AUGUST, 1957

"From day to day tell the good news of salvation by him.”

—Psalm 96: 2, NW.

BROOKLYN, N.Y.

CROWNING THE YEAR WITH HIS GOODNESS

¹ Among the most-loved passages of the Bible is the one that is especially applicable at this time when we see the fruits of our labors for the service year, which ends with August, and earnestly contemplate a new year ahead. That scripture says of Jehovah: "Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy. paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness; and the hills are girded with joy. The pastures are clothed with flocks ; the valleys also are covered over with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing.”—Ps. 65 :11-13.

• ² How beautifully the psalmist describes the prosperity of the New World society with its joys and increases ! Let this joy strengthen and encourage you to press on faithfully through this month and on into the new year with even greater determination to do better and more to Jehovah’s glory.

• ³ With August, however, comes the summer heat and thoughts of vacations, beaches and picnics. There is a tendency to slack the hand in field service, to relax and take things easy—sometimes too easy. Now is the time to “brace up your minds for activity, keep completely balanced,” as Peter admonishes. Do not allow yourself to slip into a slump, because you may stay there and never get out alive. Schedule your activity for the summer months. Safeguard your Kingdom trust by remaining active. —1 Pet. 1:13.

• ⁴ If you plan to be away from your congregation during part of August, make sure you report your service activity before you leave and, of course, report the additional service upon returning. Mail in your reports to your home congregation if you cannot get back in time to hand them in personally. Do not allow yourselves to become irregular publishers because of personal neglect or indifference. Prove yourselves to be conscientious and dependable publishers by keeping accurate monthly service reports. If each publisher shares in the field service during August we. should average a ten-percent increase by the end of the service year. This is indeed commendable.

• ⁵ August holds out field service at assemblies. It presents an opportunity to apply the fine things learned by those who have already attended an assembly. In regular congregation territory publishers will be placing one book on a fifty-cent contribution. You may use whatever book you have an excess supply of, such as What Has Religion Done for Mankind? “Let God Be True" and You

  Do You Express Yourself

  
  

  at Meetings?

  
  

¹ As members of the New World society every one of us is obligated to contribute toward the spiritual upbuilding of others. It was that way in the early Christian congregation, for we read: “When you come together, one has a psalm, another has a teaching, another has a revelation, another has a tongue, another has an interpretation. Let all things

!       OFFER FOR AUGUST       !

| Any bound book, 50c. In unassignedt ? territory, year subscriptions for “The) Z Watchtower” and “Awake!" and six! |              booklets, $2.             |

j       THEME FOR AUGUST <

’ Please God Through Accurate ?

! Knowledge.—Colossians 1:9, 10, NW.l

take place for upbuilding.” (1 Cor. 14:26) And so we today have many opportunities to speak up.

² But it seems that many overlook their privileges along this line. So it is necessary to call to mind continually Paul’s counsel to “hold fast the public declaration of our hope” May Survive Armageddon into God’s New World, etc.

• ⁶ Concentrate on becoming a thorough publisher, carefully noting every bit of interest found and then conscientiously following up that interest by making back-calls and holding Bible studies. The long summer evenings provide excellent opportunities for back-call work.

• ⁷ Do not say that you are incompetent of making back-calls or holding Bible studies. “Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding,” says the wise man, “and he will direct thy paths.” Do this and Jehovah will bless you and make your service fruitful—Pro v. 3: 5-7.

and to “consider one another to incite to love and right works.”—Heb. 10: 23, 24.

• ³ Of course, it takes real effort for some to speak up, especially those young in the truth. Let such not think they cannot say something that will be of help to more mature ones; they can. Certainly if the apostle Paul confessed that the brothers at Rome could be of encouragement to him, an inspired apostle, then the newer ones among us today can share in “an interchange of encouragement” among us.—Rom. 1: 11,12.

• ⁴ Perhaps the best stimulus to get us to express ourselves, even though we are timid, is advance preparation. We must have something to say.

• ⁵ Yes, study, have the thought clearly in mind and then express it in your own words. We should also be brief and to the point. “For God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.” (Eccl. 5:2) Especially in large congregations, it is advisable not to cov-(Continued on page 4, col. 1)

  *         Do you “make public declaration to his name”?

  
  
  

  FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST

  
  

Theme: Please God Through Accurate Knowledge.

