Presenting the Good News—That People May Be Free
1 What a wonderful feeling to be free, free from Satan’s religious bondage! That’s the way all of Jehovah’s people feel, and we believe that you’ll agree that the magazines have had much to do with our gaining our freedom. Our hearts thrilled at the account of the Buddhist woman who read The Watchtower and Awake! and as a result broke free from that demonistic religion. (Awake!, Feb. 22, 1971, pp. 23-26) And do you recall reading of the Catholic man in Canada who found a Watchtower in the wastebasket and, after reading it, said, “My whole outlook on life now changed”? (1971 Yearbook, p. 100) These are now our fellow workers. You can be sure they appreciate the value of magazine activity.
2 What have you found that helps you most to place magazines? It is true, is it not, that having a good knowledge of what is in the magazines is the key? That means reading them over as soon as they come and talking about the articles with others at home or those we work with in the service. When we get enthusiastic about what we read, it is reflected as we talk to people we meet in the service.
3 When it comes to the actual presentation, it is good to have specific articles in mind for the different types of people we meet so that we can point to information that is particularly appealing to them. For example, a mother with young children could be directed to the Watchtower article for children and shown how these articles can be used to implant principles in their minds to defend them against the corrupting influences in school. (Yearbook, pp. 181, 214) Likely on magazine day you work from house to house, but have you tried offering the magazines to people you meet as you walk down the street on the way to the territory? Many do this, with excellent success. What about regular street work? We know of many pioneers and publishers who find that they can easily place magazines on busy street corners near shopping areas or at bus stops or, in fact, wherever there are people. The effect of magazine street work can be seen in what happened in New Britain, where fourteen persons started to study after one of them had obtained some magazines and then shared with the others what he had learned. (Yearbook, p. 237) In New York several brothers have started studies with people they have met in street work. They have found it best to walk up to people, draw them into conversation, then offer the magazines and, when appropriate, the folder advising interested ones of the free arrangement to study the Bible.
4 Do you have a magazine route? If not, and you would like to start one, you may wish to follow the example of a pioneer in California. His route helps him to average placement of 395 magazines a month. When householders take magazines, he says, “Would you like to have these magazines regularly? They are only 20c a month, and I will be glad to deliver them.” A magazine route also offers a wonderful potential for starting studies or getting subscriptions.
5 If, despite all your fine efforts, some magazines do accumulate, these older issues can be used. One copy can be left free when no one is at home and then a special effort can be made to return to get the householder’s response. A pioneer in England is having good results from calling back on such placements and you may too.—Yearbook, p. 95.
6 There are millions more in religious bondage who need to be free. We have the instruments to free them and we know that they can produce dramatic results in a person’s life. (Yearbook, p. 200) So, let’s place magazines at every opportunity.