AUGUST 1969

FOR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

“Lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near."—Luke 21:28.

VOL. XII NO. 8

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Here at Bethel we have Just enjoyed an experience that all of you would delight to share—four weeks of close association with branch representatives from all around the earth. Mature, loyal servants, men with an average of almost 21 years in full-time service, they were in their own words ‘delighted and stimulated’ by their stay here. Said they: "The time has flown all too fast I”

In contrast with the disunity of the churches of Christendom, not one discordant note was sounded as to matters of doctrine. Eagerness to get on with the Kingdom-preaching work and to engage in it more effectively characterized the program of these branch meetings. And there was every evidence of warmer-, closer ties between these visiting representatives and the brothers here at headquarters.

Then came the “Peace on Earth” assembly in New York. Unforgettable days of pleasant association and rich spiritual feasting! How astonished all were to learn that Sunday afternoon’s attendance zoomed to 122,011 in New York alone—234.546 at New York, Atlanta and Buffalo together! Equally thrilling it was at these three assemblies to see 5,576 well-prepared candidates offer themselves for baptism in symbol of earnest dedication.

For tw'o days before the assembly chairman opened the program at Yankee Stadium,' special sessions were already under way for the benefit of delegates speaking such languages as Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German. Italian, Japanese, Norwegian and Swedish. During the assembly, sessions were .conducted in seventeen languages. So it was truly an international convention.

Another thing that overjoyed us here at Bethel was the keen interest manifested in the Society's buildings, the Bethel home, the factory and the Watchtower Farm, by so many delegates from all nations represented. Literally thousands toured these places and thrilled to

¹A feeling of urgency was present among the early Christians. Pau! admonished, ‘Buy out. the opportune time for yourselves’; “The time left is reduced”; “Preach the word, be at it urgently.” (Eph. 5: 16; 1 Cor. 7:29; 2 Tim. 4:2) As true Christians today we are no different. We try to make our time count and never be found just counting time in these urgent days. The Truth book has helped to make time count for us and for those searching for the truth. The six-month Bible-study arrangement has helped us use our time to the full in finding and feeding truth seekers. The simplicity and straightforwardness of the Truth book have already moved many sheeplike ones to lifesaving action without delay. As one brother put it, “It gets to the point in a hurry!” We look forward to another joyful month of service with this timesaving instrument that Jehovah has given to us. How can we make our time count in reaching the most people with the truth?

² First, we can take advantage of every opportunity for incidental witnessing. Can you think of times when you got into a good conversation with someone unexpectedly and then wished you had a Truth book with you? By having a Truth book with us wherever we are we will be ready to offer it to the person sitting beside us on the train or bus, to the station attendant when we stop for gasoline, to salesmen who come to our home, to neighbors, to fellow workers, note the provisions for spreading the Kingdom message even more vigorously in the days ahead.

Now, stimulated by past, current and forthcoming assemblies throughout the world, we are all anxious to stimulate still others by our zeal and devotion to the Kingdom’s interests.

Your brothers, Brooklyn Branch Office to schoolmates, to everyone and anyone we may meet. Since we arrange to share in group witnessing on certain days we could begin to think that Saturday, or Sunday, or some weekday is our time to witness. But really, when we think about it, anytime is the time to witness, isn’t it? The Scriptures record many examples of incidental witnessing for us. Christ Jesus witnessed to those he happened to meet, as with the Samaritan woman at the well. Paul witnessed to people he came in contact with while imprisoned in Rome. We seek to have this same zeal and desire to extend the truth to others at every opportunity. —John 4:6-15; Acts 28:16, 30, 31.

³ Secondly, in our presentation of the Truth book from door to door we can make our time count by finding out with tactful questions what the householder believes and is interested in. After we have learned how he thinks, we are then equipped to approach him with Scriptural thoughts on the subject he has shown interest in, and ,we are able to present the chapter in the Truth book that would most appeal to that person. With kind questions at the beginning of the conversation we can quickly discern the most appealing way to present our message to each householder. Sometimes we may be able to commence a study on the first call, so making the time spent at each door really count.—Col. 4 : 5, 6.

* Finally, we can make our time count in calling back where we placed Truth books. The key to this is planning our day’s ministry before leaving home. It is not practical to wait until we are out in the ministry to take out our records and there try to determine what calls we have to make. Much time can be lost iu driving from one end of the territory to the other for one call that proves to be not at home, and then finding (Continued on page if, col. 3)

Stimulating our brothers by our own zeal.

