OCTOBER, 1957

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

BROOKLYN, N.Y.

BE AWAKE! PLACE “AWAKE!”

¹ World conditions today require that all of Jehovah’s witnesses be awake as never before. Awake to what? Awake to the dangers of materialism and demon rule overrunning the whole earth, awake to the swift approach of Armageddon, awake to the need of gathering in the other sheep and feeding them, awake to our Scriptural responsibilities and the condition of our own spirituality. Only by being fully awake can we hope to keep abreast of the New World society, survive Armageddon and be of help to others. A God-given Instrument ready to help us keep awake is Awake!

² Awake! is truly awake, but are we? Awake! is constantly- on the move, exposing hidden foes and subtle dangers, but are we? Awake! is championing freedom for all, comforting mourners and strengthening those disheartened by the failures of a delinquent world and reflecting-sure hope for the establishment of a righteous new world, but are we? We can be by keeping up with this journal and by offering it to others to read. During October a year’s subscription for Awake! along with three booklets, will be offered to the people for $1. Publishers will remit 90 cents. Wide-awake publishers will hasten to take part in this campaign. —Prov. 1: 20-23.

³ Jehovah has promised “to gather all things together again in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth.” That ingathering work is going on right now. Are you aware of it? Are you sharing in it? “It is high time to awake,” because “the time left is reduced.” The sheep must be found. “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,” but do you? He will help you find them if you diligently apply yourself.—Eph. 1:9, 10; Rom. 13: 11; 1 Cor. 7: 29; 2 Tim. 2:19.

• ⁴ To find the scattered sheep you must be a capable, efficient huntsman. Are you? You must enlarge your knowledge, improve your sermons and sharpen up on your approaches. You must get new ideas for service, new points to use in the field. October’s specially prepared copies of Awake! along with the new sermon outlined in this issue of Kingdom Ministry, will be of great help to you.

• ⁵ How can Awake I aid you in your ministry? Are you acquainted with the current issue? Have you thought about the way it appeals to all kinds of people? Did you examine “Do You Know?” to learn some of the unusual points in the current Awake!! Did you know that these questions can easily be turned into appealing statements that will attract householders to the magazine? 'Awake! is not narrow-minded in its view, but international. Are you when you present it? Use Awake! as a steppingstone to help the sheep over barriers into spiritual light and into the New World society.

• ⁶ Awake! provides sound Bible information from a theocratic viewpoint. Each issue has a public lecture article that is basic, plus “Your Word Is Truth” and other clear, straightforward articles on govern

' OFFER FOR OCTOBER

j One-year subscription for “Awakel” and three booklets, $1.        '

:       THEME FOR OCTOBER

। Keep Abreast of the New World < Society—1 Cor. 11:1.

ment, science, religion, history, geography, nature, etc. When one is awake to Awaket’s values, presenting it to others is not a chore, but a delightsome pleasure.

• ⁷ Hunting for the lost sheep requires courage, endurance, alertness and promptness to spring into action. It calls for a constant keeping on the track, a diligent search of the isolated and scattered places, leaving no. section untouched or uninvestigated. Hunters often work together in unity, beating the bushes or underbrush in order to stir up their quarry. They seek to let nothing escape. So publishers must work during this campaign, realizing the lives of the sheep are at stake.

• ⁸ Congregations will endeavor to cover all their assigned territory with the offer. Where an Awake! subscription is not accepted leave a copy of The Watchtower and of Atoake! for 10c. Put forth a special effort in the house-to-house work, because there is where most subscriptions are obtained. Remember your friends, relatives, business acquaintances, your back-calls and Bible studies—give them all a chance to subscribe. Use the specially prepared October issues of Awake! as choice food to invite and attract the other sheep so that they will manifest themselves and be gathered to the one fold.

• ⁹ The hunter keeps his eyes and ears open, entertains no fear of creatures, and acts with speed in the use of his provided equipment, which he always carries with him. So Jehovah’s people will, from the first day of October forward, be fully equipped with magazines and subscription blanks, ready to use them. They will keep a sharp eye and ear open to all possibilities, following up every promise of a subscription with speed. They will be alert to check on all not-at-homes. Those w^rho have taken copies regularly from us during Magazine Day activity are excellent prospects. No one should be overlooked.