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 mln: Talk on “Please God Through Accurate Knowledge.” (See “Watchtower” 5/1/56, p. 273, and 8/1/57, p. 459.)

15 mln: Talk on main article “Crowning the Year with His Goodness.”

20 min: Demonstration bringing out points in the article “Presenting the Good News.” On overcoming obstacle, publisher should lead discussion into the “New Heavens” sermon. In the demonstration of paragraph 5, with the householder’s getting his Bible, publisher should give a complete sermon and make literature placement.

10 mln: Arrange locally.

SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Talk on “Working Unassigned Territory” based upon experiences in the “Yearbook.” The apostle Paul preferred working unassigned territory and, in at least one instance, he got his instructions directly from Jehovah.—Rom. 15:20; Acts 16:9, 10.

There are many conscious of their spiritual need in such territories and we must help them if we are at all able to do so. Just how eager some of these are for the truth the “Yearbook” shows in its reports on Burma and Greece. (105, 158) In Dahomey, West Africa, so much interest was found that four months after a special pioneer was sent there twenty-four were reporting field service. (223)

In one congregation in Sweden, 109 accompanied the circuit servant to unassigned territory; 340 were at the public meeting, and the brothers said it was like attending a circuit assembly. (272) True, going to unassigned territory may involve some hardship, but think of certain brothers in Costa Rica who walked six days, waded through creeks, slept nights under trees in covering isolated territory’ (120)

20 min: Demonstration on “What Do You Remember from the ‘Kingdom Ministry’ ?”

CHAIRMAN (3 min.) Stress importance of the “Kingdom Ministry.” It conveys information to help us improve our ministerial service. Concerning our ministry Paul says: “Ponder over these things, be absorbed in them.” So we want to use the information in “Kingdom Ministry” not only during the week of the service meeting but regularly in our ministry.

AUDIENCE AND PANEL PARTICIPATION (15 min.) Chairman calls upon audience to answer questions based on articles in the “Kingdom Ministry” during 1957. A panel of four persons, seated on the platform, will also provide answers. Panelists should have special preparation, thoroughly studying the articles on which questions will be asked. Thus even the more difficult questions will have pointed comment. Questions should first go to the audience. From the answers he receives chairman will determine whether or not to turn the question over to the panel for answer or elaboration. The program should not lag, with too much time being spent on individual answers. Select questions that will have as much practical value as possible. Some of the questions can be based on the following “Kingdom Ministry” articles: “Carry Your Own Load of Responsibility,” “The Training Program,” “To the Indifferent or Selfsatisfied” (January); “Private Homes as Service Centers,” “Overcoming Objections” (February); “Regularity in Service,” “Work with the Circuit Servant” (March); “Another Goal—Congregation Increase” (April); “Maturity —Our Final Goal,” “Do You Respect Your Brother’s Home?” (May); “Our Seven Kingdom Ministry Goals,” “We Made It!” (June); and “Why One Must Be Baptized,” “Keeping Presentable Kingdom Halls,” “To Persons Who Say: ‘Someone Was Recently Here’ ” (July).

A week before the review chairman should give the congregation servant a few of the questions he has selected. At the end of the meeting the congregation servant can read these to the congregation as a foretaste of this valuable program. It will also give the audience an idea as to how to prepare.

CHAIRMAN (2 min.) This review shows the value of keeping a file of “Kingdom Ministry.” We can, from time to time, individually refresh our. minds. With the helpful suggestions of “Kingdom Ministry” in our minds, we shall “be ready for every good work.” —Titus 3:1.

15 min: Talk on “How Do You Report Your Activity?”

10 min: Arrange locally. (Include comments on question taken from 2 Tim. 2: 15 at bottom of page 4.)

THIRD MEETING IN AUGUST

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Cover “Make Sure of All Things” material on “Life,” from page 242 to John 14: 6, page 244. To be handled by question-and-answer method.

15 min: Talk by school servant on “Do You Comment at Meetings?”

20 min: Demonstration on “More Efficient Comments at Meetings.”

INTRODUCTION The school servant, at the close of his talk “Do You Express Yourself at Meetings?” invites the audience to observe the “Watchtower” study servant making a personal contact on a publisher who has not been commenting at the, “Watchtower” study.

