1910—REPORTS FROM THE SOCIETY'S FOREIGN BRANCHES—1910
Enclosed is the report of the British work for the financial year ended on October 31, 1910.
Your perusal of the account will show you that though all the branches of the work have not made progress the work of the year is one of general increase. The Volunteer work, the distribution of the PEOPLES PULPIT, has made great increase. We have sent out from London during the year well over 4,000,000 of these copies, and still the brethren are crying out for more, which we are proceeding to supply.
That this distribution of the glad tidings of great joy is effective to the stirring up of many minds is abundantly evidenced: Our inquiries are both numerous and general from all over the Kingdom. It is true, however, that the distribution of the free literature has been and still is mostly among the urban population. In London alone the brethren—helped on the occasions of your two visits by some brethren from the Provinces and from Scotland—have given out from door to door, and from office to office, over 1,500,000 of these messengers of Truth. This has meant much labor, for in London there is no system of each dweller in a flat having a letterbox at the foot of the stairs, and therefore each one must have a separate delivery effected. We do find evidences of the tracts having percolated into the country districts, but there is much work to be done before this Christian country is enlightened with the true light now shining so brightly.
Last year a brother spent several months going through the southern part of England, visiting the small towns and the villages which have no representative of the Truth. He worked exceedingly hard, most of the days giving out nearly a thousand of PEOPLES PULPIT; and this year something has been done, but on a much smaller scale. It is not easy to judge the result accurately, but it is probable that the country people, the rural population, do not respond to our request for inquiry so readily as do the town people. But the Lord surely has many people amongst these and we have an earnest desire to send out the Truth to them. We hope that the newspapers will help supply the need.
The labor has been blessed of the Lord, both to the distributors, and, as is clear, to many of those to whom the tracts have gone. Many have expressed their thanks for the light which is now beginning to shine so clearly. Your last two visits and the six large meetings in the Royal Albert Hall have meant much labor and expense, but both have been expended to advantage, for there is plenty of proof that your name, and the work so closely associated with it, are now well known, and less introduction of the STUDIES is necessary when the Colporteurs present the book in their canvass.
The Colporteur Department has not made increase. Indeed the sales are rather less than last year. It is not easy to explain how this comes about, for the difficulties do not appear greater than before. Perhaps it is owing to the expense of the public meetings and a lessening of energy owing to the labor and time which the public service has demanded. There has been less "sharp-shooting" this year, and the regular, whole-time Colporteurs have not increased in number. However, the decrease is but small, and perhaps it seems a little disappointing because we are always desirous to have the increase which the work seems to demand.
We are of the opinion, expressed in our report of last year, that there is a large class of people, of moderate means, the people who have been the backbone of Christian work, and whose hearts lean towards God, who have not yet been touched with the Harvest message, and who ought to be reached by Colporteurs. No doubt this means that the Colporteur must be of good average ability; but we have many amongst us well able to do any work of the kind, and who could place sets of the STUDIES amongst the best of them.
The donations to the Tract Fund are in excess of those of last year; particulars are given in the report, showing whence the items come—from London or the country.
From your personal observation you will know that the work in the United Kingdom goes on well, accomplishing the gathering of the "wheat into the garner," and witnessing of the approach of the Kingdom; that the Brethren are closely united in the bond of Christ, which is the bond of love; and that they are ready for the work of the Lord as it may be revealed to them.
While we say this we nevertheless believe that the brethren might do more in the Colporteur work. We believe there are many Brothers and Sisters of ability who could do well enough to make a livelihood in the work, and who could thus become ministers of the Word to a large class not yet made aware of the harvest message. Besides, many cities and villages have not yet been Volunteered. We hope for more of this work in 1911; for the spirit of fellowship in the labors and sufferings of Christ is on the increase.
While we joyfully report the prosperity of the Brethren, gratefully acknowledging the mercies of the Lord in this respect, we know that the warning you give in the current issue of the WATCH TOWER is timely, for it is clear that as the Day approaches the discrimination as to who shall be "cast out" is getting keener, and we [R4737 : page 7] do well to take heed to ourselves. We daily commend you to the grace of the Lord, and we know you remember us all on this side. With much love in him, and on behalf of the Brethren,
I am your Brother in his grace and service,
Cost of Public Meetings and
newspaper work..................
