JANUARY, 1967

VOL. X NO. 1

FOR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ‘Here I am! Send me.”—Isa. 6:8.

^PubCiske/tS:

Just before Brother Knorr left for the series of assemblies in Central and South America, he mentioned at the Bethel table that at least a thousand publishers from the United States had told the Society that they planned to drive to the Mexico City assembly by car and about 000 others were going by plane. In a brief note received since then we learned that 36,556 were on hand for the public talk there.. Just think—over six thousand more than the average number of publishers in all of Mexico!

Before that assembly had ended, another was due to begin in Guatemala, and, according to the schedule, by the end of December there should have been international assemblies in each of the other six Central American countries, as well as Colombia and Jamaica. We have been told that, as soon as details are available, Awake! will be publishing a full report on those assemblies. How tine it will be to share the experiences of those who were actually there!

Here in the United States much good work is also being done. The figures from the October campaign were most interesting. We actually averaged .55 of a subscription per publisher during that one month, and if we could keep up that average during January. February, March and April, it would mean that we would average 2.2 subscriptions per publisher. That would make it the best year for Watchtower subscriptions ever.

We want to encourage every publisher and pioneer to devote as much time as possible to the distribution of The Watchtower. This magazine is devoted to “Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom,” and that is the message that the Bible shows is to he preached world wide in our day. If we are all subscription-minded, truly a fine witness will be given during this campaign.

In addition, let’s follow through on those who show interest. If they subscribe, or even if they do not accept the literature but show

Searching for

• ¹ Good listeners are rare these days, aren’t they? Everyone seems to have his own ideas about life, and the trend is to be skeptical about everything. Nevertheless, there still are some persons who are listening to the Kingdom message. Proof of this is seen in the fact that 802,473 Bible studies were conducted throughout the world each month last year and close to 59,000 persons were baptized. That is encouraging, isn’t it? It .stimulates us to keep searching for hearing ears.

"During January, the sermon “God Is Alive!” may help you to find some hearing ears. Of course, in this part of the world most people may agree with you that God is not dead, so why give this sermon to them? Because it is something they are talking about, so it opens the way for a conversation, and that makes it possible for us to teil them things about God that they need to know. Furthermore, even those who say they believe often have doubts in their hearts, though they may hesitate to express them. What you have in your sermon and in The Watchtower is just what they need. If they will listen to what you say and read what you offer, they will get acquainted with convincing evidence that God is very much alive, and they will come to know who lie is, what his purpose is, and what they need to do about it. These are things that they need to know and act on in faith in order to gain life; isn’t that so?-—John 5:24.

• ³ We are going to encourage as some interest, we need to call back patiently, again and again, to discuss the Bible, start studies, and help those with good hearts to become praise rs of Jehovah.

May Jehovah bless the efforts of all of you as you share diligently in this vital work.

With warm love, Bkooki.yx Bhaxch Office

Hearing Ears

many persons as possible during the next four months to subscribe for The Watchtower. During the campaign last year nearly half a million homes in the United States were added to the list of those already receiving The Watchtower. That makes us happy, doesn’t it? Now, how many persons can we assist in this way during this campaign? In the past, congregation publishers have been encouraged to endeavor to obtain at least two new subscriptions each during the campaign. Do you think that is still a reasonable goal? We do; and we would like to encourage pioneers to try to obtain twenty subscriptions: and special pioneers, thirty.

• ⁴ Our desire is not simply to obtain a lot of subscriptions so that we will have a big report. We put forth an earnest effort to arrange for people to become subscribers because we know that the information in The Watchtower can help them to get on the way to life. If they subscribe, it means that twenty-four times during the year an issue of the magazine will go into their home, filled with truth regarding God’s kingdom, family guidance, and hope in these difficult days.

³ The articles toward the beginning of the magazine in each issue are usually designed to be specially appealing to the public. The articles in the latter part of the magazine generally are the ones that contain the “meat of the word”: but even these, you may have observed, though perhaps talking about our meetings and our field ministry, are addressed to the public. It is this magazine that has been the principal instrument in helping us to come to an accurate knowledge of God's Word, isn't it? Others can benefit from it too. So, let's enthusiastically encourage others to become subscribers for The Watchtoicer. How happy they will become if they have ‘ears that hear’!—Matt. 13; 16.

