Preaching by Writing Letters
EACH dedicated Christian witness of Jehovah is under obligation to preach the good news of the Kingdom. Of course, the most effective way to do this is by going from house to house. Some, however, because of disease, old age or other crippling infirmity, are unable to share in the house-to-house activity. Many of these are making good use of their opportunities by writing letters containing the good news of God’s kingdom.
Thus one writes: “Because of a stroke three years ago I am no longer able to go from house to house, and so I witness by writing letters. Recently I wrote such a letter to a woman who had suddenly lost her husband. This woman then came to see me and told how much my letter had helped her. I was able to give her a further witness and to make arrangements for a home Bible study the following week. The study is progressing fine and she witnesses to everybody she meets.”
Another shut-in writes: “At present I have been confined to the bed for over a year. I cannot sit up at all but still I am writing letters and sending out lots of literature. While in almost four years I have only gotten four subscriptions for The Watchtower, placed a Bible and several bound books, I have also placed hundreds of magazines and booklets.”
This sister spends from 65 to 85 hours a month writing letters. She has been in this sanitarium six and a half years, but received the truth only some four years ago. The last time she was permitted to leave the sanitarium, some three years ago, she was able to be immersed.
Another infirm sister, who is 72 years old, devotes some 100 hours each month writing letters in which she includes booklets. The congregation reports that her letters have paved the way for many an effective witness at the door by those able to go from door to door. From one woman she received the following letter:
“Dear——, I want to thank you for the nice letter I received from you yesterday. To begin with I am Catholic, and do love my religion very much. I don’t know how you received my address, but I was very much impressed and interested in your letter. I think it is wonderful to be so sincere and enthusiastic in a person’s religion. Most people won’t sit down and take time out like you do, to write and tell others about our wonderful and loving Master. I am sure God appreciates your work. I have a good friend who belongs to Jehovah’s witnesses, or the same religion as yours, a very wonderful person like yourself and doing a great job in the missionary field. So thank you again and may God bless you.”
At one of the Society’s Bethel homes a brother, close to eighty years old, unable to climb stairs because of heart trouble, sends letters of comfort together with literature to those whose addresses appear in the obituary column because of having lost a loved one. He also uses a list of names and addresses, obtained from a commercial agency for a small fee, of persons professing to be Christians who would like to correspond with others professing to be Christians. He sends a short letter of self-introduction, which he accompanies with tracts, booklet or magazine, and invites an expression on the literature enclosed after it has been read. He has received some very fine replies from various parts of the world.
Nor would we overlook those who are too crippled to write letters and who witness by using the telephone, or who supplement their letter writing by phone calls. One sister, who for many, many years was bedridden, made good use of the telephone, which she had right at her bed, until she was no longer able to witness in this way either because of crippling arthritis.
Then he began to say to them: “The harvest, indeed, is great, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. He that listens to you listens to me too. And he that disregards you disregards me too. Moreover, he that disregards me disregards also him that sent me forth.”—Luke 10:2, 16, NW.