• ¹⁰ If we do our part Jehovah will uncover the creatures upon whom he has set his smile of approval. He knows where the sheep are and how to reach them, and he will not let his hunters stalk around fruitlessly. “For mine eyes are upon all their (Continued on page k, col. 1)

  -K “The spirit and the bride keep on saying, ‘Come!’ ” Do you? *

  
  
  
  
  

  Service meetings should not repeatedly go overtime. If they do, determine the cause. Are certain speakers habitually going overtime? Counsel them. Or is it due to the school’s going overtime? Then the school servant

  
  

  should correct matters. Or it may be a matter of overseers* more carefully determining beforehand how long it will take to read letters, make announcements, etc. Keep announcements brief.

  
  

FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER

Theme: Keep Abreast of the New World Society.

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

5 min: Talk on “Keep Abreast of the New World Society.” (See “Watchtower,” 10/1/57, p. 584. and 6/1/56, p. 336.)

• 25 min: Develop and demonstrate a model sermon.

(15 min.) A competent brother should be selected to develop this sermon with the congregation. If possible, outline the sermon on a blackboard so that all can see and follow. Have the congregation bring out various ways the sermon might be introduced and each scripture be presented. The chairman should be prepared with some specific points of his own to contribute to the development of the sermon. For example, he might say; We might introduce the sermon this way: “Good morning. I’m calling in the interest of good government. You are certainly interested in good government and the world is badly in need of one, isn’t it? [Open Bible to John 3: 16, the first scripture in the sermon.] Still many people like to tell us that God is satisfied with the way things are. They quote this scripture in support of their claims. [Read scripture ] Now, do you think God loves this evil, corrupt world, with its communistic, dictatorial governments? Hardly. Then what world does he love? We know it isn't this one, because note what 1 John 2: 15-17 has to say.” The chairman can then call upon the congregation to offer ways of introducing the sermon. Counsel the brothers to use words that are easy and natural with them. Thus develop the sermon step by step.

Theme: A New World

• 1. God’s love for the world—John 3:16 What world? Hardly this one filled with crime, etc.

• 2. Christians commanded not to love world            —1 John 2:15-17

This world passing away.

What will take its place?

• 3. Paraphrase 2 Peter 3:5-7 Peter shows this world passing away like world in Noah's day.

• 4. Promise of a new world—2 Peter 3:13

That world righteous, one God so loved.

This magazine (or book) tells you how and when new world will come and how you may become part of it.

(5 min.) Chairman should call on a mature brother who has previously prepared to come up front and give this model sermon in five minutes to the congregation. It should be simple, logical and easy to follow.

(5 min.) In conclusion the chairman should use the remaining time to present high lights from articles in the October 8 “Awake!” showing how these are useful in the field in connection with this sermon.

15 mln: Talk on main article "Be Awake’ Place ‘Awake!’ ”

10 min: Arrange locally.(Include mention of October 1 "Watchtower” with Petition to Trujillo and special effort to distribute it.)

SECOND MEETING IN OCTOBER

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Talk on "Incidental Witnessing” based on “Yearbook” material. The Scriptures stress the importance of buying out the opportune time. (Eph. 5: 16; Col. 4: 5) One of the best ways that we can heed this counsel is by incidental preaching or witnessing. How effective this can be may be seen from the following “Yearbook” experiences:

Incidental witnessing proved to be the turning point of an Australian witnessed to on a railroad train (79); it resulted in the placing of much literature and the truth reaching outlying areas in American Samoa (80); and it caused a business call to serve to start a home Bible study with a Turkish family. (159)

Being witnessed to at his place of employment a strong Roman Catholic of India took his stand (176), and so did a native of Tonga, a Pacific island. (218) Incidental witnessing in hospitals? Certainly! See Newfoundland (215), South Africa (260) and Spain. (268) And, of course, witnessing while traveling can be very fruitful, as seen by the reports from Guadeloupe (161), Nigeria (222) and Thailand. (275) Yes, Jehovah blesses those who buy out their opportunities by incidental witnessing.

13 min: Question-and-answer coverage of article "Are You a Regular Publisher?”

22 min: “Presenting the Good News.” School servant to discuss points with congregation and illustrate them.

10 min: Arrange locally. (Include comments on the text [Rev. 22; 17] at the bottom of page 1.)

THIRD MEETING IN OCTOBER

5 min: Welcome, texts, comments.

10 min: Talk on "1957—A Grand Year of Increase.”

10 min: Assistant Congregation Servant’s report based on visit in harmony with Congregation Organization outline.

25 min: Demonstration on acquainting the brothers with the October 22 issue of “Awake!” A panel of three to five should be used, depending on the size of the congregation.

