FOR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

JANUARY, 1960 “Seek peace and pursue it. For Jehovah’s eyes are upon the righteous.”——1 Pet. 3:11,12. VOL. Ill NO. 1

Help Make Mhds Over for New World

New Sermsis

^JA splendid new sermon on “Prayers That God Hears” will help you start the twenty-second 'Watchtower campaign with enthusiasm. It is a field-tested sermon that has strong appeal and has brought good results in many parts of the country. By means of it one circuit servant placed the offer with nine householders in one day, and his wife had equal success. Another said: “The sermon on prayer holds the attention of the householders and gets excellent results.” Practice the sermon until you are thoroughly familiar with it.

- Deliver the sermon at every door with earnestness, and make the subscription offer with enthusiasm, knowing that what you are presenting will help people make their minds over for the new world. It means peace, happiness and hope for them. You know from personal experience that The Watchtower is invaluable for this mental and spiritual transformation. (Eph. 4: 23; Rom. 12:2) Even if a new subscriber reads only an occasional article throughout the year, the truth’s transforming force can still operate on him.

• ³ Do not forget to study with new subscribers. Try starting a study on the first call by using a study booklet. Explain that it is a reprint, of a Watchtower article. Call back on all subscribers. On each successive call point out interesting articles and statements in the new issues, that they may have a keener desire to read The Watchtower and to study regularly. Excellent progress is shown nearly every month in the home Bible study activity.

• ⁴ As we. share in this. Watchtower campaign, let us pray that Jehovah will bless our endeavors to find and feed his sheep. Consistent with our prayer, let us be sure we are prepared to present the message effectively.

Subscription Quotas

• ¹ The quota each publisher will want to aim for is two subscriptions. Pioneers will strive for twenty, while special pioneers will seek thirty. No doubt, many will exceed these quotas. Each congregation may find it helpful to make up a neat chart that shows the local progress in the campaign. However, it should not be left up during Sunday’s meetings.

• ² The offer will be a subscription for The Watchtower for one dollar with a gift of three booklets, or an offer of subscriptions for both The Watchtower and Atoake! for two dollars with a gift of six booklets. Congregation publishers will turn in 9()c for every new subscription.

• ³ With, the same splendid effort as in the Awake! campaign, we can expect the best Watchtower campaign yet. It was an all-time ? OFFJ-R FOR JANUARY | i “Watchtower” subscription for one | ) year and three booklets, for $1.   )

} •’HRMi FOR JANUARY j i     Making the Mind Over for     |

( the New World.—Eph. 4:23. | high for new Awake! subscriptions in October. Special pioneers averaged ten subscriptions, regular pioneers 6.1, vacation pioneers 4.6 and congregation publishers .6—173,547 new subscriptions and 3,687,660 individual copies in one month.

• ⁴ Give everyone you meet the opportunity to let The Watchtower transform his mind for the new world. Offer it regularly from house to house, also to those with whom you conduct Bible studies and others. If a person speaks a foreign tongue better than English, encourage him to subscribe in that language. Have on band copies in the various languages spoken in your territory. Yes, take advantage of every opportunity to offer the Watchtower subscription.

New Service Aid

• ¹ The Society is happy to announce the release of the booklet Preachiny and Teaching in Peace and Unity. How appropriate it. is in view of our new yeartext! How fitting, too, in view of the emphasis that the Scriptures place on our both preaching and teaching!

• ² When we understand the position and responsibilities of our brothers and when we have in mind the general organizational pattern that is followed in carrying out the work that Jehovah God has given us to do, we can work in peace and unity. This is part of making our minds over for the new world. The booklet offers practical suggestions that unify us and that help us to find joy in the ministry as we see the results of well-organized activity.

• ³ While the booklet contains the same basic instructions as Preaching Together in Unity, it has been brought up to date. It also helps each minister to appreciate that all the activities of his life are part of his ministry, and that he must individually maintain proper balance in time devoted to these responsibilities. It points out that there are many times to share in the field ministry, not only weekends, and each one should work out a balanced schedule that fits his circumstances.

