PROCLAIM GOD'S WISDOM IN APRIL!

Make Memorial Month a Milestone in Theocratic Progress

• ¹ This is the month we have eagerly awaited and planned for—a special month for acting on wise sayings, such as that found at I’roverbs 1: 20, 21.

• ² Life-giving wisdom this I But how does this wisdom cry aloud in public places? By the true followers of Christ Jesus being filled with God’s wisdom, by their proclaiming this wisdom “publicly and from house to house.’’ In this way God’s wisdom cries out in our day, proclaiming publicly the good news of the Kingdom and the warning of the fate of this foolish world at Armageddon. Let wisdom cry out, then; let it be heard throughout April to resound gloriously in the greatest number of wisdom proclaimers and the widest witness ever achieved in a single month !

• ³ To help us do this we have special theocratic features; also, we have reached the climax of our annual Watchtozver campaign. How well have you done? There is still time to do even better. Strive to reach the quota.

Memorial Weekend Activity

• ⁴ The weekend following Memorial offers fine opportunities to proclaim God’s wisdom. Saturday will be a special Magazine Day for all congregations and Sunday a special day for regular witnessing and offering the subscription. Sunday is the date for the special talk “A New Song for All Men of Good Will.” At the conclusion of this talk both the brothers and the public should be invited to take a supply of the April 15 special Watchtower.

• ⁵ Use both the April 15 and April 22 special issues to make Memorial month a peak magazine month. What a milestone it will be if we attain not only the greatest number of Memorial attenders but also the greatest in magazine placements! We can, if all publishers place at least one magazine a day, pioneers six and special pioneers nine.

  My dear Singers of Good News:

  As we walk in our integrity Jehovah showers upon us undeserved kindness. He wants us to help the other sheep and he blesses us in our doing It. For evidence of this, look at December’s world-wide report, 701,470 ministers preaching the good newsl What a host singing “a new song for all men of good will”! With this happy crowd working regularly each month Just tgink of the home Bible studies that will be conducted in April and the number of persons who will be attending the Memorial celebration on April 3 with us and the great crowd of new ones who will be saying, “Come.” April is certain to bring us more responsibilities in showing hospitality to strangers. (Heb. 13: 2) If we take advantage of this opportunity many of these will be privileged to come to the world assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses in July, to climax our year. Now is the time for all of us to pray and work, “acting on wise sayings for our day,” so that Jehovah’s will may be done.

  Walking with you in integrity,

  
  

• ⁶ Last year Memorial month culminated in the exultant news: “We Made ItI” Can we make it tills year —the 20-percent increase, or a peak of 225,314 publishers? Indeed we can, if all of us resolve to heed the apostolic counsel: “Thoroughly accomplish your ministry.”—2 Tim. 4: 5; Rom. 15 : 2.

• ⁷ Showing that Kingdom ministers are accomplishing their ministry and upbuilding their neighbors is the January report. Over 170,000 home Bible studies were conducted ! Here, then, is excellent potential for the 20-percent i ncrease! So let all publishers conducting studies invite and encourage new ones to begin acting-on wise sayings in April.

, _t OFFER FOR APRIl “Watchtower” subscription for one year and three booklets on a contribution of $1.

?        THEME FOR APRIl

Acting on Wise Sayings for Our Day.

—Prov. 1:20, 21.

^s If April is to culminate in a milestone of theocratic progress, publishers and servants must do their part, as outlined in the March Kingdom Ministry demonstration “Reaching Our Goal in April.” Assist all associated with the congregation to take a part in letting wisdom cry out publicly. Seek to make the congregation a 100-percent preaching congregation during April. All who have not reported by April 6 will be given special help. Assistant congregation servants will give lists to study conductors of all who have not reported by April 6 and for each succeeding weekend.

⁹ To aid new publishers further, service centers in April will feature a special program each Sunday

morning after the daily text. For the first Sunday: introductions appropriate to the territory will be discussed and demonstrated. The second Sunday: talking points from the special issue will be considered for use with subscription offer. The third Sunday: how magazines can be placed on conclusion of subscription offer if subscription is not taken. The fourth Sunday : local objections and how they may be overcome.

