REPORTS FOR 1908 FROM THE FOREIGN BRANCHES
OF THE WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY
THE prosperity of the "Good Tidings" in Great Britain is fully attested by the figures given below. With the removal of our office to Brooklyn, London will be about as near to us as San Francisco. The reduced rate of postage between the two countries will also tend to centralize the work. We wish we could tell the dear friends of Great Britain and everywhere the world around how much we love all who are truly the Lord's and who give evidence of their control by his Spirit. Surely we feel that oceans cannot separate us from one another's love, nor make us feel less interest than if we lived in one city. While our love is the same for brethren of all languages, nevertheless we feel able to understand and sympathize most fully with those of our own tongue. In a very broad and very deep sense, therefore, Great Britain, Canada and the United States are one country. National prejudices and customs and superstitions may influence us variously, according to the flesh; but the more fully we understand our Father's Word, and come into fellowship with its spirit, the more will every barrier and every cause of misunderstanding vanish and enable us to see eye to eye.
The Lord has blessed the Truth in Great Britain during 1908 greatly, and it is our belief that there, as well as in America, the next two years will be marked with marvelous progress in the overthrow of error, in the deliverance of God's people from its chains, in the spread of the light of the knowledge of God amongst his saints.
We have promised that, if possible, next Spring we will visit Germany and Scandinavia on a "flying trip," and we purpose also, if possible, to arrange for a Three-Days' Convention in London. If we can accomplish these purposes, we will endeavor to have the London date May 29-31 (Whitsuntide Holidays), with special excursion rates.
WORK DONE IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
DAWN-STUDIES and MANNAS circulated................
46,079
Booklets,.........................................
9,529
Tracts free (stated in pages).....................63,884,400
Letters received..................................
9,915
" sent out..................................
8,872
The Truth still progresses slowly in Germany, it seems to us, considering the amount of energy and money expended there. This, however, does not imply that the Germans are less deeply interested in the Truth than the English, Scotch, Irish and others. On the contrary, at our conventions and by the names of the lists, we discern that the brethren of German descent hold, perhaps, as prominent a place as any others. The fact of the matter seems to be that conditions in Germany have driven out from thence to the United States many of that nationality who are most susceptible to the influences of the Truth, leaving many behind proportionately less of this kind. However, who can estimate in money value the worth of the Truth, even to one child of God? From this standpoint we feel greatly encouraged at the progress the Truth has made there. Let us seek to estimate the value of the Truth. Let us say to ourselves, "What price would purchase it from me? For what sum of money would I be willing to be placed back again in the darkness of creedal systems, ignorance of God and his Plan?" By this standard the progress of the Work is great, in proportion to the cost:
DAWNS, Cloth, Vol. 1..............................
3,685
DAWNS, Cloth, other volumes.......................
1,978
DAWNS, Vol. 1, TOWER form.........................
1,800
——-
Total number of copies............................
7,463
Booklets..........................................
7,362
Regular issue of German TOWERS used in Europe.....
27,900
Extra sample copies of the TOWER sent out.........
78,900
———
Total number of TOWERS............................
106,800
Tracts used in Europe............................. 3,506,400
Total free literature, Tract pages................39,009,000
Letters and cards received during the year........
4,096
Letters sent out during the year..................
1,815
Our representative in Sweden writes:—
When we look back on the year behind us our hearts become filled with the most deep and humble gratitude and thankfulness to our loving heavenly Father for his overruling care for our good. We have indeed seen the most evident proofs that the Lord himself is the Leader of his Harvest work, and that he makes [R4315 : page 23] all things—yea, even our mistakes—to serve his purposes and the interests of his cause. Glory and praise be to his holy name! We have not, of course, such large figures to show in our reports from this little land as you receive from the more important parts of the field, but yet we are very thankful for the results we, by the Lord's grace, have seen of our united efforts here, and pray that his blessing may continually rest upon the Harvest work everywhere until all of it is done, and that we then may hear his "Well done."
During the year past we have had the joy of seeing some of God's dear children, from the most Northern to the Southern part of the country, receive the Harvest message, and several of those are already in active service to bring the glad tidings to others. Amongst these is also one dear brother who, for the sake of the Truth, gave up his place as a minister in the Baptist Church a few months ago. Here in Orebro our little company has increased by nearly fifty brethren and sisters during the year. The leaders and preachers in the different sects preach against us and warn their people against "MILLENNII DAGNING," but still the good Shepherd's voice is heard by his sheep, and they abandon Babylon, following the voice of him that speaketh from heaven.
We have also very good reasons for believing that the work of grace generally has progressed considerably in the hearts and lives of the friends of the Truth in Sweden. The spiritual appetite, the hunger and thirst for the "meat in due season" is great, and love toward the Lord and to you, his servant, and to all the children of God, is growing rapidly amongst us, as the eyes of our understanding get more and more opened. About the zeal and interest in the service and spreading of the Truth the following figures will show:
Work accomplished through the Swedish Branch,
from Dec. 1, 1907, until Dec. 1, 1908
Copies of DAWN Volumes............................
5,201
Various booklets, About Hell, Tabernacle Shadows, etc. 6,288
——-
Total.............................................
11,489
Number of subscribers on Swedish ZION'S VAKT-TORN.
1,368
Old sets Swedish TOWER, cloth-bound and unbound...