• ⁴ Early in January the Society will ship these booklets to the congregations on consignment, and congregation servants should see that each baptized person receives his copy. The name and address of the individual minister should be printed in the space provided, and the congregation servant will sign the booklet when it is issued. These booklets are not to be stocked by congregations, but they may be ordered for newly baptized publishers as needed following your original consignment. Arrangements will be made to study this new booklet in the service meeting.

•X Make minds over for the Work! with “healthful teaching.” *

FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY

Theme: Making the Mind Over for the New World.

• 5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Talk on theme for the month, “Making the Mind Over for the New World.” (See “Watchtower,” January 1, 1960, p. 32.)

15 min: Question-and-answer coverage of the articles “New Sermon” and “Subscription Quotas” on front page.

22 min: New sermon.

(2 mln.) Chairman. “Watchtower” campaign to be biggest ever. Let people know that magazine offers mature guidance in Bible study, puts emphasis on doing God’s will and is answer to Bible students’ prayer. New sermon will teach people the importance of right prayer to Jehovah. All should learn and use it effectively. Entire congregation to discuss it.

(12 min.) Chairman discusses with audience. (Put sermon on blackboard or on sign before audience so all can see.) First requisite is introduction that will sharply draw attention to subject and gain interest. Following one is field-tested and found most practical: “My name is ---. My pur

pose in calling is to discuss briefly the importance of prayer. Most people respect prayer and pray for peace, health, prosperity and many other things. Have you ever -wondered, though, why some prayers are apparently heard and answered and others are not? [Let them reply.] God is not partial, for he invites all men to pray to him. But the Bible shows that a favorable response from God depends on our own attitude and the manner in which we offer prayers. The psalmist puts it this way . . .”

Theme: Prayers That God Hears God does listen to prayers of men

Ps. 145: 18

Unrighteous not heard, unless wrong course stopped Isa. 1:15-17

For what should we properly pray? Jesus emphasized the Kingdom

Matt. 6: 9, 10

Kingdom brings answer to proper

hopes and prayers Rev. 21:3, 4

Conclusion should focus attention on importance of understanding and doing God’s will so oui’ prayers will be answ^Tered. We could conclude by saying: “From our discussion we have learned that the Bible makes it clear that it is proper for us to pray to God, but some prayers are not answered because those praying are not in harmony with God’s will. Our prayers for peace, good health, prosperity and such matters of importance to us find their answer through the kingdom that Jesus taught us to pray for. I’ve gained much knowledge on the important Bible subjects of prayer and the Kingdom from reading ‘The Watchtower.’ [Bring out magazine.] In this issue on page . . .”

Other introductions and conclusions can be used to give different slants on subject of prayer. Be versatile, use ear-catching expressions that will awaken interest in “Watchtower.”

(6 min.) Publisher who is good teacher and well prepared demonstrates use of sermon on “Brayers That God Hears.”

(2 min.) United use of sermon will drive home need of prayer. Practice use of it at home and at service centers, then make use of it in field service. “Watchtower” campaign will be best yet if we are well prepared

an excuse, as shown by her discussion with husband earlier. Receives suggestions from audience on how they would meet objection. In conclusion of part, publisher demonstrates how to overcome objection and obtain subscription.

Housewife resumes seat, bell rings again, husband answers. His objection: “I have enough magazines.” After audience suggestions, publisher demonstrates how to answer objection and obtains subscription.

Husband resumes seat, bell rings again, daughter answers, objecting, “I’m too busy even to read the paper.” Audience offers suggestions, and, in conclusion, publisher overcomes objection and subscription is obtained.

CHAIRMAN (3 min.) Conductor sums up, emphasizing that objections can be steppingstones to placements if publishers realize they are often merely excuses and many times can be overcome quickly and tactfully. Encourage publishers to (1) note interest found, (2) make return calls and start studies, (3) direct interested ones to organization, and (4) aid new ones to become praisers of Jehovah.

(Note: In February provision will be made on a service meeting to make return call and start study with this family used in demonstration; in March, to direct the family to organization, and in April, to start them in the field work. Use same group of publishers for each if possible. Publishers starting and now conducting studies should have same goal.)