SECOND MEETING IN JANUARY

Theme: 'Paying Attention to Ourselves and Our Teaching.’ Song 83.

5 min: Introduction, text, comments.

14 mln: Branch letter. Open with brief discussion of Acts 16:4, 5, showing importance of letters from the governing body. Letter covered by audience participation. Close with items from Theocratic News.

12 min: Keeping Our Balance in Dress and Grooming. Talk based on material In December 1, 1966, "Watchtower” under Questions from Readers. To be handled by overseer or other mature brother. Give loving admonition.

18 mln: "Searching for Hearing Ears.” You may want to have a publisher representing "Watchtower” enthusiastically answer questions from chairman on points in paragraphs 2-5 that specifically deal with the magazine and the obtaining of subscriptions. On all other questions, chairman may choose to get comments from audience. stimulating desire to have full share in work for January. After discussing final paragraph, discuss how to go about offering "Watchtower” subscription to relatives, as suggested in December "Kingdom Ministry.” Might have publisher representing "Watchtower” interject some enthusiastic remarks about his eager desire to help those people.

2 min: Accounts report.

9 min: Concluding comments. Consider "Special New Folder,” also "How Did We Do in November?” and local service report. Song 14.

THIRD MEETING IN JANUARY

Theme: Building Our Youths into Gloriflers of Jehovah. Song 73.

5 min: Introduction, text, comments. 10 min: Mature brother discusses with mother who inquires as to what age her daughter (or son) should be allowed to have dates, using material from November 15, 1966, "Watchtower,” Questions from Readers.

12 min: "Why Are They So Messy?” Talk, with questions toward end for six to eight young publishers (who come to platform) as to what they can do to keep things clean and orderly at the Kingdom Hall, at assemblies, in everyday life. Stress importance of starting early and being persistent in training children to be orderly. Based on November 8, 1966, issue of “Awake!”, pages 8-11.

26 min: Help Our Children Toward Real Life. Demonstration.

(3 min.) Chairman: Spirit of world permeates almost everything children see, read, hear and those with whom they sometimes associate. Must be effectively counteracted at home. Construct in minds framework of principles on which to build. When very young, might start with 15 minutes a day. Each have own Bible and book, trained to keep them respectfully neat, clean.

(9 min.) Scene I: Father conducts study in "Paradise” book with two children, ages about three and eight years. Page 141. Asks, Who is on stake? Who are men in armor? What are they doing? Who is man on right of Jesus? (Evildoer who reviled Jesus.) Who is man on left? (Friendly evildoer.) What is he saying? ("Jesus, remember me,” etc.) Young child encouraged, led along to answer easier questions, older child harder ones. Sometimes scripture read, then question asked. Portions (or all) of paragraphs read in summary. At this point chairman interrupts, asks audience, “Why does father identify persons In picture?” (Child’s mind will give substance to Bible words, be more interested, understand better.) Father continues, asks what Jesus replies. When child answers, "Jesus tells man he will be In paradise,” father asks, "What is paradise?” If child hesitates, asks if child remembers where In book picture of paradise is. Gets older child to help younger one find picture, such as on pages 1 and 241. May have older child read selected portion from book.

(2 min.) Chairman: Interrupts, asks audience, “What teaching principles did parent use in getting older child to help locate picture?” (Kept interest of older child, trained him to teach, to express self, to help his brother.) Next scene illustrates mother supplementing father's instructions later by reviewing, applying.