L.1,476 11 2 = $7,146.50
Cost of Tracts, postage, office
expenses, etc...................
2,170 11 5 = 10,505.55
————————————-
L.3,648 2 7 =$17,652.05
Studies, Bibles, Booklets, sold at cost, not included.
Tract Fund Donations, "Good
Hopes".......................
L.1,719 2 10 = $8,320.64
————————————-
Deficit..........................
L.1,928 19 9 = $9,331.41
Copies SCRIPTURE STUDIES, sold at cost............
34,345
(Magazine edition) sold at cost...................
10,742
Booklets, MANNA, etc. sold at cost................
84,012
PEOPLES PULPIT, issued free....................... 4,062,485
Other free tracts.................................
353,750
Free literature, estimated as tract-pages.........69,345,560
Newspaper sermons circulated (estimated)..........12,000,000
Correspondence:
Letters and cards received.......................
19,870
Letters and cards dispatched.....................
12,745
It is once more my duty to send you herewith the usual Annual Report from this part of the field. This is a great pleasure, because it will, partly at least, show you how richly the dear Lord has blessed his Harvest Workers here also during the past year, and how our humble efforts to glorify his holy name by spreading the Truth regarding his character and plan have been successful in different ways. All the honor and praise belong to him alone.
A review of the work of the past year, combined with present prospects, shows us that almost unlimited opportunities for work still present themselves for the "harvesters," though even here we can clearly see how the oncoming "night" has commenced to cast its shadows, and how the threatening clouds gather about us. This fact leads us, however, to appreciate still more the precious opportunities we now possess, and to pray for increased grace and strength from above while we wait for our approaching redemption.
This year we are able to report an increase in the circulation of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES of nearly 12,000 copies. This increase would have been at least 15,000 copies but for the shortage during the first four months of the year—before we had the re-translated Swedish edition of Vol. I finished, in the end of the month of March.
The 10,000 copies we then published were all gone after six months and now we have already sold a good portion of a second 10,000-edition thereof, and are preparing for the third. Would you not advise us to take 20,000 copies at once this time? It is very difficult, if not impossible, for the Colporteurs to sell whole sets of three or six volumes at once here, because of the poverty amongst the people; the increase has been chiefly in Vol. I. Yet we have also sold a good many of the succeeding Vols., specially Vol. 4, which we have also had the privilege of translating into Swedish this year and of publishing in an edition of a little more than 6,000 copies. Besides this we have sold over 6,000 more of other books and booklets than during the preceding year.
Recently we have also increased our stock with a 10,000 edition of the "Evolution" pamphlet, which had not before been published in Swedish. At present we are going on with the printing of a little booklet containing the questions on TABERNACLE SHADOWS, principally for the sake of the younger classes of Swedish Bible Students who have not earlier used these questions, when published in the Swedish TOWER. This booklet will also contain some small parts of the Berean Bible Teachers' Manual, of special interest for Bible Students. Brother Sjo is now busy with the re-translation of Vol. 2, in harmony with your authorization to me to republish the same if opportunity should occur.
The number of subscribers to the Swedish WATCH TOWER has increased only by 165, yet this cannot be seen by comparing this report with the last annual one, as that report, as well as its predecessors, included the TOWERS sent from here to the Head Office, on your order, but which TOWERS are excluded from this report. Although we have wished to see the Swedish list of subscribers twice as large as it is, yet the friends of the Truth in general seem to more and more assimilate and appreciate the blessed spiritual food from the Lord's table so abundantly spread through you, his faithful servant. As a proof of this I can mention that before we had gotten ready any of the Swedish Manna-book, which we have just translated and published in an edition of 5,000 copies, according to your advice, we had received orders for more than 2,000 copies thereof, after only one little advertisement about the coming book, in one single issue of the Swedish TOWER.
Our dear friends here seem also to be able more and more to realize and appreciate their privilege of taking part in one way or another in the blessed work still going on and increasing. Thirty-six brethren and sisters have given all or part of their time in the Colporteur work during the year and every one of these seems thereby to have greatly profited spiritually. The volunteer work also shows some increase, as you will see, and the donations to the Tract Fund amount to a good deal more than four times the sum of last year. According to our lists here the number of donations during the year is 773.