8 min: Concluding comments.

FOURTH MEETING IN JANUARY 5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

15 min: “Congregation Organization.” Cover material with questions and answers.

10 min: Round-table discussion of article “Be a Teacher—Directing New Ones to the Organization.”

22 min: “Directing New Ones to the Organization by Discussions After Home Bible Studies.” To be handled by school servant. Some parts can be covered with talk, or pantomime, while others can be demonstrated in full or in part.

Part I: Demonstration showing tw^To brief scenes designed to acquaint person of good will with organization and stimulate desire to associate with it. Each one should deal with a different meeting. (See “Qualified to Be Ministers”, Study 55.)

Part II: Series of brief demonstrations showing what can be done week by week to prepare new one for service: (1) Tell personal house-to-house experience or use one from “Yearbook” and show Scriptural reason for doing work this way. Help good-will person to see the urgent need of sharing message with, others. (2) Explain moral standards of New World society. (3) Tell about arrangements to train new ones in ministry. (4) Help good-will person to learn current sermon from “Kingdom Ministry.” At end of last one in series, make definite arrangements to take person along in field service.

8 min: Concluding comments. (Include remarks on the slogan based on Col. 1: 10, at the bottom of page 4.)

FIFTH MEETING IN JANUARY

Congregations having a fifth service meeting will arrange their own program.

Counting Time Spent Preaching

• ¹ Millions of hours are regularly spent by over four fifths of a million publishers throughout the world preaching the good news. In the United States alone the staggering total of 36,890,221 hours was spent in preaching during the 1959 service year! When figures get into the millions we are impressed, but the meaning behind them is better appreciated when we break them down to see how they apply to us individually. If we isolate an average congregation publisher’s hours from this vast figure, they amount to 10.4 hours each month; for the regular pioneer, 93.1: and for the special pioneer, 142.4. Added together, what a mighty shout of praise to Jehovah!

• ² During the past five years we have seen the total hours devoted to preaching in the United States increase from 24,417,154 to 36,890,221. This means that the Master of the harvest is answering our plea for more workers in the harvest, and the more we preach and teach, the more persons we aid to know the way to life.

• ³ What is included in this report of time devoted to the ministry? Time spent preaching the Kingdom message to the public and to persons who are not yet baptized. When witnessing from house to house, making back-calls or conducting home Bible studies, each minister counts the time from when he calls at the first house in the area where

  Announcements

  
  

Under separate cover each congregation will receive two sets of the new and improved Instructions for Congregation Accounting and sufficient forms to put the system into operation January 1, 1960. One copy is for the accounts servant and the other is to be read by the literature and magazine-territory servants before being filed by the congregation servant. When the congregation servant meets with the accounts and literature servants early in January, they should thoroughly study the new system together.

& The outlines for the 1960 series of public talks are being sent to each congregation. When they are received, the congregation servant should assign the talks to those who are Qualified public speakers. It may be that the committee will want to consider adding some who now qualify to the list of speakers, as outlined in paragraph 134 of Preaching and Teaching in Peace and Unity. The new series will begin on April 17.

Starting March 6, circuit servants will give the public talk “What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?” Sometime in February, as directed by the Society, district servants will commence giving the talk “Finding Peace in This Troubled World.” he plans to do his witnessing until he leaves his last call. It is true that some householders may not be at home, but even calling at these homes is part of carrying on the ministry “from house to house.” Time devoted to witnessing publicly on the streets and incidental preaching is also reported.

• ⁴ This does not mean that congregation publishers devote only 10.4 hours to their ministry each month, or that pioneers devote only 93.1, and so forth. By no means! Everything we do in life is governed by the fact that we are Christians. Studying God’s Word, attending meetings, providing for one’s family, one’s daily conduct are all part of the life of a Christian—all part of the ministry. So, staggering as the report of 36,890,221 hours is, that is only a small part of the time devoted by Jehovah’s witnesses to their ministry.