SCENE I (4 min.) “Watchtower” servant is encouraging a publisher to share in commenting at the “Watchtower” study. The publisher says he feels inadequate with so many more mature brothers in the congregation. “Watchtower” servant shows wrongness of this belief. We must press on to maturity, and commenting at the “Watchtower” study Is one of the vital means of doing that. “Watchtower” servant tells publisher he will write his name beside the paragraph that he knows publisher can comment well on. The publisher agrees but states he sometimes has difficulty selecting really pointed answers. “Watchtower” servant says many publishers have the same problem, so he wants to discuss with the entire congregation the effective way to study and prepare comments for meetings.

SCENE II (12 min.) “Watchtower” study servant takes the lesson for the following Sunday study. The publishers should be notified a week in advance to bring this copy with them that evening. “Watchtower” servant encourages all to open their magazines to a particular page and follow along with him in preparing a comment. The “Watchtower” servant will have judiciously selected at least two paragraphs in “The Watchtower” that he can best adapt to his demonstration. He points out to the audience that the first thing to do is to get the question in mind. Then read the paragraph, return to the question and show how key words in the paragraph can be underlined for the answer.

CONCLUSION (4 min.) Counsel by “Watchtower” servant to congregation in regard to all. attending, supporting and participating in the “Watchtower” study. Commenting, besides being a privilege, is a Christian duty: “Let us hold fast the public declaration of our hope without wavering.” Nervousness no barrier to commenting; all speakers feel initial nervousness. Effective commenting requires preparation. By attending and commenting at the “Watchtower” study we “keep comforting one another and building one another up.”—Heb. 10: 23; 1 Thess. 5: 11.

10 min: Arrange locally. (Include comments on the text, Heb. 13: 15, at bottom of page 1.)

FOURTH MEETING IN AUGUST

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Discussion, by a selected group, of “Yearbook” material on Legally Establishing the Good News. Even as did first-century Christians, so today the Society fights to establish legally the good news. (Phil. 1: 7) And how strengthening it is to read of the victories Jehovah grants his fighters’

Thus in Alaska a victory was gained over the infamous Green River ordinance. (67) A slandering tongue in French Equatorial Africa was silenced by a successful legal suit. (69) In the past year efforts to have the ban lifted on the part of our Dominican brothers were successful, so that now they can again go freely from house to house. (132)

Fearless interviews with government officials resulted in lifting certain restrictions on us in Egypt. (136) And arrests that had been increasing in Italy suddenly stopped when the highest court of that land ruled in favor of freedom of worship. (181)

10 min: Brisk report on New World News,

10 min: Consider “The Problem of Literature Contributions,” using the question-and-answer method.

15 min: Talk on “Refreshed from Assembling.” Consider article “District Assemblies,” bringing in high points of the convention the speaker attended. Experiences from various publishers attending different assemblies can also be heard.

10 min: Arrange locally.

FIFTH MEETING IN AUGUST

Those congregations having a fifth meeting should arrange their own program locally. (If one of the above meetings was missed because of a district assembly, some of that material may be considered.)

CONGREGATION

How Do You Report Your Activity?

• ¹ When the man clothed in linen, with the inkhorn at Mis side, had done what God commanded, he reported the matter. (Ezek. 9:11) This sets the example for us to report our activity each time we go forth to do what God has commanded. It is not a report of someone else’s activity but our own. Even though some may feel that sharing placements with new ones will encourage them, it is best that new ones report their own accomplishments and not another publisher’s. Sharing placements results in an inaccurate report.

• ² The same would be true with back-calls. A publisher could hardly report a back-call when he merely accompanies another publisher and does not share extensively in the witness given. When two make back-calls together as part of the training program, the circumstances will govern who will report the call. If the more mature publisher takes the initiative and carries the conversation the call is his. The report would be of his activity. At another call the mature publisher could let the less mature one carry the conversation, with him merely helping out with a comment once in a while. The less mature publisher could then rightly report the call. Of course, it is proper for both publishers to report the time spent at such calls.

DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES

During the first half of July four district assemblies were held in the United States and two more were scheduled for the last two weeks of July. Truly a feast of fat things was provided and enjoyed by those in attendance; especially was this true of the talks by the president and the vice-president of the Society.

Among the high points of these assemblies was the public talk “Healing of the Nations Has Drawn Near.” It certainly is a beautiful and comforting message. So that the greater number can at once receive the benefit of this message it is being published in The 'Watchtower, September 15 issue. It would be well for congregation servants to order an extra supply of this issue so that this timely message can have a very wide distribution.