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WEEK STARTING AUGUST 10

Theme: Love Unites. (Col. 3:14) Song 85.

5 min: Introduction, text and comments.

43 min: Blessings We Enjoyed at the 1969 International Assemblies. Consider outstanding points from last four days of assembly. (If this was previously discussed, local congregation servant will prepare substitute program.)

2 min: Report on Accounts.

10 min: Concluding comments. Include “How Did We Do in June?” and congregation report. Song 2.

WEEK STARTING AUGUST 17

Theme: All Preach the Word. (2 Tim. 4:2) Song 22.

8 min: Introduction, text and comments. Theocratic News.

10 min: Comments on Branch Letter.

22 min: Presenting the Good News. Questions and answers. Follow up with demonstrations: (1) Two publishers go to door, engage householder in conversation. Householder asks question. One publisher begins to answer and then other publisher speaks up with completely different idea before first publisher completes answer. Chairman then shows how important it is when working together to follow same line of argument and points out that this problem does not occur when publishers go to door by themselves. (2) Two publishers pantomime door-to-door work, one talking to householder at one side of platform and other talking to another householder on other end of platform, placing magazines. Chairman explains advantages of this: Both are serving different people at same time. They are within sight of each other in case of dangerous situation arising. Twice as much witnessing accomplished, twice as much literature placed. In magazine work practically anyone can present the offer, so why would two go to the same door? (3) Two servants talking over how they will work scattered territory the next day. They have been there before. One says his territory is very scattered. Plans to have only two or three publishers in a car. Many farmers there, so will take two empty cartons along for produce they often get in exchange. Other one says new homes being built in his territory so he plans to drop publishers off and go back to pick them up. He thinks he will have chances to witness too, as sometimes there are three houses near to one another. Taking two new publishers along for training so actually will be calling at only three homes at a time with five publishers in car. Taking lunch so they can stay out all day. Chairman concludes with remarks on 1 Peter 4:7 and reads last two paragraphs in "Lamp” book, page 84.

20 min: Concluding comments. Appropriate “Announcements.” Experiences during or since the assemblies. Song 21.

WEEK STARTING AUGUST 24

Theme: Happy Is Everyone Acting with Consideration. (Ps. 41:1) Song 30.

7 min: Introduction, text and comments. Show dedicated sister tactfully involving husband in discussion of text at breakfast table by inquiring what his thoughts would be.

15 min: Choosing Settings for Ministry School Assignments. To be handled by school servant. Make “the things written aforetime” live by using practical and varied settings for assigned material. Problems in lives of God’s servants in past similar to those at present and are solved by application of same laws and principles. Since written for warning to us, we want to apply to us. (1 Cor. 10:11) How? (qm pp. 297, 298) After reading material give careful thought to setting that would be most practical and interesting for audience. Using talk No. 4 in school for October 12, “God’s Punishment Brings Gladness,” demonstrate how material can be adapted to: 'Bible student preparing letter of resignation from church, getting assistance from publisher; teen-ager explaining to history teacher why her report about the fall of ancient Babylon is different from the rest. When settings are practical and original interest of audience is deepened, they are truly instructed for ministry and daily living by things written aforetime.

15 min: “What Can We Do to Help Our Overseer?” Questions and answers, handled by someone other than overseer. May include references to latest circuit servant report on congregation. Have any improvements been made in things noted by circuit servant?

13 min: Question Box. Family of three discuss how to prepare for service meeting next week. Conclude by having one read paragraphs. Invite all to bring July 15, 1969. "Watchtower” next week.

10 min: Concluding comments. Song 44.

WEEK STARTING AUGUST 31

Theme: Time to Watch Oneself and One’s Teaching. (1 Tim. 4:16) Song 41. 10 min: Introduction, text and comments. Include comments on theme for September. See September 1, 1969, “Watchtower.”

15 min: "Have You Stumbled at What Others Have Done?” Questions and

JUNE SERVICE REPORT

Av     Av Av Av

Pubs. Hrs.    B-G Bi.St. Mags.

Sp’l Pios.     942 143-9 46.1  9.2

Pios.       12,721   96.1  58.2  4.6

Vac. Pios.  7,224  83.1  24.3  1.6

Pubs. 321,066   10.4  4.8   .6

TOTAL 341,953

Public Meetings Held: 24,322

UNITED STATES GOAL FOR 1969 356,057 Publishers

HOW DID WE DO IN JUNE?