The Pilgrim service has been greatly extended and clearly and richly blessed of the Lord. Seven Swedish brethren have taken part in this work, two of them giving all their time thereto. Hundreds and hundreds of truth-hungry people have gathered at many places all over the country and have listened most attentively to the Glad Tidings of the approaching Messianic Kingdom. For instance, when two weeks ago I visited a large town not very far from this place, and had spoken in the evening to a very intelligent audience of more than 500 for two hours on the subject, "Is there salvation after death?" the people would not go even then, but remained nearly another hour and a half, asking questions on misunderstood Scripture texts, etc., until I had to leave them in order not to miss my train. The following Sunday, in the afternoon, I visited another place outside of Orebro (after having talked in a well-filled hall here in the morning), and there also the people crowded the comparatively very large meeting hall, giving good attention to our presentation of the true Gospel, for fully three hours; then we were obliged to stop and empty the hall, which was to be used for other purposes.
Besides the regular Pilgrim service we have had during the year two General Conventions (one in Orebro and the other in Stockholm) and fifteen very good and [R4738 : page 8] well-attended Local Conventions in different parts of the country, all of which were clearly used to a large degree of the Lord in the encouraging of his people. The Swedish friends appreciated very much your kindness in sending us the dear Brothers Rutherford and Pierson last spring when you yourself could not visit us. We now look forward with eagerness to your own return here, desiring it as soon as it can be arranged.
Permit me, please, to add a few words about the Harvest Work in Finland, also, before I close. As you have earlier been informed respecting our Colporteur work amongst the Swedish-speaking people in Finland and my Pilgrim trip to that country in the beginning of the year, I will not here repeat, but will say that, amongst the few ripe "grains" gathered in that land through the Truth sent from here in Swedish, were two dear brethren, Bro. Osterman and Bro. Von Hartman, whom the Lord has surely chosen as his harvest messengers to the native (not Swedish-speaking) Finnish people, and it is a few statements regarding their labor and experiences amongst that people that I, in harmony with their own wishes, have the privilege to give you.
It is only about two months, practically, since their work amongst the native Finnish people began, but they had previously made preparations for it, in that they had translated and published in Finnish (I have been informed by Finnish brethren, both in the States and in Sweden, that their translations are very good) one edition of 5,000 copies of Vol. I, two different issues of PEOPLES PULPIT and a large quantity of hymn sheets for public meetings, translated from the Swedish DAWN-HYMNS, etc.
During these two months their efforts have progressed wonderfully. Since October 1, 1910, they have circulated about 2,000 copies of Vol. I, and have just now a new edition of 10,000 copies, besides a 10,000 edition of the "Evolution" pamphlet in Finnish and the third issue of the Finnish PEOPLES PULPIT. As a result of rational advertisements in the largest newspapers, concerning "The Divine Plan of the Ages," they have gotten orders for the same at an average of about twenty letters a day. They have also begun the translation of Vol. 2 and the "Hell" booklet into Finnish. In addition to this they have held, during these weeks, six public meetings in the largest cities of the land, visited by altogether 10,000 attentive listeners to the Harvest message. Some of the Finnish papers have stenographed their lectures and published them in tens of thousands of copies, spread broadcast over the country. Next Sunday, December 4, they expect to have the third Finnish meeting in the capital of the country. They use the largest and finest halls obtainable, which are even then overcrowded and often too small to hold the people attending their meetings. In one place lately the "noblesse" of the city had to stand on the street outside the hall for half an hour in order to gain entrance to a lecture by Brother Von Hartman.
Those Brethren ask me now to convey their deeply felt thanks and gratitude to you, our beloved Brother Russell, for the great spiritual blessings you have brought to them through your writings and your faithfulness to the Lord's cause.
We remember you daily, and with thankfulness, in our prayers, and ask humbly for your prayers on our behalf. May the Lord's blessing be upon you continually, to the glory of his holy Name and the profit and joy of all his true people.
Your brother and fellow-servant,
AUG. LUNDBORG,
Secretary Swedish Branch.
(Finnish work and expenses for same are not included in these figures):
Copies of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES
circulated.......................................