¹⁰ So onward into the month’s blessed service: Memorial, the special Saturday Magazine Day, the special Sunday talk, work with the special magazines as we climax the Watchtower campaign and special efforts to reach a 20-percent increase in wisdom proclaimers. Congregations reaching the goal should write on their report cards, “We Made It I” May we be able to say that, as a nation, the country resounded with life-giving wisdom to the praise and honor of its Source, Jehovah Most High.

FIRST MEETING IN APRIL

Theme: Acting on Wise Sayings for Our Day.

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Talk on “Acting on Wise Sayings for Our Day.” (See “Watchtower,” November 1, 1957, p. 657, and April 1, 1958, p. 208.)

15 min: Talk, together with questions and answers, on the letter from the president and the main article “Proclaim God’s Wisdom in April!”

22 min: Demonstration on “Placing Our April Magazine Quota.”

CHAIRMAN (2 min.) April biggest magazine month yet. Presses have worked overtime printing them for us. Our responsibility now to place them with persons of good will. Each has quota: Publisher 30, pioneer 180, special pioneer 270. If 20-percent quota of publishers reached in United States and all place full quota of magazines it would mean about 8,000,000 magazines placed in one month—a stack thirty times higher than the Empire State building. Also mention combined total for local congregation and pioneers. How will we place them all?

DEMONSTRATION (18 min.) (Set scene with table on platform containing one stack of 30 and another of 180 magazines; a third stack of 270 if special pioneers in congregation.) Magazine-territory servant explains stacks represent minimum quotas of publishers and pioneers for month or one-a-day and six-a-day average. Each to reach quota if schedule is followed and every opportunity seized to place them.

Publisher is called to platform to explain how he will do it. Servant interviews publisher as to schedule he will follow. Replies he plans to support prestudy work, Magazine Day—morning or afternoon, back-call night and regular Sunday house-to-house work. How will this help him place quota? To answer in each case, publisher takes number of magazines from publisher stack and demonstrates how fast they will go. If he placed only tw’o before study, two on back-call night, four on Magazine Day and two more on Sunday he will have exceeded weekly quota. Generally he places many more when he shares fully in these features. Thus in four weeks all will be gone. •

Another publisher, not able to make all contacts, is asked how she will place quota. Taking magazines from stack of thirty she demonstrates how she will be able to do street work; will talk to people who come to house during week; will take some with her when shopping and offer them to businessmen she deals with and she also will share as often as she is able in regular service. In four weeks all will be gone.

Schoolboy then asked how he will meet quota. Taking magazines from stack of thirty, he demonstrates how he plans to at least place quota just doing house-to-house work after school. Servant asks if that is only service he will do. Replies “No,” that he will engage in other features of service also, and place many more.

Audience now asked if they know of any other ways to place quota. Some mention special midweek contacts for housewives and those working nights; others say they will talk to neighbors, friends or associates at work; others especially stress offering magazines when people too busy to hear sermon or can’t take subscription, etc.

Large pioneer stack still remains so pioneer asked to demonstrate how they can be placed. Quickly stack diminishes and more are called for as pioneer shows that more time in service and seizing every opportunity makes six magazines a day go fast.

CHAIRMAN (2 min.) Quota is low in view of available time and ways to engage in magazine activity. Table now bare as magazine counter will be at end of month. Local and national quota will be exceeded if all share fully.

8 min: Arrange locally. (Include comments on the text [Col. 1: 25] at the bottom of page 1.)

SECOND MEETING IN APRIL

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: News report based on “New World News” and “Memorial Day Witnessing.” Include local news such as names of sick, experiences and service arrangements.

15 min: Study conductor’s report. One or two conductors will give a report of the meeting with the congregation servant. Emphasize how conductors will aid all publishers in their group to be out in April.

20 min: “Presenting the Good News” —talk and demonstration on “Special Magazine Presentations.” To be conducted by the school servant-

10 min: Arrange locally. (Include comments on “Older Books Now Available.”)