(8 min.) Have the audience quiz the panel, using the questions on page 28 of the magazine in the box "Do You Know?” Additional questions may be asked, such questions as are encountered in the field. For example, In what way is "Awake!” different from my church magazines? What is “Awake!’s” purpose or mission? I’m a Jew (Catholic, Baptist, etc.), how can "Awake!” help me? The panel should be prepared to show how “Awake!” can be used under different circumstances and be applied to different people, with different religions, to people who say they have too many magazines or have no time to read, etc. Demonstrate how “Awake!” can be placed on back-calls, Bible studies, with salesmen and clerks. A panel member might reply to a question in this way: "If your question were asked me by a clerk or on a back-call I would answer it this way,” and then proceed to make your reply. The chairman should be quick to fill in with questions, comments and observations to keep the session lively. Do not try to stump the panel; get them to help you fulfill your ministry.

(10 min.) Have each of the panel members take a separate article or two and, after a few words on 2 Peter 3: 13 of the sermon, show how and what they will use in presenting the “Awake!” subscription.

(5 min.) Each panel member should be called on to give a 30- to 60-second magazine presentation using the article he commented on.

(2 min.) The chairman will summarize practical points and encourage everyone to know what is in "Awake!” and be diligent to offer it to all, because every living person is a potential subscriber.

10 min: Arrange locally.

FOURTH MEETING IN OCTOBER

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 mtn: Talk on "Clean and Undefiled Worship,” using "Yearbook” experiences. Among the chief means Satan is now using in his final effort to turn all men away from Jehovah is uncleanness. Since Jehovah’s worship must be kept clean and undefiled we cannot tolerate any uncleanness in our midst. Highlighting the importance of keeping clean are the following "Yearbook” experiences:

Uncleanness interferes with expansion, as can be seen from the reports from the Ivory Coast (156), Honduras (169) and Bechuanaland. (262) For proof that strenuous efforts are required to keep the organization clean, see Argentina (77), Jamaica (183) and Liberia. (203) And that pure worship causes lovers of righteousness to clean up is apparent from the reports on Jamaica (183), Belgian Congo (225), Panama (236), Southern Rhodesia (265) and Uruguay. (283) In fact, the truth makes God’s servants outstanding as regards even physical cleanness! (Ny-asaland, 231)

10 min: "Make Sure of All Things” material on Life, on page 246, "Future Life or Life Right in God’s Sight More Important than Present Life and Its Benefits,” to Luke 14: 26. To be handled as a call made on a negligent meeting attender and publisher, in line with Revelation 3: 15-19.

35 min: Arrange locally. (A service talk on "Do You Use Your Tongue to Hurt or to Heal?” may be considered if further material is desired; see "Awake!” March 22, 1956. Discuss text [Rom. 10:10] at bottom of page 4.)

FIFTH MEETING IN OCTOBER

Those congregations having a fifth meeting should arrange their own program locally.

Congregation Servant Visits Assistant Congregation Servant

¹ Among the prophecies having fulfillment today is Isaiah 60: 17: “I will make thy chiefs peaceful and thine overseers righteous.” Among the things required of the congregation overseer is the regular visiting with the various servants and checking their activity, as noted in the September Kingdom Ministry.

² When the overseer thus visits the assistant congregation servant eight points in particular should be discussed by them: (1) The keeping of the congregation’s records up to date, their being fully understood and the regular supplying of the weekly report to the overseer. (2) How these records can be used to show trends of the congregation as well as of the individual ministers who need help. (3) How information, for use of the congregation servant, showing the progress of those in the training program, can be taken from the records. (4) The efficiency of the arrangement of regularly supplying list on the 1st and 15th of the month of those who have not been out in the service and of seeing if this can be improved upon.

Publications Now Available

Bible

New World Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (Vol. Ill) (Regular and De luxe Editions)

—English

Books

“Let God Be True" (2d Ed.)          —Italian

^(fNew Heavens and a New Earth"—French, Norwegian Qualified to Be Ministers               —German

You May Survive Armageddon into God’s New World —Finnish

Booklets

Basis for Belief in a New World       —Burmese

Healing of-the Nations Has Drawn Near—English, Finnish, Spanish “This Good News of the Kingdom" —Norwegian What Do the Scriptures Say About “Survival After Death"? —Cebu-Visayan, Dutch, French, German

USE VOLUME III

As opportunity affords, publishers may place Vol. Ill of the New World Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. Place it on a $1 contribution.