• ⁵ Reporting the results of our activities in the actual field service is incidental; it is the service that honors Jehovah that is important. Yet we are all interested in the combined results, whicli reveal how Jehovah is blessing our efforts. The report encourages us, shows us where there is room for improvement, and enables the organization to supply us with equipment for the ministry. Therefore, it is good for all to appreciate the value of reporting. Keep a personal record of your activity on the weekly report slip and turn this, in each week.

January is Alien Address Report month. Any who are not U.S. citizens should remember that the government requires them to fill out an address report card (Form 1-53) this month. It may be obtained at any post office or immigration office, filled out. and left with the clerk there.

<>Ne\v publications available:

“Look/ I Am Making All Things

New”—Arabic, Finnish, Portuguese When God Speaks Peace to All

Nations —Finnish, Portuguese

These items available again in U.S.A.:

Basis for Belief in a New World

—Finnish

Healing of the Nations Has Drawn Near                   —Finnish

NOVEMBER SERVICE REPORT

Public Meetings Held: 21,730

UNITED STATES QUOTA FOR 1960 243,364 Publishers

Be a Teacher

Directing New Ones to the Organization

• ¹ Doctrinal truths are taught at the home Bible study. How, then, can we teach good-will persons about God’s organization and the public ministry performed by that organization? Mention the organization in prayer, thanking Jehovah for it and for the aids it provides. After closing prayer follow through with the suggestions in Qualified to Be Ministers, Study 55.

• ² Begin this teaching program with the very first study. No rule can be set as to how fast to proceed in directing them to the organization. Each person is different. Discern what their needs are; teach them progressively, laying a basis for each forward step you wish them to take.

• ³ Where will the publisher find material for his week-by-week program? Use the Bible. Discuss material in such chapters as Matthew 25 and Ezekiel 9, bringing in the organization and the ministry. Sometimes use excerpts from Society publications. Abundant material is available: The Yearbook, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, “Make Sure of All Things,” Kingdom Ministry, convention reports, news clippings, the ministry school schedule, experiences, and so forth. Teach good-w’ill persons so that they see the need for and have a desire to attend meetings, have a share in the field ministry and make a dedication.

• ⁴ Give new ones a knowledge of the meetings and the way the field ministry is performed. Explain the provision made for new ones to accompany someone who is experienced in the ministry. Before Inviting anyone into the service, explain the Scriptural principles adhered to by the New World society regarding honesty, drunkenness and relations between the sexes, and that one must live by them before engaging in the field ministry. Explain the urgent need for others to hear the message. Help them little by little to learn the current sermon.

• ⁵ After a person attends meetings and shares in the ministry, keep on teaching him. Teach him about the servants and their duties. Introduce some of the servants each week. Teach him how to obtain literature and use the various forms. Teach him gradually the modern-day history of the organization. Teach him how the organization meets its expenses the Scriptural way. Use discernment in applying these suggestions.

  
  
  

Introducing the Subscription Offer

• ¹ The subject of prayer will appeal to people of almost all religions and to many who have no church affiliations. In giving your introduction it is best to get to the point immediately so that the person will see that you have a definite purpose in your call. Focus his thoughts quickly on a certain theme connected with prayer.

• ² To approach the sermon from the viewpoint of how our prayers can be answered you could begin by saying: “Good morning. I am Mr.----, a minister making a brief

call to discuss something that most people have respect for; that is, prayer. In a world of growing wickedness, crime and communism, many people are turning to prayer, yet it is evident that not all prayers are answered even though these might be offered in sincerity. How can one be sure his prayers will be answered? That it is proper to expect God to answer prayer is shown by the psalmist David in these words . . .” (Read Fsalm 145: 18.)

• ³ To emphasize prayer as a pro

  Make Good Us© of tribe "Tessrbeok/' Calendar SKiS

  
  

vision from God for our help, one could say: “Good morning. My name is ----. I am calling to en

courage righteously disposed persons to exercise a privilege we all can have in common, whether Catholic, Protestant or Jew: that is, prayer. All of us should avail ourselves of it, since it is a way God has provided for us to get help from a divine source. The Bible tells us at Psalm 145 :18 that we can pray with confidence if we pray in the right way . . .”