THIRD MEETING IN APRIL

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Talk on “Meeting Our April Magazine Quota.” To help us to do that let us note the magazine activity of some of our brothers in other lands, as reported in our 1958 “Yearbook.” If any think the quotas for April are high let them note the Okinawa report. (193) And in Iceland a sister, a widow with four children, placed 119 and 143 of the special issues for which there were two campaigns in that island. (79) Of special value in placing magazines is friendliness, as a district servant in the West Indies found. (274) In Martinique brothers And public bars good places for leaving magazines, as many as 30 in an hour! (172) Magazine routes also can greatly help, as one African publisher in Basutoland finds. (252) Can a publisher place 40 magazines in 30 minutes? Yes; see report on Ceylon. (114) And don’t overlook incidental witnessing. One Cuban circuit servant placed 18 on one train trip. (139)

24 min: Demonstration on “Know Your Magazine.” Audience should have with them April 15 and 22 issues of “The Watchtower” and “Awake!”

CHAIRMAN (2 min.) Point out need of being familiar with contents of magazines in order to use them effectively to awaken people out of sleep. (Rom. 13: 11) To awaken others we must first be awake to what is in magazines and to the points of interest in them. How well do you know the magazines you use?

SCENE I (10 min.) Chairman selects some questions from “Check Your Memory” and “Do You Know?” and quizzes audience. Two or three of the publishers who answer are called to platform and interviewed on how they plan to present magazines. They should be notified in advance so they will be prepared. The things of interest they point out in the .articles should be usable in the field.

SCENE II (5 min.) One of the publishers demonstrates how he will direct householder’s attention to an article in “The W'atchtower” at completion of his sermon. Another demonstrates how points of interest can be used in a short sermon on Magazine Day.

SCENE III (4 min.) A publisher demonstrates how “Awake!” can be presented effectively by knowing what is in the magazine. In a short presentation that can be used on Magazine Day he demonstrates how to use the articles in “Awake!” and how to offer it and “The Watchtower” for a ten-cent contribution.

CHAIRMAN (3 min.) Summarize practical suggestions for presenting the subscription offer as well as when offering single copies. Encourage all to share in magazine activity for April by supporting service arrangements. If suggestions are used, should have little difficulty placing quota of magazines. Improve your magazine distribution by knowing your magazine.

11 min: Experiences on placing magazines—new publisher experiences, how individuals are doing in reaching the quota, etc. Conclude with talk encouraging all to push toward the quota.

10 min: Arrange locally. (Include comments on the text [Col. 4: 17] at the bottom of page 4.)

FOURTH MEETING IN APRIL

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Talk on “Plan Now to Vacation Pioneer.”

20 min: Reading of the convention letter with comments and talk on “1958 International Convention.”

10 min: Talk on “Can You Serve Where the Need Is Great?”

15 min: Arrange locally. (Include counsel for rounding out April’s special activity and making the last weekend a big one in magazine placements, subscriptions and new publishers.)

Congregation Servant Meets with Congregation Book Study

Conductors

• ¹ Not unlike the nation of Israel, .Jehovah’s New World society today is organized theocratically. From the largest groups down to groups of ten or more, there are chiefs or servants to minister to the needs of the people. (Dent. 1:15) The congregation book study conductor usually has a small group to look after, but this does not minimize the importance of his job. No mere conductor, he is a teacher in Bible study and in the field ministry. He must lovingly minister to the needs of those in his group.

• ² After the congregation servant and all book study conductors have reviewed the duties of the book study conductor, they will meet and discuss ways to improve the book studies and service center arrangements. This can be sometime during the early part of April. The congregation servant and the conductors should have uppermost in mind the improvement of their work by learning how to apply the instructions and suggestions of the Society in the respective studies and service centers so as to bring about steady improvement. As the name implies the places where book studies are held must be real centers for Kingdom service. Do not call them “areas.”

• ³ Book Study: (1) Preparation by conductor and those attending essential for good study. (2) How to have more attend and participate. (3) How to make study more inter

Older Books Now Available

The Society has taken an inventory all over the United States to ascertain the location of large supplies of older books being held by congregations that are available for distribution. It is felt many congregations and individual publishers would like to have some of these older publications for their libraries, and that some congregations may wish to have a few on their shelves for future use. The following are available:

Preservation

Preparation

Jehovah

Riches

Enemies

Salvation         6,3 0 7

Religion       12,210

The books will be supplied for 25 cents each. It would be appreciated if the literature servant would ascertain immediately what any publishers desire of the above books and place an order, using a regular order blank.

esting and instructive. (See December, 1953, Informant.)