Though many were making preparations to attend the grand "Peace on Earth" International Assemblies, we did not, as shown above, neglect our ministry during June. It is especially pleasurable to see how well the publishers did, averaging 10.4 hours in service, and to note the excellent magazine averages. Too, you will be happy to know that a total of 582,195 books were placed during the month. We all rejoice to see what is being accomplished to Jehovah’s praise.

answers based on article in July 15, 1969, “Watchtower.”

20 min: Question-and-answer coverage of "Making Time Count.” On paragraph 2 an experience or two can be related showing the value of incidental witnessing. With paragraph 3 demonstrate and discuss several simple questions that could be asked at beginning of presentation to reveal the beliefs of the householder. For example: Do you think the Bible foretells what the future holds for man? If answer is Yes, can then discuss what the Bible foretells. If answer is No, then might ask. Do you think God will bring better conditions to mankind? If answer is Yes, can then discuss how we know Bible is inspired of God and can reveal future. If answer is No, can then discuss reasons we know God exists and is interested in man. Other questions may be used. We want to appreciate importance of finding out what householder thinks, and then adapting presentation and offer of “Truth” book to his expressed interest.

15 min: Concluding comments. Song

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• What is the best way each publisher can prepare for the service meeting?

At Hebrews 13:15 Paul entreats us, “Through him let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.” In addition to our field ministry, the service meeting is a fine opportunity for us to make a public declaration as part of our sacrifice of praise.—Heb. 10:23-25.

Each “Kingdom Ministry” has a page devoted to your service meetings. We can prepare for the meeting by reading the schedule and study material for each week’s program- in advance. You will then be prepared to comment on the parts that call for audience participation, and where there will be demonstrations you will be ready to take notes. One publisher stated: "It takes me only a few minutes to read the service meeting schedule and the material to be considered, and I find it helps me to go to each meeting with a good working outline in my mind of the points that meeting will make. I get so much more out of the meetings!"

Have you ever reached into your briefcase at the service meeting and discovered that your “Kingdom Ministry” was left at home? Or, perhaps, as you arrived at the place of meeting you looked for your songbook and then realized that you had failed to put it back after having used your briefcase for field service. In order to be always equipped for the service meeting with the right publications some brothers have two briefcases, one for the field service and another for the congregation meetings. This can be timesaving and helpful.

If at any time the’congregation servant finds it necessary to make a major change in the service meeting schedule, he should, whenever possible, notify the congregation at least a week ahead of time in the concluding comments so that everyone will be able to prepare for the next meeting. With good participation on the part of the audience the meetings will be more lively, upbuilding and enjoyable.

• ¹ Receiving a letter is something most people enjoy, especially when it contains good news or words of encouragement. If you were to receive a letter like the following from a good friend who is an overseer it would surely make you happy:

• ² “The way things are going in our congregation nowadays has been a great blessing to me. As you know, I have spent many extra hours with some of the publishers who were in need of help and encouragement and I have been glad to do it. I admit there have been days when I did not know where I would find the time, because so many seemed to have their problems, but I have found out that in Jehovah’s work things always come out all right. When the pressure seemed to be the greatest and I began to wonder what I was going to do, two of the book study servants came to me saying the company they work for was having a strike and they had some extra time available for anything that needed to be done. This offer of assistance proved to be just what I needed and I asked one who was older in years if he would visit two families who had become very irregular at meetings and in service and encourage them. As it turned out, the strike lasted three weeks and in that time the brother made several calls on the family. He was successful in bringing them to the Kingdom Hal! regularly and now they are going out in the service every week.

• ³ "The other brother is very good at repairs, and there were several things at the Kingdom Hall that I could not look after right away, so I told him about them and he got right on the job. He was able to put some new washers in leaky faucets, replaced a cracked window and painted both of the rest rooms. His 14-year-old son was able tn come along with him on a couple of days and he volunteered to mow the lawn and pick up papers that had blown on the property. He is a very industrious lad and after he finished that work he asked for more, so he washed all the windows.

• ⁴ “The husband of one of our older sisters died recently and she is so frail that she has needed someone to check on her regularly. I tried to call on her every two or three days or phone her to be sure she was all right, but with the circuit servant coming and then the circuit assembly preparations T began to find myself unable to keep up with this obligation in the way I would like to, so I wondered what I would do. But then one of our zealous sisters told me her husband had received an increase in pay and she did not have to do any more secular work, so she would have more time for the Kingdom work. She was more than glad to help our older sister. I appreciated very much that this sister offered help when the pressure was on me.