Thanksgiving Day Activity

Any book for 50c will be the offer for November, but congregations should also keep “Thanksgiving Day” activity in mind. This will be a special Magazine Day. Outstanding results have been achieved in years gone by on this day. All congregations are encouraged to arrange special Magazine Day activity. Two order blanks are enclosed with this issue of Kingdom Ministry. Each congregation should order its required number of extra magazines. (5) How the assistant congregation servant is fulfilling his duties either as a service center conductor or as one assigned to aid a weak service center. (6) His own field service activity and how it can be improved. Of course, to do this properly it would be necessary for the overseer to accompany the assistant congregation servant in the house-to-house, back-call, home Bible study and magazine activities. (7) Local problems as they affect the assistant congregation servant. (8) How co-operation can be improved and work co-ordinated.

³ The overseer should arrange to visit with the assistant congregation servant some evening early in the month, should be well posted on the assistant’s duties and endeavor to be tactful and helpful. Near the beginning of the month he should work with the assistant in the field service, as only by doing so will he be able to offer practical suggestions for more efficient preaching of the Word. By carefully following the foregoing outline much can be accomplished toward better servant leadership.

“The New World Society in Action”

Inquiries have been received as to whether orders may be placed for this 16-mm silent motion picture film. While some of the events shown are outdated, the film does constitute a historical record and a reprint In full is being considered. It will depend upon how many orders are received. Individuals, circuits or congregations may order. The cost for the complete set of five reels will be $175. Remittance in full must accompany orders. All orders should be at Brooklyn not later than December 15. If for any reason the reprint is not made, your remittance will be refunded in full after that date.

1958 WORLD ASSEMBLY

Plan now to attend the international assembly in New York city, July 27 to August 3.

AUGUST SERVICE REPORT

Public Meetings Held: 12,370

UNITED STATES QUOTA FOR 1957 186,819 Publishers

1957—A Grand Year of Increase

¹ Were our efforts in 1957 blessed? Were they fruitful? Indeed they were! More than we had hoped for I We brought in our tithes and Jehovah kept his promise: “Prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”—Mal. 3:10.

² His blessings began at the very beginning of the service year with the appearance of Kingdom, Ministry. Its counsel and its seven goals have helped us greatly to expand our ministry. We were also aided by what the circuit servants learned in their refresher course at Gilead. With this good assistance and Jehovah’s blessing we succeeded in expanding our ministry in 1957 as never before. The year’s marvelous increases prove it. The average monthly ministers were 187,762.

³ There was a 10.6-percent average increase in publishers over the 1956 average. Then there was the December increase of 11.6-percent. This was the first time we reached the December goal of 10-percent increase. But we did more than reach it. W’e exceeded it! But this was not all. April’s goal of 20-percent increase was also exceeded. Its 22.6-percent increase was further evidence of Jehovah’s blessing on our efforts.

⁴ His blessings, however, did not stop here. The Awake! campaign saw an increase of over 15,00’0 more subscriptions than last year’s campaign. And during the Watchtower campaign, for the first time we went over the 100,000 mark each month. In addition to this we reached an all-time peak in magazine placements of 4,724,095 in one month. This was good work, work to be pleased with. This is a lot of seed sown.

⁵ We can rejoice and give thanks to our heavenly Father for this grand year of increase. “Jehovah hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” (Ps. 126: 3) He will do even greater things during the new service year if we continue expanding our ministry.

Petition to Trujillo

The petition to Trujillo, adopted at the Baltimore district assembly, appears in printed form in The Watchtower of October 1. The Society would like this issue to have the widest distribution possible. Special order blanks have been sent to congregations. Each congregation should determine how many extra copies it will need. We shall be working with this issue during the first part of October.

Essential Qualities of Sermons Upbuilding and Positive

• ¹ What a thrill it is to find a person of good will who responds to a sermon and expresses gratitude for the comfort it brings I Have you had this joy? If not it may be because your sermon lacks the quality of being upbuilding and positive.

• ² If a sermon dwells unduly long on false doctrines, or on the badness of the present world, or on the frightfulness of Armageddon’s destruction it will not be upbuilding. Why? Because it is negative. It is not the kind of sermon that lifts saddened hearts and instills hope for a bright future. It does not comfort mourning people. The way this is done is by joyfully talking about the many good things God has promised for those who love him. Give the people an encouraging message. Remember, our commission at Isaiah 61 is to “bind up the broken-hearted” and to “comfort all that mourn.”