• ⁴ Service Center: (1) Conductor^-must take lead and set proper example. (2) Use of two lists each month in aiding irregular publishers, assigning self and other mature publishers to help. (3) Keeping training program progressive. (4) Building up back-call and Bible study work. (5) Building up magazine work within service center. (6) Making service contacts more interesting and upbuilding. (7) Effective coverage of territory by group witnessing (magazines and regular offer).

• ⁵ General: (1) Should be interested in progress of all in group. (2) Call on brothers at their homes periodically to build them up with spiritual discussion. (3) Directing interest to organization, having in mind that service center is steppingstone for attending other congregation meetings; group not to be isolated from congregation. (4) Any local problems.

• ⁶ The congregation servant will be visiting the service centers regularly to give attention to strengthening the groups. He should check the above points again as well as others needing attention in making his visits. At that time he will also work several times personally with each of the conductors in the field service. He should show the study conductor the importance of keeping in touch every month with all persons and publishers associated with his service center.

Memorial Day Witnessing

This day that has been set aside by the world for decorating graves is a splendid time to “comfort all that mourn” by going to cemeteries and quietly and tactfully witnessing to individuals there. Avoid crowds and ceremonies. Some publishers have done this with good success. The Watchtower and Awake! issues of May 22 and June 1 will be designed for this type of witnessing. Orders for extra copies of these issues should be in the office no later than April 25.

Can You Serve Where the Need Is Great?

• ¹ Can you? Many have responded to the call and are enjoying great blessings. Among these are many colored brothers who have left large cities in the North and West to serve in the South, now so greatly in need of help. A number of congregation servants also have responded.

• ² However, here in the United States we still have forty-five congregations with sisters as congregation servants. In all, there are 200 congregations badly in need of servant leadership. Additionally, there are 118 counties having from 10,000 to 30,000 inhabitants that are wholly unassigned. Among states having such counties are Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

• ³ Most of the congregations needing servant aid to continue are in towns of but a few thousand in population, and the same is true regarding the towns in unassigned counties. Brothers who can serve where the need is great should keep this in mind. There is also still great need for families to move into towns and cities in sections of the Northeast, Midwest and South.

• ⁴ So, if you cannot go to a foreign land, how about serving here in the United States where the need is great? And if you cannot go at once perhaps you can arrange to go to such territory on the way to the great convention this summer, get located and then return to work there after the convention. Write to 117 Adams Street stating in what particular section of the country you would like to work!

Unassigned Territory

July, August and September are the months to work unassigned territory again this year. Under separate cover we are sending each congregation a letter explaining what territory formerly open is no longer available for assignment. When selecting territory from the unassigned territory booklet sent to each congregation in 1956, please check this letter to see if the territory is still open. With the letter each congregation will receive an Application for Unassigned Territory. Pioneers may write for an application. All congregations desiring the privilege of sharing in this work should submit their application to the Society before May 1.

Special Magazine Presentations

¹ To bring praise to Jehovah during April we want to share in placing the special magazines. Upon reading them you will agree they contain a timely message. While men of this world face a disturbing present and a frightening future, we have a song that can truly cheer up those who will listen to God’s song of salvation.

²A new publisher might say: “These two special issues of The Watchtower and Awake! are being given world-wide distribution. They contain a heart-cheering message that you will find most encouraging. You may have both of them on a small contribution of ten cents.”

³ On Magazine Day a publisher might say: “Good morning. It has been my pleasure to talk to many of your neighbors about the special issue of The Watchtower. I believe you will agree that we very much need a happy outlook today. Reading this article I learned that God has provided a new song to cheer up men of good will. You may wonder just what this song is and how it is being sung. Rather than being a man-written, sentimental song, this song is the heart-warming good news of God’s kingdom. Hence this song has a life-giving theme, highlighting God’s provision of everlasting life in a new world. I’m sure you will want to learn about it; and this copy of The Watchtower, along with

1958 International Convention

• ¹ The Society is endeavoring to obtain the type of rooms that you wish. Room Request Forms will be received shortly by your congregation. Please use these forms. No assignments will be made from letters.

