DECEMBER, 1966

FOR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

“We should not neglect the house of our God.”—Neh. 10:39.

VOL. IX NO. 12

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Right now we are thinking about our work for December and how well it fits in with the name of the Society—Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Last year we printed 118,770,627 copies of The Watchtower and 13,257,200 tracts, but how are we doing as a Bible society?

Since 1896 the Society has been a Bible publisher, though having other people do the actual printing. Starting in 1926, we printed Bibles on our own presses. But in 1950 our own New World Translation, printed in the Society’s Brooklyn plant, was released. During the next ten years we were getting out the individual volumes of the New World Translation, and 3,598,000 copies were produced. After that we produced our single-volume edition for $1, and from 1961 to the present we have printed 4,893,743 copies. Add to that the large-print edition, and the total comes to well over five million copies. That is a tremendous task for any Bible society.

On behalf of other language groups much work has also been done. We have published the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures in Portuguese, Dutch, German, French, Italian and Spanish, and in the past three years it has been necessary to print 1,775,-000 copies of these editions. Truly we are a Bible society.

For December we are again preparing for a big work of Bible distribution, and we hope that you are too. Wherever the New World Translation is available around the world, our brothers will be offering it, in one form or another, to encourage the public to do Bible reading. Many of the clergy today are saying that the Bible is a myth, and people are losing faith in God’s Word.. But it is our purpose to get people to read the Bible and to stimulate faith in it. A tremendous number of people need that encouragement. That is why we will be stressing distribution of the Bible during December.

Some of you have asked when we

¹ The apostle Paul wrote that “no man ever hated his own flesh; but he feeds and cherishes it.” (Eph. 5:29) He wants to keep his flesh alive and healthy, so he endeavors to follow regular eating and living habits. As Christians we well know the necessity of taking in knowledge of God and Christ if we are to enjoy everlasting life. Therefore, regular spiritual habits are required. Why not pause for a moment and examine your spiritual habits? Ask yourself: When is my regular personal study period? Are you really looking after your own spiritual well-being? Spiritual strength must be ours if we shall endure. So for your good be sure you have your weekly personal study period.

² But consideration goes beyond self, for Paul was speaking about a man’s loving his wife as himself, as Christ also does the congregation. Spiritual as well as material provisions are due her, aren’t they?

are going to get out the complete Neto World Translation in other languages. Well, we can tell you that all the copy is now on hand for the Italian Bible, and we have made It up into pages through the book of Deuteronomy. Copy for the Portuguese Bible has also arrived and, as of this writing, we are setting Genesis In type. The Spanish translation is completed too; and we have finished setting type for the book, but the “Important Bible Words” section must be prepared now. The type is made up in pages as far as the Song of Solomon. Just when these three Bibles will be out we cannot say yet. Publishing Bibles is no small job. Typesetting, page-making, proofreading, platemaking, printing and binding must all be done; but we are happy that we are able to do it. Translation for the editions in Dutch, French and German is still under way.

Work on the new factory, to enlarge our publishing facilities, is And when children come along they too receive of the man’s love. He works to provide their necessities, both material and spiritual.

³ To be really happy, the family must be doing things together and enjoying close association spiritually. It is for the head of the house to plan the regular occasions of spiritual instruction and fellowship. Every family ought to have times when the day’s text and comments can be considered and when they are able to read from the Bible or prepare Watchtoiver study lessons. It takes organization and self-control on the part of the entire family to meet this family requirement successfully.

⁴ This may cut into time that would be used for other things, but what is more Important than taking care of our spiritual needs now? Establish the hour, take the time and hold to the family schedule for the benefit of all. The head of (Continued on page 3, col. 3} still progressing. The 18-foot basement walls are complete, the first floor has been poured with reinforced concrete, and structural steel is up to the third floor. We hope that the work will move along at a good pace now.

We all have much to do in making God’s Word available to people everywhere. To date, we have printed more than ten and a half million copies of the New World Translation, either the whole Bible or parts, and you have done very well in distributing them. Let us all keep It up during December.

May Jehovah’s rich blessing go with you as you encourage the people to get the comfort that is available for them through Bible reading and study; they certainly need it.

Be assured of our warm love and best wishes.

Your brothers,

Brooklyn Branch Office

*               Helping others to find God to be true.               *

'yg^yout Service yMeeting^^

SECOND MEETING IN DECEMBER

Theme: Truth—The People’s Great Need. (John 8:31, 32) Song 69.

5 min: Introduction, text and comments.

10 min: Branch letter. A talk.