• ⁵ "One of our problems pointed out by the circuit servant on his first visit this year was meeting attendance. I really worked hard on this and all of the servants worked with me. The publishers have responded excellently, so now we have an average of 110 at the Watchtower study, and our peak of publishers is 103. And at the same time they have become conscious of the need to be on time at the meetings and hardly anyone is coming late anymore.

«“One large family that brought all of their children to the meetings gave us some problems, but when we spoke to the parents about the children running to the rest rooms two or three times during a meeting and suggested that this was disturbing others in the meetings besides preventing the children from learning all they should, the parents agreed that they would make the children pay better attention to the meetings and, if one wanted to go to the rest room, a parent would take him. This idea of a parent taking the child worked out well, and now the children are going to the rest room before the meeting and only one had to be taken by the mother during the meeting last week. It is so heartening to see the willingness of publishers to think of others and take good suggestions when they are made with love. I appreciate the spirit of cooperation shown by all in the congregation and am thankful to serve them.”

⁷ Hebrews 13:17 shows how the overseers must keep watch over the interests of the flock and render an account to God, so when the congregation readily take the counsel of the overseer it is a joy to him and gives him more time for the needs of the publishers in general, teaching and building up the flock spiritually. When we turn in our reports on time, volunteer to clean the Kingdom Hall, and see that our children are orderly when in the Hall, things we might consider as small or insignificant, we are really giving a lot of help to the congregation servant And if we find some extra time due to holidays or other reasons and we ask the congregation servant how we might help the congregation, it will be a real blessing to the overseer. He usually has more things to do than his time allows for, so he will appreciate the cooperation of the whole congregation, which is really for the good of all. If you stop to think of all the things the .overseer has to do you may ask yourself, “Am I doing my part in the congregation? How can I lighten the load for my overseer?”

Announcements

♦ Literature offer for August and September: Truth book on a contribution of 25c. If Truth book is not available, use other books in stock, ♦ October 8 Awake! will be a special issue. Please order extra magazines early.

♦ During 1970 service year on first and third visits the circuit servant will conduct congregation Watchtower study in addition to giving the public lecture and concluding talk.

♦ A supply of monthly report cards, magazine distributors’ order blanks and congregation field ministry charts is being sent out to each congregation. ♦ In each congregation an actual count of literature should be taken at the end of August. We are sending out two Literature Inventory forms with the monthly statement. We would appreciate your filling them out and returning the original to us no later than September 5. You may keep the duplicate in your file.

♦ The Society now has a limited supply of the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life in Grade 2 English Braille available on a loan basis. You may receive this 310-page, four-volume set free of charge by writing the Braille Desk. The set must be returned to the Braille Desk after completion of reading or study. These sets are not to be stocked by the congregation.

♦ New publications available:

The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life                    —Finnish

“Your Word Is a Lamp to My Foot”

—Danish, Norwegian

T1—What Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe? —Laotian, Vietnamese ♦ Out of stock in U.S.A.:

“Let Your Name Be Sanctified"

—Spanish

New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures—Dutch “This Good News of the Kingdom" —Arabic, Romanian “Look! I Am Making All Things New"                —Turkish

What Has God’s Kingdom Been Doing Since 1914? —English, Arabic Take Courage—God's Kingdom Is at Hand!                —Chinese

Basis for Belief in a New World

—Turkish

Living in Hope of a Righteous New Order           —Arabic, Chinese

♦ The Society will continue to keep in stock a good supply of music records for “Singing and Accompanying Yourselves with Music in Your Hearts" The set of ten records is $8.50 and individual records are $1.00. The pioneer rate for each set is $5.00 and each record is $.50. Congregations should send a separate remittance for records when ordering.

♦ In addition to the four-page folder “Would You Like to Understand the Bible?" in English and Spanish, we now have it available in Italian. Congregations may order supplies in proportion to their Italian territory.

Can We Accomplish More?

• ¹ The number of people upon the earth is increasing quickly. And among them there is an apparently growing desire to understand the cause for world conditions. We see that the harvest is great and the workers are relatively few to care for the possible preaching and teach' ing opportunities. The question in our minds is, How can we speak to more people in the time we have available for Kingdom service?-

• ² Have you observed in your congregation that there has been a tendency on the part of the publishers generally to go from house to house • in pairs? Is it always the case that when two are going together from door to door they are one experienced publisher and a new one being trained? Do you often see two experienced publishers working together? Is it because they are working in a dangerous neighborhood, or has it simply become a habit that developed over the years?

