers Dividing Mankind.”

Busy but Appreciative

Often while engaged in the ministry we hear people say they are busy. Sometimes this is used as an excuse to turn away the Kingdom publisher, while at other times people are truly busy. This means a minister must be discerning. When people are really busy, make a notation on your house-to-house record and call again. Just because a person says he is busy does not necessarily mean he is not interested, as the following letter received by the Society well shows.

“Dear Friends:

This morning two very nice young men came to my door. I was busy with an important call and so dismissed them as hurriedly as possible. I am sorry to have seemed rude, as I have great respect for the work you are doing and I realize that it is not easy to go from door to door as you do. I am sure you do much good and thank you for your patience.”

To the Indifferent or Self-satisfied

• ¹ As the book Qualified to Be ministers shows (pages 204-206), the people we contact at the doors often meet us with evasive objections. They may say, “I’m satisfied I” “I’m not interested!” “I don’t want anything at all!”

• ² How can we help such a one? First of all, we should proceed with the idea that he is at heart better than he sounds and so we should appeal to him by our earnestness, sincerity, friendliness and cheerfulness.

• ³ As to what to say: There are various approaches we could use. We could dismiss his objection with a “But,” or, “However,” and then make some striking statement, such as: “What if you had the opportunity to live forever?” Or, “Wouldn’t you like to live in a world without any war, sickness or crime? I’m sure you would!”

• ⁴ Or we might agree with him at first, saying: “I also am satisfied with the many good things I enjoy such as health, security and some modern conveniences. However, I’m

Carry Your Own Load        (Cont’d)

the Society prefers publishers to work in pairs. But the Society’s counsel in Preaching Together in Unity, paragraph 21, says: “When we are able to present the message without difficulty, then, at every opportunity, we should go alone from house to house.”

• ⁶ If we stop to think, it is obvious we can preach the Word of God more thoroughly when we work alone. Why, we cover twice as much territory by working alone! True, some will be working in pairs. Some territories, at certain times, may be dangerous to work alone. Or two may work together for a period in carrying out the training program. Even then the one being trained should be put on his own as soon as he shows sufficient maturity. Strength to carry this load of responsibility comes from Jehovah. You will be able to say with Paul: “For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me.”

• ⁷ Onward, then, in the Kingdom ministry. “Preach the word of God thoroughly.” Carrying youi- own load of responsibility will result in a thorough witness, better territory coverage and greater maturity. sure that you are no more satisfied than I am with the juvenile delinquency that keeps getting ever worse; nor with so many having to suffer unjustly, as in Hungary, are you? Of course, we cannot do anything about it individually, but it is a real comfort to know that God can and will, and that in the very near future. Speaking of our very time, note what the Bible says at Daniel 2:44 .. .”

⁵ Or, “It’s a real pleasure to meet someone that’s not grumbling, frustrated and dissatisfied. It’s foolish, isn’t it, just to be looking on the dark side of life when there are so many good things? However, did you ever pause to consider that there are many people for whom there seems to be no bright side, for instance, those behind the Iron Curtain, such as the Hungarians, or those in hospitals or in mental institutions? They would certainly like to see a better day. Will it ever come for them? What do you think? Did you know that the Bible shows that. ..”

¹³ In such ways as the foregoing we can meet this common objection.

} OFFER FOR FEBRUARY

{“Watchtower” subscription for one

iyear and the booklet “What Do the i After ?

WSW FOR FEBRUARY Gaining God's Reward by Active Training.

—1 Timothy 4:7, 8, NW.

Like Paul, Be Competent Ministers

• ¹ The Greek philosophers had called Paul a chatterer, but had no answer for what he said. So they bring him to the Areopagus, to Mars’ Hill, where representatives of the intelligentsia now listen to him. What a speech he gives! He wields the “word of truth” efficiently, ably.

• ² What are the results? Some are mocking, others say they will hear him again, but some join themselves to him and become believers. Knowledge, careful thought, experience and Jehovah’s spirit enable Paul to produce these sound results, and an Athenian congregation is formed.

• ³ Though that was long ago, do you live up to Paul’s example today? Is

  HEW WORLD HEWS

  
  

Brother Knorr has visited the branches in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, France and England. Steps for building expansion were discussed.

Brother Franz on his tour has made stops in Portugal and Spain. In Madrid he addressed 152 brothers and in Barcelona, 424. In November Spain had a new peak of publishers, 607.

4k 7,078 at 4 assemblies in Brazil passed resolution to go to Bulganin. 10,939 at public meetings during Brother Henschel's visit. 630 immersed.

In Montevideo, Uruguay, 1,800 heard Henschel's public lecture in public plaza. 902 passed resolution to Bulganin. 93 baptized.

^Argentina holds first big assembly in 7 years. Efforts to stop assembly in Buenos Aires thwarted as 3,024 pass resolution and 4,054 attend public talk. 1 87 symbolize dedication by water immersion.

^Chile's largest assembly sees 1,195 pass resolution, with 1,574 attending Henschel’s public talk and 121 being immersed.

In Peru Henschel talks to 1,044—the first crowd of more than 1,000 for us in Peru. 570 pass resolution, 42 symbolize dedication.

At Ecuadorian assembly at time of Henschel's visit 443 attend public talk and 14 are immersed.

Gift shipment of clothing sent to Taiwan from Society’s headquarters in Brooklyn. 78 cases, with a gross weight of 16,451 pounds, were sent on December 4. 4k Nigeria reports over 21,000 publishers for the first time. Japan and Java, with 650 and 232 respectively, reach new peaks. Brothers in Hong Kong and Singapore have good reports, despite rioting there.

your preparation of public lectures as good and your force as impressive as his were? Do you at least make the effort? Will you?

• ⁴ Now is the time to do this. The 1957 outlines are included with this Kingdom Ministry. Congregation servants should consider paragraphs 133 and 134 of Preaching Together in Unity, then make assignments. The new series will start Sunday, April 21.

• ⁵ Speakers should prepare carefully and thoroughly. Make the talks clear and understandable. Show vigor and enthusiasm. Like Paul, be not a chatterer, but a competent minister, aiding others to believe.

* “Solid food belongs to mature people.” Does it belong to you?

4