(8 min.) Scene II: Mother says: "We will study now what we must do to live in the paradise that you studied about with your father.” Has notebook with series of pictures from "Watchtower” and "Awake!” and other sources. (Uses simple drawings if necessary.) Top of pages labeled, "A Christian Does”: Study, Pray, Preach from House to House, etc., and "A Christian Does Not”: Steal, Tear Up Books, Destroy Property, Run in Kingdom Hall, Smoke, etc. Lets children apply, giving reasons why. Chairman points out variety of method avoids tiresomeness, helps child make practical application. Parent reads, explains Philippians 4:8. Child explains why necessary. Chairman shows main thing Is to get words of Jehovah in mind. Parent has picture of three Hebrews and image (1965 calendar). Has older child explain, then asks "Do you know a scripture that tells us not to practice idolatry?” (If child does not know, helps him find it.) Asks, "What would we miss out on if we bowed to an idol?” "Are there any things that people make idols of today?” "For example, might such a thing come up in school?” "What would you say?”

(4 min.) Chairman: Purpose is to guide child so that, at first, thinking not too hard or session tiring. Keep interest alive by variation. Use visual aids extensively. Cards might be used at times with idea on one side and related idea or Scripture text on other. Show one side first, child telling what is on other side, then reverse procedure. Be positive, cheerful. Make learning enjoyable. Same material may need to be covered next time, expanding further. Review after study, not rehash; let child relate material to his conduct; keep hope of new order very real, alive to him.

7 min: Concluding comments. (Include appropriate Announcements from page 3 and comments on slogan, page 4. Build enthusiasm for subscription work over the weekend.) Song 77.

FOURTH MEETING IN JANUARY

Theme: All Members Cooperating Makes for the Growth of the Body. (Eph. 4:16) Song 49.

10 min: Introduction, leading Into breakfast scene where text and comments are considered by family. Appreciation expressed for new "Yearbook.” Father has son read experience from “1967 Yearbook.” page 95, paragraphs 3, 4. Comment on share family can have in obtaining subscriptions. Assigns daughter to prepare for reading "Yearbook” the next day.

8 min: Question Box. Publisher approaches assistant congregation servant, asking if it would be all right to continue to associate with present congregation even though she has recently moved out of territory. Discuss matter in helpful way, leaving final decision with publisher.

15 min: Firm for the Truth in Spite of Opposition. Talk based on following experiences in “1967 Yearbook”: p. 137 112, p. 146 U2, p. 147 111, p. 196 HL p. 304 H2-p. 305 Hl. p. 275 1|2-p. 276 111.

15 min: "Increasing the Joy of Our Servants.” Handled by discourse and audience participation.

12 min: Concluding comments. Include experience from publisher who has started study. Tie in comments with theme for month and meeting. Song 75.

FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY

Theme: Making God’s Service Our Chief Joy. (Isa. 65:14) Song 101.

5 min: Introduction, text, comments. 10 min: Talk on theme for month, "Making God’s Service Our Chief Joy,” based on "Watchtower” of January 1, 1967.

15 min: Additional Subscription Prospects.

(4 min.) Chairman: We want to help God-fearing persons learn the truth. “The Watchtower” and “Awake!” will greatly aid them. Report on new subscriptions obtained by local congregation to date. If there has been a good experience in obtaining new subscriptions from relatives in January, this could be related. (Plan it in advance.) In this second month of the campaign we want to think of all the possibilities among those who have previously shown interest, people on our magazine routes, those on whom we make back-calls and with whom we conduct studies.

(10 min.) Ask audience for suggestions as to how to present subscription to interested ones in back-call or Bible study work. Also call on prepared publisher to demonstrate.

Demonstration: Following Bible study, publisher features article that might interest householder, then mentions that this month we are encouraging all interested ones to subscribe for "The Watchtower.” In fact, a campaign is being carried on earth wide to encourage God-fearing persons to subscribe for "The Watchtower” so they receive every issue. Those who subscribe during February, March or April receive three free booklets with the subscription.

Ask audience for suggestions on presenting subscription to those who regularly obtain single issues of “The Watchtower” and "Awake!" on our magazine routes. A fitting demonstration can also be presented, if desired.

(1 min.) Chairman: In February all of us will want particularly to aid interested ones to gain the benefits of each issue of “The Watchtower” by subscribing, as we use all opportunities to obtain subscriptions.