• ³ Reports from many parts of the world show publishers find so manjt interested people they wonder if they will be able to call back on all of them. Therefore it would be practical if each of us would examine his own service habits and the conditions in his own territory and see whether there is a way of getting more accomplished in the service time available. We can ask ourselves, Do I have the habit of always going with someone else to the same door or back-call? Is it necessary that I always work that way? Am I training a new publisher or are both of us well qualified to express ourselves? If both of us are qualified, then would we not be accomplishing more good if we each went to a different door?

• ⁴ In some of the cities or in certain sections of our territory it has become very dangerous to walk down a street, but that is not true in every territory or in every section of the land. There are still many territories where it would be quite safe and practical for each experienced publisher to go to a door alone. If two publishers are talking at two different doors at the same time, it is obvious that more preaching of the good news can ,-be~ gccompllshed. tha_n_ jf_ both are standing at the same door, with one talking and one observing. And even when training a new publisher, in many cases the new publisher will be able to begin going to doors by himself after calling at a few homes with the experienced publisher. It would really be to his benefit, to get off on his own, and the experience would give him more confidence. When two publishers go together it sometimes occurs that the one who starts the presentation of the good news at the door has his plan of action or line of thought interrupted by a thought interjected by the other publisher and it is hard to stay on the same track of ideas.

• ⁵ This is not to say that publishers should not work together in dangerous surroundings. Rut even in questionable territories it may be possible for them to work out a system of taking every other door and never being very far away from each other and thus accomplish more spreading of the good news. If someone wishes to invite one publisher to come in he can say he is working with another person and they do not want to lose track of each other so he will be glad to come in just as soon as the other person can join him. Meanwhile the conversation could continue at the doorstep.

• ⁶ Sometimes when two work together they will -both quit work when the one with the least amount of time to use that day has to go home. If you know one will have to leave sooner than the other, it would be practical to select a territory for that day where it would not be dangerous to work alone and then one could stay on in the service by himself and increase the number of persons visited.

• ⁷ Group witnessing is often done in rural or scattered territory. Have you ever been with a car group and found yourself sitting in the car most of the day? Has it been the practice to drive up to the house and let one publisher get out and the others remain sitting in the car until the publisher returns? If so, would it not be good to consider the opportunities in the kind of territory you are working? Would not more be accomplished in the time available if the car driver

THEOCRATIC NEWS

$ Philippines; A 23-percenf Increase in publishers; 49,257 shared in the ministry, making the fifth peak in a row. Also, 15 percent of the publishers were in pioneer service in May.

^Australia: New peak of 20,321 publishers of the Kingdom, an 11-percent increase. Their 13.1 hours per publisher represents a new peak too.

▼ Mauritius: 199 publishers report, making a 26-percent increase. Circuit assembly attended by 512 persons.

w Cameroon: 1 1,924 publishers reported in May—a 24-percenl increase. New peaks in back-calls and home Bible studies.

Congo (Kinshasa): An amazing 62-percent increase over last year's average number of publishers. In May 11,936 shared in field service. New peaks in hours, bock-calls and studies.

would go along down the road and drop off a publisher at each house and then turn around and go back to pick up the first one and then the rest? Or, in areas where farms or ranches are miles apart, would it not be wise to reduce the size of the group going in a car and have more cars going to different territories so each publisher might make better use of his time? And since we are spending considerable time and money to reach the scattered territory, it is always good to leave something when people are not at home, perhaps an old magazine, an older booklet, a tract, or folder. And where we may meet someone without money to contribute for the literature, it may be practical to try to exchange something available for the literature, be it foodstuffs, or some household items.

• ⁸ Today we have a feeling of urgency about our work. We join with Peter in saying, “The end of all things has drawn close," (1 Pet. 4:7) Therefore we examine our ministry to see whether it would be practical to go to doors alone most of the time and give more people opportunities to hear the good news.

Making Time Count            (Ctmt’d)

that we have other calls yet to make near our starting point. By our planning in advance all the calls we wish to make that day, and in the most logical order, travel time will be kept to a minimum and we can move progressively from one call to the other through our territory, making the best use of our time.

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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