16 min: How to Create Interest in “New World Translation” in Your. Territory. Three publishers demonstrate individual presentations actually used in local territory, bringing out points used successfully and comparisons made. One demonstration may end with publisher starting home Bible study.

17 min: What Would You Say?

(2 min.) School servant discusses some advantages of “New World Translation.”

(15 min.) He brings up objections raised by people locally when Bible offer is made and invites audience to state what they would say in reply. (May be points like: Why do I need a Bible? I already have a Bible. I have no money, etc.) Have publisher prepared to give an answer, but urge others to speak up, too. Commend all for good suggestions.

2 min: Report on accounts for the past month and on the audit.

10 min: Concluding comments. Consider “How Did We Do in October?” along with local November report. Show what has been done in December toward 10-percent increase, encouraging service and reporting. Song 40.

THIRD MEETING IN DECEMBER

Theme: Help Yourself and Your Family. (Eph. 6:4) Song 60.

5 min: Introduction, text and comments.

25 min: “Help Yourself and Your Family.”

(5 min.) Talk on article.

(12 min.) Demonstrate family study. Family seated together on platform. Chairman asks father how he arranges it. Then family demonstrates, with even smallest one taking part.

(8 min.) Demonstration with same family as above. Father and mother explain to children how to have a share in service regularly; and what to do. Have children practice presenting a sermon to one another. Review family schedule for field service and show children how they can put in vacation pioneer time during holidays even if they did not send in applications, trying for 75 hours this month, looking ahead to summer vacation pioneering while getting experience now.

20 min: Holiday Season Opportunities. Describe local congregation’s plans for rest of month. People will be busy December 24, so good time for Magazine Day; review two short presentations. Good to be considerate, as most people in a rush. (See December 1965 “Kingdom Ministry,” p. 4.) Have audience show how to deal with holiday greetings, what to say at school about special parties and activities (parents and children participate), etc.

10 min: Concluding comments. Include Question Box and some items of Theocratic News. Song 87.

FOURTH MEETING IN DECEMBER

This meeting may be prepared locally. In conclusion report what has been done thus far in December field service. Have all publishers been out? Are you near 10-percent goal? Refer back to November 1 “Watchtower” article, page 670.

FIFTH MEETING IN DECEMBER

Theme: Getting Off to a Good Start in 29 th “Watchtower” Campaign. Song 50.

5 min: Introduction, text and comments.

15 min: Suggested Sermon for January:

Theme: God Is Alive!

Jen. 10:10—Jehovah is the living God 2 Pet. 3:13, 14—He brings in righteous new system; to benefit we must act (1 min.) Chairman remarks: “Do you like the sound of these subjects: Where Is God?’, ‘Earth and Heavens Declare: “God Is Alive!” ‘How God Speaks to Us Today’? These are just some of the outstanding articles that will be appearing in ‘The Watchtower’ during the four-month ‘Watchtower’ campaign. How faith-strengthening and how timely these articles will prove to be!

“Having in mind these coming articles, you may wish to use this two-scripture sermon in your ministry during the ‘Watchtower’ campaign.”

(10 min.) Two publishers demonstrate sermon, tying in with opening article in January 1 “Watchtower.” After a friendly greeting, publisher says: “You have no doubt heard talk these days that God is dead. I am one of over a million persons who have volunteered to go to the homes of their neighbors and show them from the Bible that God is very much alive and interested in mankind today. Notice how clearly this is stated at Jeremiah 10:10 [read]. The Bible tells us that, as the living God, after he destroys the wicked, he will bless God-fearing persons who have maintained their faith in him with life in a righteous new system of things. Notice how this new system is described at 2 Peter 3:13, 14 [read]. To be one of those blessed with life at this time we need to be fully convinced that God lives and we need a good knowledge of what his purpose is for us. To help you find this information in your Bible, I’d like to introduce to you the ‘Watchtower’ magazine. Notice this outstanding article . . .”

(4 min.) Chairman explains other methods. Another approach would be to make reference to statements that God is dead and ask the householder what he thinks about it. The majority will say they do not think God is dead. This gives us an opening to ask what the person would say if he were confronted with the statement that God is dead. How would he prove that God is alive? We have come to help him defend his faith. Then proceed with the sermon. On the other hand, if the person thinks God is dead, we then have the opportunity to present our evidence showing that God is in fact very much alive, using the sermon and article in “The Watchtower.” Each publisher may use the presentation that is appropriate for the kind of people in his territory. Encourage publishers to review personally points in Chapter 1 of ‘Impossible to Lie’ book and “Awake!” of April 8, 1966, in order to be well equipped to speak on theme.

13 min: Presenting the Good News. Questions and answers.

12 min: Demonstrations of how to get new subscriptions from relatives.