15 min: Presenting the Good News. Handled by combination talk and audience participation.

5 min: Experience from brother or sister on how “The Watchtower” helped him or her to learn the truth, and why we can be enthusiastic in presenting subscriptions to others.

10 min: Concluding comments. Song 86.

• ¹ When dirt you last stop for a moment and reflect upon all the provisions Jehovah’s organization makes for us in the congregation through the appointed servants? And then, as you expressed thanks to Jehovah for these “gifts in men,” did you reflect further as to how you personally might make their loads lighter by sharing responsibility?

• ² Don’t you agree, if we were not careful we might take for granted the loving efforts of our brothers? It would be easy, for instance, to come into a clean Kingdom Hall, enjoy the instructive meetings and then go away without considering what we might have done personally to make these things possible. Yet, just the day before, perhaps only two or three willing servants volunteered to clean the hall. By looking for opportunities we can all help and thereby make the load lighter for the servants. This will give them more time to look after our spiritual needs and theirs.

• ³ Here are a few questions that will start us thinking: As to the Kingdom Hall, do we help with the cleaning and upkeep regularly? Do we make financial contributions according to the need and our personal situation? Do we make others

  Announcements

  
  

♦ Literature Offer: January through April, Watchtower subscription for a year, with three booklets, for $1: or Watchtower and Awake! subscriptions, with six booklets, for $2 Congregations having a supply of the Evolution booklet are encouraged to use this in the campaign.

♦ At meetings for field service the following suggestions may be used: January 15: Talking points from the latest issue of The Watchtower. January 22: Importance of keeping good House-to-House Record and filling out subscription slips properly. January 29: Not forgetting to return to start Bible studies. February 5: Review points on showing discernment in witnessing to people m your territory.

♦ Starting March 5, the circuit servant will give the public talk "The Heritage of Youth—Will It Be Good or Bad?” At circuit assemblies, beginning in February, the film “God Cannot Lie” will be shown in place of the public lecture.

♦ Memorial this year is March 25. Printed invitations may be ordered from the Society using the regular Handbill Order form. The price is 25c a thousand: 15c for five hundred; 10c for two hundred and fifty.

♦ A special public talk, "Mankind's Millennium Under God's Kingdom— Why Literally So," should be scheduled by all congregations for April 2. Manuscript for the talk will be provided by the Society in due time. Handbills featuring just this one talk are available. Please order yours early. If your circuit assembly or circuit servant’s visit is scheduled for that time, you may have the talk on April 9. feel welcome at the meetings anrt contribute to a warm, friendly spirit in the congregation? Are we on time and do we accept and prepare our assignments for the meetings, being dependable? Are we prompt in reporting our field activity? Do we cooperate with suggestions as to the com!net of our children at the Kingdom Hall?

• ⁴ The servants may ask us to lend a helping hand spiritually to one who is weak. How do we respond? Are we alert to visit those who may be somewhat discouraged, sick or needy? You see, these are all matters that cause concern to the servants. Who is it that begins to miss meetings and the overseer and his assistants are not alert to notice it? Who becomes stumbled and they are not affected? Just like the apostle Paul, they have rushing in upon them from day to day the “anxiety” for those in the congregation. (2 Cor. 11:28, 29) Can we help them shoulder this load by doing something to strengthen those who need help, as we keep ourselves strong?

• ⁵ Consider, too, that it is not easy for the servants to speak to us regarding our conduct or shortcomings. It is made easier when we are quick to listen and apply counsel. How important to ‘be obedient to those who are taking the lead among us and be submissive.’ In their keeping watch over our souls, let us do all that we can to make sure it is “with joy and not with sighing.”—Heb. 13:17.

  ♦ Both March and April will be months of special service activity. Can you arrange to vacation pioneer during either March or April or both months? If so, make plans now. Overseers, make sure that you will have enough applications on hand.

  ♦ The Watchtower is now published monthly in India in the Hindi language. Are there people in your territory who have come from India and who might want to subscribe? Why not ask them?