• ³ A well-balanced sermon is what every enthusiastic Kingdom publisher needs. This means that the world’s bad deeds and false doctrines are kept at a minimum in the sermon, whereas Scriptural truth and the bright hope of God’s promises are made foremost. This is not saying that Armageddon should be left out. That would be wrong, as the declaring of God’s day of vengeance is

Be Awake! Place “Awake!” (Cont’d) ways; they are not hid from my face,” says Jehovah.—Jer. 16:16, 17.

• ¹¹ Last year’s Awake! campaign exceeded all expectations. The special pioneers averaged nine subscriptions, regular pioneers seven, vacation pioneers six. All of these went over their quotas. The congregation publishers averaged .7, which was their best yet. This year the quota is one subscription each for congregation publishers, five for vacation and regular pioneers, and eight for special pioneers.

• ¹² Jehovah bids his sheep to flee modern Babylon. Use Awake! to stir them up to escape without delay with the New World society. Make October a lively month of praise to your own joy and spiritual upbuilding and to Jehovah’s glory and honor by being awake, by placing Awake! a divine commission. We are commanded to “proclaim the year of Jehovah’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God,” and to “warn the wicked from his wicked way.” The warning of Armageddon and a description of its destructive results should not, however, overshadow the theme of your sermon. What Armageddon will do can be skillfully woven into an explanation of how the Kingdom will bring about a peaceful order of things. This will maintain the sermon’s positiveness.

⁴ A positive sermon requires a positive delivery. Like the early Christians, today’s happy proclaimers of the Kingdom must speak positively, with a ring of conviction in their voices, not apologetically or mechanically. At Acts 4: 31 we are told that the early Christians spoke “the word of God with boldness.” They knew what they said was truth, and they spoke it positively. We should too. So use a positive delivery with a positive sermon. Build up those who listen to you, and you will have the heart-warming joy of comforting those who mourn,

OFFER FOR NOVEMBER

Any bound book and booklet for 50c. , THEME FOR NOVEMBER

Heal Sicknetses of Mlnjd and Heart ..... —Ha. Alii-*•           |

¹ Do you know what it means to be regular in Kingdom service? It means to be active every month without fail. With the wonderful news we have this should not be difficult. Yet only 65 percent of the publishers are regular. This means that, of the 75 percent who are dedicated, over 10 percent allow an entire month to pass without telling others about the joyous good news of God’s kingdom.

² The apostles and other early Christians never did this. They were regular. In fact, they preached every day: “And day after day they were in constant attendance at the temple with one accord.” (Acts 2: 46) They could not contain themselves, but had to speak out. They felt as Jeremiah did, who said: “There is in my

NEW WORLD NEWS

♦ Protest unanimously adopted by 33,091 witnesses at Baltimore assembly against cruel and abusive treatment of Jehovah’s witnesses in the Dominican Republic. Work again banned in that country and missionaries deported. Over 50 brothers jailed.

♦ Baltimore assembly: public meeting attendance, 41,816; number immersed, 1,034; brings total for United States assemblies’ attendance at public meetings to 183,569; baptized, 3,552.

♦ Papua and New Guinea report another peak in publishers, representing an increase of 179 percent over last year’s averages.

♦ 10th successive peak in publishers; Korea reports 2,143 publishers in July, with 66 in vacation pioneer service.

♦ Nigeria happy to report 23,509 publishers in July, one over the 20-percent goal. 635 regular pioneers reporting. 129,000 have attended film showings during the year.

♦ Kenya has new peak of 21 publishers as four are baptised during July. The brothers report: “It will be a fine thing if more mature brothers can move into this country and help forward the expansion that is now coming in the field."

♦ Construction of new Bethel home at Copenhagen, Denmark, completed. New printing plant begins operating.

• ♦ After 50 years of activity in Ireland, status of branch granted brothers at Dublin on September 1.

♦building purchased at Vienna for exclusive use of Austrian branch.

• ♦ 1,270 attend district assembly at Naples, Italy. 104 baptized. Wonderful newspaper reports.

heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot contain.” —Jer. 20: 9.

³ We today have even more reason to feel as Jeremiah did, fqr are we not living in the last days? Are we not seeing the light of truth growing ever brighter? Instead of trying to hold it to yourself, let it shine out by being regular in your preaching, not only every month but every week if possible. If you have children, encourage them to have the same regularity. This is important, as preaching is part of our way of worship. If you consider it important, as Jeremiah and the apostles did, you will strive to be a regular publisher.

* ‘‘With the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation.” *

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