5 min: Explain how to fill out subr-scription slips properly.

10 min: Concluding comments, with remarks on slogan, page 4. Mention campaign goal for congregation based on two new subscriptions per publisher. (See Announcements.) Also, comment on “Can You Use the Film ‘God Canqot Lie’?” Song 72.

FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY

Theme: Cooperate as a Flock with Servant Leadership. (John 10:3) Song 26.

5 min: Introduction, text and comments.

10 min: Talk on monthly theme based on “Watchtower,” January 1, 1967.

15 min: A group of publishers discuss efforts of overseers, based on “Servants Help You.” Show importance of being on time for meetings, not missing prayer or part of information.

15 min: Demonstrate servant having heart-to-heart talk with interested person on “Are You Ready to Get Baptized?” from November 15, 1966, “Watchtower,” bringing out main points. Mention last year’s total baptized. (See January 1, 1967, “Watchtower.”)

8 min: Getting Them Interested. Audience report on efforts to obtain subscriptions, how to overcome objections, points of interest in current magazines that appeal to most persons. Prepare two or three publishers ahead of time to speak out.

7 min: Concluding comments. Read with audience the article “Upbuilding Experiences.” Song 45.

OCTOBER SERVICE REPORT

Av. Av. Av. Av. Hrs. B-C Bl.St. Mags.

153.6 51.7 7.2 168.0

96.4 33.0 5.0 125.4

81.7 22.8 2.4  96.5

10.0   3.5   .6   13.6

Public Meetings Held: 22,065

UNITED STATES GOAL FOR 1967

336,029 Publishers

HOW DID WE DO IN OCTOBER?

We ended the month of October with 172,615 new subscriptions. That is just a little less than the number we obtained last October, when the total was 173,007. Though it seems more difficult to obtain subscriptions, you worked very hard and spent 115,525 more hours in the ministry than during the previous October. While the subscriptions were down a little, the magazine placements were up. The report shows that 5,880,951 were placed—141,080 more than last October. And it was pleasing to see 5,370 more publishers sharing in the ministry than in September, the grand number of 6,158 sharing in the vacation pioneer ministry and a new peak of 9,383 regular pioneers. Yes, while it may be that placements in some areas are more difficult, the fine report reflects your determination to continue to please Jehovah and help honest-hearted ones to hear the truth. Keep up the good work and encourage one another to that end.

Servants

• ¹ Do you enjoy having your overseer or another servant visit you and give words of encouragement? Yes, we all appreciate it when these mature brothers take a genuine interest In us. Especially are we glad for their help when we are faced with trying circumstances. Rendering this loving help, the undershepherds are imitating the Fine Shepherd, Christ Jesus, of whom it was foretold prophetically that “I may know how to answer the tired one with a word.”—Isa. 50: 4.

• ² Sometimes we do get tired and perhaps a little weary, don’t we, as we “have plenty to do in the , work of the Lord”? Then we appreciate helpful words of encouragement. We may rest up momentarily, but because we try to keep right on faithfully serving we will not cause the servants to spend their time trying to help us as if we were someone who had drifted toward inactivity. By our endurance we help the servants.

• ³ Since the spring of the year circuit servants have been following their revised schedule, which permits them to spend from twenty to thirty hours each month visiting those who need encouragement. Special and regular pioneer overseers may also spend ten to fifteen hours per month in this activity when it is necessary and note it at the bottom of their report, always mentioning the number of dedicated persons they served during those hours. In line with this, it is fitting that overseers and their assistants arrange to spend more time visiting those who need special help. Setting aside definite times to

  Announcements

  
  

♦ Literature offer: December—New world Translation, Life Everlasting and two booklets for $1.50 contribution. January through April—Year’s subscription for watchtower and three booklets, for $1. This will be a good time to move out some older booklets from congregation Stock.

♦ Suggested discussions at meetings for service: December 11—Offering the New World Translation; December 18— Showing consideration for busy people; December 25—Review of the sermon; January 1—Presenting the subscription; January 8—Calling back where placements were made in December. ♦ The Society has arranged to keep in stock for at least a year the special October 8, 1966, issue of Awake! so that its fine information on the subject “Why Does God Permit Wickedness?” will continue to be available for your use in the field ministry. Any congregations that desire additional supplies of this issue may order them.

+ Goal: It is suggested that congregations be given weekly reports on how many new subscriptions have been obtained to date throughout the four-month campaign, keeping in mind

Help You

make these calls is recommended. This takes time, we realize, and our servants have many things to care for in doing their jobs right, in addition to family responsibilities in many instances. This may even cut into the time they have been giving to the field ministry some months, but a lost sheep needs the special help of the shepherd.—Matt. 18:12-14.           .