  ♦ Twenty more fresh, new public talk outlines will soon be sent to each congregation. These may be scheduled when you are ready for them, but first be sure that your congregation has not missed any of the first forty.

  ♦ Orders for the Watch Tower Publications Index for 19S6 may be submitted starting January 5. We suggest that congregations order these at the same time that their order for bound volumes of the magazines is submitted. Copies of the Index are 10c each.

  ♦ New publications available:

  "Things in Which It Is Impossible for God to Lie” (Pocket edition)

  —French

  "This Good News of the Kingdom"

  —Efik

  ♦ Out of stock in U.S.A.:

  Evolution versus The New World

  —Spanish

  "This Good News of the Kingdom" —Russian, Romanian, Chinese New World Translation, Volume 3, Deluxe                 —English

  Yearbook for 1964, 1963, 1962, 1960

  —English

  
  

Special New Folder

• ¹ There are people in the territory that are not at home when we call, and some are hard to find even when we try repeatedly. But they need the Kingdom message as much as others do. What can we do to reach them?

• ² The Society has prepared an appealing four-page folder for the purpose. It contains a letter explaining that you called and is designed to stimulate interest in the Bible. The leaflet tells the householder about some fascinating aspects of the Life Everlasting book, explains our free home Bible study service, and invites them to benefit from both. Let’s leave a copy of the folder at each not-at-home this winter.

• ³ Some other people might benefit from it too. Are there apartment houses in your territory where you are not able to get to the occupants? We have a suggestion. If you can make friends with the doorman, he may permit you to slip one under each apartment door without ringing the bells. Or he may allow you to write the names of the occupants neatly on the top of each slip and leave them for him to distribute with the mail. Let’s really put forth an effort to reach them all.

• ⁴ A shipment of these folders is being sent to each congregation, with about thirty folders for each publisher, so please do not order them. Ask the literature servant for your supply.

NOVEMBER SERVICE REPORT

Av. Av. Av. Av.

Pubs. Hrs. 8-0 Bi. St Mags.

Sp’l Pios.     736 143.4 53.2  7.5

PiOS.        9,375  93.5 32.0  5.0

Vac. Pios. 3,152  83.7 23.5  2.6

Pubs. 291,032    9.4  3.5   .6

TOTAL 304,295

Public Meetings Held: 19,106

UNITED STATES GOAL FOR 1967 336,029 Publishers

HOW DID WE DO IN NOVEMBER?

“Feed my little sheep." This you were very busy doing in November, as reflected by the total of 241,073 Bible studies. This was the highest number since May of this year, and exceeds the number for November of last year by 9,940. More back-calls were ’made to start studies too. The back-call average for congregation publishers was up to 3.5, the highest since March. It is evident that you are reaching out to start new studies and use the many suggestions and provisions for helping these new ones to an accurate knowledge of Jehovah’s | Word. Keep up the fine work!

At New Home Bible Studies

• ¹ Not long ago we were discussing hei'e at Bethel some of the questions that you have raised in connection with home Bible studies. In nearly every case the answer to the situation seemed to be that each publisher should feel free to use his own good judgment in deciding what would do the most to stimulate interest or to hasten progress in learning basic Bible truths.

• ² To accomplish the most good, we need to learn to be flexible. There are persons with whom it is best to use just their Bible for several weeks to win their confidence before you ever direct their attention to the publications of the Watch Tower Society. Others may gladly accept the literature but hesitate to agree to any regular study arrangement. Rather than feeling that you have to start them right off in a study of a book, why not patiently show them that the problems and questions that they are most concerned about in life are answered in the Bible? At first they may be passive listeners, so you have to size up the situation and select something that you feel to be appropriate. But when people start asking questions, it is wise to realize that those questions are the key to their interest in continued discussions. Feel free to use any of the Society’s publications, or the Bible alone, to satisfy the questions that are on their minds.

