Branch Letter
Dear Fellow Publishers:
We thought you would like to know what fine work you did during the 1972 service year in the forty-eight states. Total publishers increased by 15,346, which means we had, on the average each month, 418,239 persons declaring the good news. Isn’t that fine! The ratio of publishers to population is now 1 to 476. Of course, States vary considerably. The ratio ranges from 1 to 271 in Oregon to 1 to 972 in Rhode Island.
There are 118 more congregations than last year, bringing the total to 5,794. This is wonderful, especially when we compare it with the number of congregations twenty years ago—3,103. Yes, 2,691 more! And a tremendous amount of literature was placed. Including books, booklets and magazines, this past year you placed 98,135,514 pieces of literature. That represents about two pieces of literature for every family in the country! Besides that we shipped to you over 29,000,000 Bible study folders. And the handbills printed for your use reached a total of 122,236,000.
A great amount of effort was put forth to reach the people with the most urgent message of the day. Total hours in the field service came to 71,912,301. Return visits totaled 34,032,676. Home Bible studies averaged 298,129 monthly. Pioneers reached a peak of 15,565. Total applications for temporary pioneering came to 64,205. What were the results? A grand witness was given concerning the name and kingdom of our God; also, during the year 47,953 persons were baptized as disciples of Jesus Christ, to compare with 22,023 ten years ago.
Our meetings are well attended. Considering the number of publishers, attendance is running about 10 percent or higher for all five meetings. The Watchtower study now averages nearly 115 percent. Also each week about 22 circuit assemblies are held. How does Sunday attendance at these assemblies compare with the total publishers in the circuit? It is about 65 percent more than the number of publishers! Many persons are interested in learning the truth, as also reflected in the attendance of 703,695 at the public talks at the sixty district assemblies this past summer, and in the Memorial attendance of 976,233!
Truly this is no time to slow down—no more so than was the final day that the Israelites marched around Jericho a time to slow down. They went around the city seven times on the one day! Love for Jehovah should move us to use every occasion to magnify his name, to continue to preach as long as Jehovah affords us opportunity. Concern for our fellowman should move us to exert ourselves vigorously to search out and aid everyone who has love for righteousness.
In the 1973 Yearbook there are thrilling reports about the work that is being done. The book’s introduction gives a fascinating coverage of highlights of the work from all parts of the earth. Then there are extended reports on Brazil, the British Isles, Ghana, Guatemala and Japan all of them a delight to read. It is thrilling and heartwarming to see how Jehovah has blessed his people as they have reached out into all the inhabited earth, to make known the good news. The Yearbook will give you insight into the tremendous amount of work that has been done and the fearlessness with which our brothers have spoken up in behalf of the truth. By mid-November the Yearbook should be ready for shipping.
Again, we encourage you to share copies of the Yearbook with your relatives, neighbors and all who are having Bible studies. If they read it and are of honest heart, surely they will be moved to say, ‘God is really among you people!’
It is a pleasure to be serving with you as, together, we keep on exercising our freedom from the “authority of the darkness.”
Your brothers,
BROOKLYN BRANCH OFFICE
[Blurb on page 8]
Do you read God’s Word the Holy Bible daily?