• ⁴ Those who are new or are slowing down in their service to Jehovah need spiritual food for strength. The servant in calling will see what is needed to ensure a good spiritual diet. In addition to a home Bible study, where needed, he will see what help can be given to get them to the meetings regularly. In fact, they really should be coming to meetings with a degree of regularity before they are encouraged to report their activity in the ministry. New ones need help to get the full “pattern of healthful words.” They need to learn about Jehovah’s organization and how they can cooperate with it in preaching the good news.

• ⁵ For the future, the Society would like to recommend that when the booklet Preaching and Teaching in Peace and Unity is issued, the overseer, his assistant or the Bible study servant take an evening, or two or three if necessary, and go over the first twenty-five pages of the booklet with the newly baptized person. There is valuable information here that the new one needs to understand fully as a minister. The servant can make up appropriate questions on the paragraphs, and the study can be

a goal of two per publisher. Some may wish to prepare a chart, indicator, or thermometer, etc., to keep congregation informed of progress.

♦ Evolution versus The New World should be included as one of the three booklets to be given free to new subscribers during the Watchtower campaign, as long as it is available. There are 6,500 in stock at Brooklyn which may be ordered for this purpose.

♦ New publications available:

“This Good News of the Kingdom”

—Afrikaans, Chishona, Finnish, Ibo, Swahili What Has God's Kingdom Been Doing Since 1914?          —French

God's Way Is Love       —French

♦ The Society has in stock the Yearbook for the following years, in the languages shown: 1965—German; 1964 —English, German; 1963—English, German; 1962—English, German; 1960 —English.

♦ Ord,ers for the 1966 Watchtower and Awake! bound volumes in English, Spanish and Portuguese may be submitted starting on January 5, 1967. A good supply of the 1964 Watchtower bound volumes in English are also available. handled in a manner similar to a home Bible study, making sure the student understands the points being made.

• ⁶ The loving help given by our servants is appreciated. Let us with gratitude respond to their efforts to help us as they shepherd the flock with tenderness.

Upbuilding Experiences

Before you leave for service tomorrow morning, would you enjoy visiting with an experienced missionary to hear how he handles situations that arise in the field? How would you like to be with publishers in Asia and Africa for a few weeks as they share in the ministry? Or, what about having brothers and sisters from Commu- / nist lands visit with your family for a few days to tell you their experiences in Jehovah’s service? It would be thrilling, wouldn’t it?

You can personally share every one of those happy experiences. That’s right; all that is necessary is to read your 1967 Yearbook. Don’t miss it!

Why not read the Yearbook report from just one country each morning? Or if it is at evening that your family is together, do it then. Generally it will not take more than five minutes; frequently, less. Do it after you discuss the day’s text, before or after your meal; whenever it is most convenient for you. You will find it marvelously upbuilding, a stimulant to wholesome family conversation. Why, if you read just one report each day, you will have finished them all in less than seven months.

We’re enthusiastic about what is in the new Yearbook and we urge you to enjoy these upbuilding experiences in this way. That’s what we at Bethel are doing.

Help Yourself and Your Family (Cont’d) the family is wise to insist that all the family be present for these upbuilding sessions, and he will be able to review to be sure everyone understands well. One of the parents may report the regular study conducted with the children when some are not baptized.

• ⁵ Families are blessed when all attend congregational meetings together. At the Kingdom Hall you will help your children if you have them seated nearby and know that they are paying attention and learning the truth.

• ⁶ Why do we want to help ourselves and our families with regular spiritual food? Besides providing personal benefits and blessings, when we do so all of us are in a position to help others to find God to be true.

  
  
  

The Prospects Are Good!

• ¹ Why can it be said that the prospects are very good for the twenty-ninth annual Watchtower campaign? We have excellent reasons to say this, because never have we had so many publishers of the good news out in the field preaching world wide. Never has the truth been so unmistakably clear and attractive to sheeplike ones. (Prov. 4:18) Never have we been so well qualified as ministers to present the good news. And never have we felt the nearness of Armageddon and the urgency of our work as we do now. What motivating reasons for an outstanding Watchtower campaign!

• ² For a moment let’s think about our prospects for subscriptions. How many friends or people close to you are there who are not in the truth and not receiving the Watchtower magazine? Two? Three? Four? Don’t you agree that if they are friends they should have the Watchtoiver subscription? Do we want to hold back from them this life-giving information because we know them well? (Eph. 4:25) if each of us obtains just one subscription from one of our friends, it will mean over 1,000,000 more subscriptions!