• ³ Frequently you will find that the questions they raise are ones that are discussed in the publications in your briefcase. If you feel that it would be beneficial to use one of those publications as the basis for your discussion, do so. In some cases you may simply use it for reference: at other times you may be able to use the regular study procedure. Do not hesitate to start with any chapter or any article in any of the Society’s publications. Use whatever you feel will do the most to hold the householder’s interest. There is the ‘Impossible to Lie’ book, with twenty-one different chapter themes: fourteen more are found in the Life Everlasting book. Perhaps a “Your Word Is Truth” article in Awake! has what you want, or maybe an issue of The Watchtower or one of the booklets. Then, too, you have “Make Sure of All Things; Hold Fast to What Is Fine,” which sets out choice texts on 123 topics. There are no rules that say that everyone must use a particular publication or start on a certain page.

• ⁴ When you complete your discussion of the householder’s first question, you may find that he has a lot more. Rather than telling this newly interested person that he will have to wait until you come to that subject in the book, you may find that he will be mote inclined to want to have you continue calling if he is getting answers to the questions that are on his mind. The important thing is to help him to study the Bible regularly.

• ⁵ The questions asked by the householder may have been covered in several of the Society’s publications. Which should you use? That is up to you. If you find that you are better able to use one presentation of the subject than another, select the publication that you prefer. They have all been prepared for your use.

⁸ So, there is no need to feel that every; new study should start with chapter 1 of the ‘Impossible to Lie’ book. The first three chapters of that book are specially designed to meet the needs of certain types of people. If that is what is best for your call, use it. If it will result in more rapid progress for you to concentrate on later chapters of the ‘Impossible to Lie’ book or even to use another publication, do that. The important thing is to focus attention on the information that is best suited to the needs of the individual.

⁷ When your study is well established, it will not be difficult to go back and cover the topics that may have been skipped at an earlier date and to do so in a systematic way. By the time the newly interested one is ready for baptism, of course, you will want to be sure that he has either studied with you, or personally read, both the books “Things in Which It Is Impossible for Goel to Lie” and Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God.

THEOCRATIC NEWS

♦ Forty-third class of Gilead received foreign assignments from Brother Knorr November 28. It is planned that students, after graduation in March, will go to 28 different lands, such as 54 to Latin America, 9 to Africa, 8 to Taiwan and 5 to Korea.

♦ Nigeria advises that 1 5 to 20 defenseless brothers were killed in recent disturbances in the North, including a special pioneer, a congregation servant, also several other servants and pioneers. Still the work goes on, and the report for October shows 39,458 publishers.

4* Malawi reports a new peak of 1 6,606 publishers in October, a 10-percent increase over last year’s average. Nearby Mozambique reported 1,276 publishers, for an 11 -percent increase.

News report in New York ’"Times" says Spanish Supreme Court reversed sentences and cancelled fines against five brothers charged with illegally gathering to read Bible.

♦ New peaks in publishers reported from various lands: Senegal with 100; New Caledonia with 109; Kenya with 301, and Argentina with 1 1,977.

Question $ox

• When new units are formed or publishers move into territory of an adjoining congregation, would it be all right to continue associating with the congregation of one’s choice even though this congregation did not hold the territory in which one lived?

The Society generally encourages publishers to associate with the congregation holding the territory in which they live. There are distinct advantages and benefits that will result, such as being able to share in the service in territory near one’s home and directing interested ones to the nearest congregation. Also, this helps in planning and organizing the work through the service centers. Some adjustments naturally have to be made in transferring to a new congregation. For one thing it means not seeing as often the brothers and sisters in the former congregation, but it does not take very long to build new, warm friendships in the new congregation. Also, it is recommended that, as soon as circumstances will allow, back-calls and studies be turned over to publishers who will continue with the former congregation. In some cases it may be a few weeks or so before this can be done.

It is recognized that considerable inconvenience would result to some if there were no exceptions to this recommendation. In some instances, too, provision has been made for brothers to serve as servants or pioneers in a neighboring congregation where there is a special need. Generally speaking, however, when we move or find ourselves in a different congregation’s territory due to a territory adjustment, it is best to become associated with the congregation holding the territory where we Five.

* Announce Jehovah’s kingdom with “The Watchtower.” *

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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