• ² Do not fill out trailer and tent forms at this time, as definite arrangements are not yet complete.

• ³ Much volunteer assistance will be required. Please fill these forms out completely aud turn them over^- to your congregation servant to sign.

Travel Information

• ⁴ Shortly the Society will be sending to all congregations a letter outlining travel arrangements. It can be noted now, however, that substantial reductions have been obtained. its companion Awake! is yours for a contribution of ten cents.”

• ⁴ In calling from store to store or from house to house you might say: “Much has been said about the threat of war and the prospects for disarmament. Almost everyone agrees that the need for disarmament has never been greater. But what are the genuine prospects for such? Is disarmament the real means for security? This article in the Awake! will prove most enlightening. I know you will enjoy Awake! along with its companion, The Watchtower, for a ten-cent contribution.”

• ⁵ In the prestudy work you might say: “Good evening. I stopped by briefly as one of. your neighbors to give you a message of lasting value. Through the ages men have wanted to know whether death ends it all or whether there is a hope for survival. This article discusses the real condition of the dead and highlights the resurrection hope. I know you will profit from this article, even as I have. Let me leave Awake! along with its companion, The Watchtower-, for only ten cents.”

?         OFFER FOR MAY

| Two books and two booklets on j |         a contribution of $1.

|        THEME FOR MAY

| Keeping Filled with the Spirit of God. t J          —Eph. 5:18.

• ¹ Youth ■ Don’t waste your life away I True, you are young only once, but that is all the more reason why you should make the most of your youthful years so that you may be found worthy to live in Jehovah’s new world of perpetual youth. Because if you misuse your early life now by pursuing selfish interests, you will not only regret it later, “but know that on account of all these The [true] God wall bring you into judgment. So remove vexation from your heart and ward off calamity from your flesh, for youth and the prime of life are vanity.”—Eccl. 11: 9, 10. (Watchtower, November 15, 1957, pages 699-702)

• ² How may youth ward oft this calamity and win Jehovah’s approv

NEW WORLD NEWS

Brother Knorr returns from ten-day trip to Europe after inspecting new branch buildings under construction at London, Paris and Wiesbaden and arranging for travel to international assembly. Many Europeans to attend.

♦ 1,650 attend Costa Rican national assembly during Henschel’s visit. Also, 334 attend public talk at assembly in Nicaragua,- 36 immersed.

$ 600 attend assembly in Honduras; 20 baptized. 549 attend assembly in British Honduras during Henschel’s visit; 30 baptized.

615 attend assembly during Henschel’s visit in El Salvador; 61 baptized. 95 2 attend in Guatemala; 41 baptized.

Three publishers under arrest for preaching in Communist China. Not allowed Bibles or Society literature.

♦ Japan now reporting 913 publishers for the fifth consecutive new peak, a 26-percent increase for the year.

Ivory Coast reports a 37-percent increase with 63 publishers in January.

10,578 at Mexican national assembly; 380 immersed.

♦ Venezuela brothers safe through revolution. Over 1,300 publishers in the field.

Four district assemblies in Peru have combined attendance of 1,533, with 86 immersed. Open opposition of Catholic action thwarted; brothers are animated.

Work going well in Liberia with 301 reporting, a 22-percent increase over last year and the fourth consecutive peak.

Nicaragua reaches third new peak this year of 288, 27 percent, in January.

al ? The wise man answers: “Remember, now, your grand Creator in the days of your young manhood, before the calamitous days proceed to come.” So the only sensible, profitable thing for youth today to do is God’s will. If youths be wise they will apply their lives in the full-time service of Jehovah. They will plan to vacation pioneer, and thus lay for themselves a good foundation for the future.—Eccl. 12:1 ; 1 John 2: 17.

• ³ As pioneers, learn to meet your requi rements. Look ahead. Traveling to and from the international assembly will disrupt your preaching schedules. Be ready to make up that time earlier' in the month. Write now for your application. Fix your goal first, then set out to meet it.

* Paul counseled: “Keep watching the ministry.’¹ Do you? *

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

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