• ³ Let’s go about contacting these prospects in a systematic way. Suppose we start off the first month of the campaign with our immediate family and our relatives. Are we personally subscribers for The Watchtower? Do our children have their own subscriptions? You will find that the children will appreciate The Watchtower more if they have their own copy coming through the mall in their name. This can be a real incentive to their reading and studying the magazine With more appreciation. Most of us have relatives who are not in the truth; have we given them the opportunity to learn the same wonderful things we’ve learned? Give them that opportunity when you write to them, talk to them on the phone, or when visiting them. Offer the Watchtower subscription to them. Let the direction of God’s spirit do the rest.

• ⁴ For the second month of the campaign we could give special attention to those With whom we conduct Bible studies, ones on whom we make back-calls and to whom we deliver magazines. Persons with whom we conduct Bible studies are almost certain to want the Watchtower subscription, so be sure to offer it to them. Those on our magazine routes are already enjoying each issue of The Watchtower, so why not approach each one with the subscription offer?

• ⁵ In March we could approach those with whom we do constant business. How about your groceryman? You know him well and he supplies you with physical food, so why not offer him spiritual food through a subscription for The Watchtower? Do your doctor and dentist have Watchtower subscriptions? And the milkman? Don’t you agree that these are tailor-made prospects?

• ⁶ Finally, we could make a diligent effort during the fourth month of the Watchtower campaign to obtain a subscription from one of our fgllow workers or neighbors. And you schoolchildren, don’t forget your schoolmates.

• ⁷ With these good possibilities for subscriptions in view, along with our regular house-to-house ministry, we can certainly say that the prospects are good for this year’s campaign. So good; in fact, that we can hardly wait to get started 1

Can You Use the Film “God Cannot Lie”?

The brothers everywhere have expressed appreciation for the film “God Cannot Lie.” Now, in order that an even wider audience may be reached, the Society is happy to announce that this interesting film is available for any circuit, congregation or individual wishing to obtain copies for local showings. Made by Technicolor, it consists of six 400-foot reels, 16 mm, without sound track, and must be run at silent speed (16 frames per second). It comes with either single or double perforations. The cost is $150 for single perforations, $160 for double. This is a cash item and shipping costs are included. A script in either English or Spanish is also included.

THEOCRATIC NEWS

• ♦ 43rd Class of Gilead School began October 24, with 103 students from 14 different lands. The students average 26.6 years of age and 11.2 years in the truth.

• ♦ The October 8 special “Awake!” on “Why Does God Permit Wickedness?” was given excellent distribution. 3,275,-000 copies in English were printed and mailed from Brooklyn alone, compared to 2,747,000 copies for the special issue in October of 1965.

♦ A new branch started as of September 1, 1966, in Lome, Togo. The report showed 668 publishers in the ministry. , ♦ Lebanon, with 854 publishers in September, reported a combined assembly attendance of 1,315 and 19 were baptized.

♦ Nicaragua had 825 publishers for September, a 20-percent increase over last September and a 9-percent increase over last year’s average of 755.

♦ Fiji reports- two one-day assemblies held, one on each side of the island, to follow up the Pago Pago assembly. 435 attended the two assemblies, four were baptized.

♦ First theocratic assembly held in Marshall Islands in September, with 55 at public talk and three baptized. This was excellent; just 8 publishers reporting.

Question

• How should Theocratic Ministry School students be counseled when they do not have “Progressive Speech Training” sheets?

The Society published the “Kingdom Ministry” supplement “Progressive Speech Training” in 1962 as an aid to publishers at the time. But since that time some of the publishers have lost theirs or they find them badly worn and there are many newer publishers who have never received a copy. Numerous requests have been sent to the Society about possibly obtaining more copies of “Progressive Speech Training,” but copies are not now available. They may be later on in 1967, but please do not order them now.

Those who have the “Progressive Speech Training” inserts may continue to refer to them. However, the Society published the book “Qualified to Be Ministers,” and that book may be used as a basis for giving counsel and suggestions to those who are participating in the Theocratic Ministry School. There are adequate references in the index, beginning with page 361 of the book, to help those interested to locate the^subjects with which they are concerned and thus receive practical suggestions o'h how to improve in the presentation of the Kingdom message. We encourage school servants to use the 'book “Qualified to Be Ministers” in giving helpful counsel to those who are enrolled in the school. Therefore you may find it advisable to carry this book when attending and participating in the Theocratic Ministry School.

* When we “plant” and “water,” Jehovah adds growth. X-

Published monthly by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 117 Adams St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201 Second-class postage paid at Brooklyn, N.Y. Printed in U.S.A.

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