Publications Now Available

“Make Sure of AU Things”—Greek Basis for Belief in a New World

—Polish

T-5 Hope for the Dead —Javanese

T-8 Life in a New World—Javanese

ORGANIZATION

• ³ Accurate reporting requires accurate records. It will therefore be necessary for a publisher to note carefully on his house-to-house record sheet or in a notebook the placements he makes. Not only will this be so in house-to-house work where back-calls will be made but also in magazine street work as well. Make a note of the magazines placed. This will eliminate any guesswork when a report is filled out. By keeping a day-by-day record of your service activity on the weekly report slip and then by turning that record in promptly at the end of the week, there will be no doubt in your mind as to whether activity had been reported or not. This will ensure an accurate congregational report for the Society at the end of the month. Remember too that prompt reporting will be an aid to the assistant congregation servant when he checks the publishers’ activity during the month.

• ⁴ It can hardly be imagined that when the man in linen finished his work he was negligent in making a prompt report or that Peter or Paul failed to report the result of their activities to the governing body at Jerusalem. (Acts 15:4, 14) We would do well to follow their example by giving an accurate and prompt report of our activity in doing what God has commanded.

Literature Inventory

Two Literature Inventory forms are being sent to each congregation with this Kingdom Ministry. An actual-count inventory of literature is to be taken accurately and completely on September 1 and recorded on these forms. All pioneers associated with congregations will take a count of their literature and turn in to the literature servant a signed slip showing how many books and 32- and 64- and 96-page booklets they have. The total for all pioneers associated with the congregation will be shown at the bottom of the Literature Inventory form.

The congregation servant should check with the literature servant to see that the inventory is properly taken and give him help if necessary. The original should be sent to the Society not later than September 3, and the duplicate retained for the congregation’s files. The results of this inventory and the latest statement of the congregation’s standing with the Society should be read to the congregation at a service meeting.

The Problem of Literature Contributions

• ¹ When publishers give literature away free, a problem is created. The householder will expect free literature from the next publisher, and will ask why a contribution is requested when none was asked before. It is only proper that interested persons should be permitted to contribute toward the publishing cost of the study aids they receive. This is a privilege that should not be denied them. In ancient Egypt the Israelites were instructed to request articles of silver and of gold from the Egyptians shortly before their exodus.—Ex. 11: 2, 3; 12 : 34-36.

• ² A contribution for literature received will help to ensure a proper use of it. Opposed persons are not likely to contribute for something they intend to destroy. If the person is genuinely interested he will not mind contributing the small amount the Society suggests.

• ³ But what about those persons who offer more than the suggested contribution? Circuit servants have noticed some publishers accepting this unhesitatingly. Would it not be better if these publishers would explain to the householder that the only contribution desired is for covering the cost of the literature? It is, of course, the privilege of the householder to make a larger contribution if he insists upon it, but then the publisher would do well to offer a bound book or a subscription for The Watchtower or Awake! If the householder does not wish additional literature, then it would be proper to explain that the money will be used in our Bible educational work.

• ⁴ The privilege of financially helping the Kingdom ministry should not be denied interested persons. Neither should they be given the impression that we seek contributions. By following the Society’s suggestions we shall not create contribution problems.

JUNE SERVICE REPORT

Av.     Av. Av.

Pubs. Hrs.    B-C Bi. St. Mags.

Sp’l Pios.     343 146.3 55.1  7.9

Pioneers   5,849  95.8 31.6  5.2

Vac. Pios.  2,414  90.3 19.9  2.7

Pubs. 186,456   10.6  3.0   .6

TOTAL 195,062

Public Meetings Heid: 16,083

UNITED STATES QUOTA FOR 1957 186,819 Publishers

To Persons Who Say: “I Have My Own Bible”

• ¹ How often have we heard persons say to us at the doors, “I have my own Bible” I As far as they were concerned you should have been satisfied with that answer and gladly walked away. But little do they know that they have just whetted our appetite for greater discussion and have increased our obligation to communicate with them. We want them not only to have a Bible but to understand it. How can we reach these people?

• ² You might try saying something like this: “I am glad to know that you have a Bible in your home. It is the finest book on earth. There is no question in our minds that it is a provision from God, is there? Many of us, though, have difficulty in understanding it. There is a Very good illustration in the Bible in that regard at Acts the eighth chapter.” Then go on to use the illustration of the Ethiopian eunuch. In conclusion show them that Bible-study aids are needed to assist us in understanding.