209
Bibles sold.......................................
60
Volunteer Tracts and sample TOWERS................
309,689
Expressed in usual form of Tract pages............ 4,512,624
Number of Meetings held...........................
556
Number of miles traveled in preaching tours.......
16,167
Letters and cards received........................
1,829
Letters and cards sent out........................
1,281
Total number of various sendings, by mail and by
railroad, sent out from this office..............
11,159
Pilgrim, Convention and other
meetings........................... kr. 2,338.06 $ 623.48
For translation, printing, printing
paper, etc.........................
6,225.86 1,660.23
Freight and postage.................
1,310.95 349.59
Office expenses, rent, light, heat, etc. 3,212.87 856.77
————————
Total............................... kr.13,087.74 $3,490.07
Voluntary Donations to Tract Fund... kr. 5,050.62 $1,346.83
Swedish TOWER subscriptions.........
1,880.43 501.45
Books sold, etc.....................
5,813.29 1,550.22
————————
Total............................... kr.12,744.34 $3,398.50
Deficit, 1908.......................
343.40 91.57
———-—————
Total............................... kr.13,087.74 $3,490.07
REPORT OF THE JAMAICA BRANCH FOR 1908
The Society's representative writes:—
All our efforts during the past twelve months have been signally blessed of the Lord, and we are pleased to report an increase in all branches of the work.
Our joy is not confined to the expansion in the various departments of the Harvest work under our supervision, but we also rejoice to note that the friends within the range of our observation are growing in the knowledge and spirit of the Truth.
Chief among the things that have ministered to this end, we cite to you the Pilgrim service, in which eight brethren gave either the whole or a part of their time.
Numerous letters which we have received from time to time assure us of the blessings that the friends have derived from these visits. It seems to us to be the Lord's will that this service should not only be continued, but that it should be extended wherever possible. We are continually praying for the Lord's blessing upon those already in this service, and we are daily asking our heavenly Father to supply us with more efficient laborers for this branch of the Harvest work.
The number of those newly interested in the Truth is growing very rapidly. Especially is this true in Kingston, where the seating capacity of our present meeting hall is often overtaxed.
The general convention held recently at Annotto Bay was the largest ever held under the auspices of the Society in Jamaica. About 350 brethren and friends were in attendance and were greatly blessed by partaking of the spiritual feast which the Lord spread before us.
Our TOWER list for the year shows very little increase. We have reported the names of quite a number of new subscribers, but the gain in this way has been almost offset by the new postal regulations, which compelled us to drop many names from our lists. The erasures of these names has resulted favorably, however, for it has shown us just who the truly interested ones are, besides saving us the postage for mailing TOWERS to those who do not appreciate them.
We start the new year with bright prospects before us, and we pledge our faithful services to the Lord and to the Society, to do with our might whatever our hands may find to do in laying down our lives for the brethren.
We pray for you and ask your prayers on our behalf, that we may remain steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, even unto death.
We have also received a report of the work done in the Panama Canal Zone. Bro. Isaiah Richards has put out about one thousand volumes during the year. There are also a few interested friends in Colon with whom he meets from time to time.
Number of Pilgrims................................
8
Number of Pilgrim visits..........................
48
Number of Public Meetings held....................
34
Number of Private Meetings held...................
472
Number of Miles traveled..........................
6,687
Number of Regular Colporteurs..................... 26
Total output of DAWN-STUDIES......................
4,272
Total output of Booklets..........................
2,949
——-
Total.............................................
7,221
—————
Total amount of Tracts distributed..58,305, or 932,880 pages
—————
Letters, etc., received...........................
1,476
Letters, etc., sent out...........................
1,311
——-
Total.............................................
2,787
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
L s.
d.
Pilgrim Service................................. 312 18 5
Freight, etc....................................
21 11 7-1/2
Sundries, current expenses, &c.................. 207 1 9-1/2
—-———-
Total Expense................................... 541 11 10
Voluntary Contributions......................... 138 5 9-1/2
—-———-
Deficit for 1908................................L403 6 1/2
We regret that our report as respects our effort made in China and Japan reads failure.
In India the Society has four devoted representatives whose influence is considerably circumscribed by the fact that they are soldiers in the British army. But they and we are thankful that the Truth reached them and that they are, as Colporteurs, etc., doing what lies in their power to lift up the Divine standard. We have no report from them respecting the work done the last year.
We are glad to be able to report some progress in South Africa. The Lord's blessing has attended the work there to a considerable degree, as reported by Brother Booth. There are now three Dutch preachers interested, who are delivering the message with considerable freedom to about eight congregations. And there are three black brethren who are preaching the Truth to the natives. One of these has gone northward about two thousand miles to his home region to carry the message. This brother, although young, speaks several of the native languages, and writes the English quite fluently. The latest report from him is very encouraging. The natives seem to have open ears for the Good Tidings of Great Joy, the message of Restitution. They seem also, to some extent, to grasp the heavenly calling.
Altogether we are quite pleased with the work thus far accomplished in Africa. Some thirty-four partook of the Memorial Supper last year in Cape Town vicinity, and it is expected that over one hundred will participate next Spring. And, apparently, from the reports, the light of Truth is spreading in every direction, and with considerable power. A consignment of Dutch DAWNS has had just about time to reach South Africa, and we may expect a still more favorable report next year, we trust.