• ⁴ After giving the sermon you can sincerely recommend The Watchtower as a help to effective prayer, and a vital aid to gain information about the kingdom that Jesus taught us to pray for. A positive presentation will result in many new Watchtower subscriptions.

? OFFER FOR FEBRUARY _;

Z “Watchtower” subscription for one i

{ year and three booklets, for $1.  ^{1 2 3 4 5 6}

I THEME FOR FEBRUARY )

J Acquiring Mightiness for Turning the.

|         Battle.—Isa. 28:5, 6.

IEW WIO HEWS

Largest public meeting ever held by brothers in Colombia. 2,220 attend at BarranquilJa during visit of Brother Knorr, in spite of the fact that no advertising was permitted.

Mexico: At four district assemblies a total of 8,677 attended, and 6,700 attended in Mexico City. Manzanillo, Colima, reported 39 publishers, although they lost homes and all possessions in earthquake and cyclone; none hurt physically. Mexico City assembly sent 57 cartons of clothes, and financial aid, to these brothers.

Ethiopian government forced missionaries to leave Asmara, Eritrea, on October 30. Local brothers determined to carry on.

Solomon Islands: Entire villages want to be Jehovah’s witnesses. Average of 27 hours for congregation publishers shows zeal; 83 reporting service.

< Sarawak: Two missionaries forced to leave on October 31; officials would not extend visas. Statement from Chief Secretary advised: “Government is not at present prepared to admit missionaries from organisations not already established.”

Family of ten moved from Palembang, Sumatra, to the Moluccas Islands in Indonesia to open up new territory. Two pioneers starting work in Sangir Islands obtained 158 subscriptions in two weeks.

"Wi WATCHTOWER"

Order extra distributor’s copies now.

January 1 5

0 The Great God Who k "Doing Wondrous Things.”

Happy Family of the Wonder-working God.

This Is a Time of Judgment.

‘Neither Will Pain Be Any More.'

January 22

Thirsting After Righteousness. Exercising Dominion over the Animals. Helping the Handicapped.

February 1

How Happy the Mild-tempered and Peaceable!

Mildness and Self-Control Yield Peaceable Fruitage.

The Apocrypha—of God or of Men? Why Do You Believe in the Trinity? "Death Will Be No More."

February 8

■$- The Fear of Ridicule.

What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?

The Amazing Port of New York.

Groping for Spiritual Food.

* “Go on bearing fruit”-—directing new ones 5© the ©rganization. X-

Published monthly by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 117 Adams St., Brooklyn 1, N.Y. Second-class postage paid at Brooklyn, N.Y. Printed in U.S.A.

4

¹

“Man must live”—that lie must —however, “not on bread alone,” said Jesus, at Matthew 4: 4.

²

Each day the Yearbook provides a fresh Scriptural thought with which to begin the day. From early morning it channels our thinking in the right direction, which is nourishing, upbuilding, life-giving. Bring the whole family in on the discussions. Invite children to ask questions; encourage everyone to comment. Make sure the Scripture text is fully understood. Each dayread one or two experiences from the Yearbook, perhaps locating the country on a map and commenting about the people and their way- of life. Include the calendar in your discussions and have it prominently displayed in your home. Mention the theme texts. Comment on the various features of the illustration and their Scriptural significance. Parents should view these occasions as unique opportunities to teach the

³

family. Make your Yearbook sessions with the family- meaty, lively,

⁴

interesting and spiritually educational.

⁵

Year by year more and more are appreciating the value of having bound volumes of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. It would be well for each congregation to have these volumes in their Kingdom Hall library, as they are excellent to use for reference, research, preparing talks, and so forth. Additionally, families may make splendid use of their bound volume of last year’s Watchtower magazines each day- by- referring to the article on which the Yearbook comments are based and tying the information into their discussion of the daily text.

⁶

Benefit fully from these provisions by making good use of the Yearbook, calendar and bound volumes day- by- day throughout the new year. All the above are now available on order from the Society.