• ³ Another way to overcome this objection, which has brought good results, is to say: “In this land it is a rare thing to come to a home where there is not a Bible. But the possession of the Bible is not enough. A person may have a good dictionary in his home and still be a poor speller or have a small vocabulary. Over two billion Bibles have been printed and circulated. To be helpful to us the Bible must be read and

Do You Express . . .            (Cont’d)

er all the paragraph, in order to leave time and opportunities for others to comment. Remember, in a Watchtower study there may be thirty questions to be answered in about thirty minutes, since about half of the hour is used in reading the paragraphs. To have several comments on each means that, on an average, they can be but fifteen to twenty seconds long.

⁶ As an aid to commenting, why not look up texts cited but not quoted and include them in your answer? And how about doing some research, so as to be able to offer supporting scriptures, facts and reasons not mentioned in the lesson? understood and its principles followed. That is why I am calling today.”

⁴ Or you might just simply say: “Having a Bible is like having a steak in the freezer. It does you no good unless you take it out, prepare it and eat it, then use the strength derived from the meal. It’s the same with the Bible, or any other book for that matter. Just having it is not enough. You must get to its message. The Bible must be understood to be appreciated. Note what the Bible says at Hebrews 5:13, 14; 6:1-3.” After reading the scriptures, then use “Let God Be True” to show them how it can help them.

⁶ Another way, and a very effective one, is to tell the householder that you are happy that he has a Bible and then tactfully ask him to get it. Upon receiving it, look it over a moment and, making a complimentary comment regarding it, turn to the first scripture of your sermon, saying words to the effect that here is a very interesting scripture that he will be interested in considering in his Bible. From reading the first scripture go on to the next. Complete your sermon using his own Bible.

i OFFER FOR SEPTEMBER I Z Any bound book, 50c. In unassigned | 4 territory, year subscriptions for “The 4 7 Watchtower” and “Awake!” and six? |              booklets, $2.              I

I THEME FOR SEPTEMBER | | Living True to Our Dedication. | J          —Ecclesiastes 5:4.          J

⁴As in previous years, this October will see a special campaign with the Awake! magazine. Everyone in the New World society will concentrate on increasing the circulation of this instrument by offering it on a subscription basis. Placing individual copies will also be stressed.

• ² Our brothers at headquarters will be prepared to handle the extra subscriptions received during this month as well as to send out additional distributors’ copies. More than that, those in the editorial department are putting forth special efforts so that the articles that will appear

NEW WORLD NEWS

$ Japan reports 840 publishers in May for a 48-percenf increase. Nearby Korea reports eighth successive peak in publishers, with 2,078 sharing in field service.

$ Brother Knorr served Society’s branch in Bahamas the end of June, speaking at the district assembly to 285, their best public meeting yet.

♦ Canadian district assemblies under way with 23,063 at Toronto as Jehovah’s witnesses convene for spiritual feast. A total of 322 were baptized there in symbol of their dedication to do Jehovah’s will.

At Houston district assembly 11,883 attend English public meeting; 1,903 attend Spanish meeting. 288 immersed. At Miami T7,632 attend public meeting; 342 baptized.

0" Dominican Republic and Ethiopia both restricting work as a result of religious opposition to the preaching of “this good news of the kingdom.” Both countries order U.S. missionaries to leave. Guarantees of freedom of worship disregarded.

New peaks continue in May: Brazil, 11,126; Argentina, 4,665; Guatemala, 595; and Nicaragua, 251, a 37-percent increase.

& Luxembourg reaches 43-percent increase with another peak in May of 230.

Spain’s new peak in May of 749 is the ninth in succession.

$ 1,200 view the film at Venezuelan circuit assembly, where peak attendance for other meetings is 340.

♦ The work spreads out in Ecuador as three new missionary homes were established in the past year.

in the issues of October 8 and 22 and November 8 will be of particular interest and value.

• ³ When these magazines arrive, go over them carefully, note the many fine articles and impress them on your mind. Doing so you will be able to present these magazines with greater enthusiasm and so place more copies and obtain more subscriptions.

• ⁴ For ordering extra copies of these special issues two order blanks are enclosed with this supply of Kingdom Ministry. Orders should be sent in by September 1.

*         Are you “handling the word of the truth aright”?          X-

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