19,011
Various other books and booklets, MANNA,
TABERNACLE SHADOWS, etc..........................
17,353
————-
Total.............................................
36,364
Number of subscribers to the Swedish TOWER........
1,445
Old sets Swedish TOWER, cloth-bound and
unbound..........................................
917
Bibles sold.......................................
125
Volunteer Tracts and sample TOWERS................
629,186
Expressed in usual form of Tract pages............ 7,779,984
Number of meetings held...........................
1,246
Number of miles traveled in preaching tours.......
54,796
Letters and cards sent out........................
2,551
Letters and cards received........................
3,203
Total number of various sendings, by mail
and by railroad..................................
17,584
Pilgrims, Conventions and
other meetings.....................kr. 9,123.13 = $2,259.07
Translation, printing, binding,
paper, etc......................... " 25,524.09 = 6,879.81
Freight and postage................. "
2,228.16 = 600.58
Helps to poor Colporteurs........... "
3,020.01 = 814.02
Office expenses, rent, light,
heat, telephones, etc.............. "
4,345.62 = 1,171.32
————————————
Total..............................kr.44,241.01 =$11,924.80
Voluntary donations to Tract
Fund...............................kr.18,649.48 = $5,026.81
Swedish TOWER subscriptions......... "
1,921.42 = 517.91
Books sold, etc..................... " 17,350.24 = 4,676.61
————————————
Total..............................kr.37,921.14 =$10,221.33
Deficit.............................kr. 6,319.87 = $1,703.47
I have the pleasure to send you the report of the little Harvest Work accomplished in this country during the past year. That the number of books sold is not larger is partly due to the fact that one of our most successful Colporteurs has been out of the work very much this year on account of ill health.
Meetings have been held in a number of towns and cities which had been previously canvassed, and considerable interest was manifested at the meetings. I have strong reason to believe that in spite of the comparatively small figures representing the work accomplished here, yet a larger number has started studying the Truth, and more have become truly interested this year than in any previous year. We hope for still better results to come through the grace of the Master of the Harvest, who is so dear to our hearts.
Output of DAWN-STUDIES............................
4,429
Output of various booklets........................
2,323
——-
Total............................................
6,752
Tracts free.......................................
48,663
Letters and cards received........................
1,148
Letters and cards sent out........................
793
Parcels sent out..................................
974
Copies of Danish WATCH TOWERS sent out
monthly..........................................
762
With much Christian love, yours in our Redeemer,
CARL LUTTICHAU,
Danish Branch Secretary.
We are pleased again to render account of the year that is past, and rejoice that we can show some improvement on the previous one. We realize that many hungry hearts have found the Truth and are today happy in the glorious prospects which it has unfolded to their view, as a result of the year's work.
You will notice that there has been a fair increase of STUDIES put out, but according to present prospects we cannot hope to reach the same mark in the approaching year, as we have lost our ablest Colporteurs in Brother and Sister Richardson, who have gone to India at your request. This leaves us quite short of such workers, yet Australia has been gone over only once, whereas parts of the United States have been colporteured several times, so we are wondering if the Lord is going to send us any others from America; or, may be they will be raised up from the friends in Australasia.
Our output of Free Literature has increased fourfold, and this we hope to maintain and further develop, as the friends are awakening more to their opportunities in this direction, and we believe are realizing a blessing in the distribution of Volunteer matter in their own districts, as well as in co-operating with us in the mailing of the PEOPLES PULPIT. In this effort not only have the Melbourne friends done nobly in addressing wrappers, wrapping and delivering, but the same zeal is shown in other centers. The friends at Hobart, though only few in number, undertook, and have carefully carried out, the work of putting a "Where are the Dead?" in every home in Tasmania as far as the Directory will supply the addresses. All we did was to supply the PEOPLES PULPITS; they did the rest, even to the posting, and then, by their donations to the Tract Fund, have paid for the PEOPLES PULPITS also. Again the friends at Ardrossan are writing the wrappers for all South Australia, and the Wellington and Auckland friends are doing the same for New Zealand, while at Sydney they are arranging to wrap and post for New South Wales as well as to write the wrappers. So you will see that we are a happy, busy company in loving co-operation with the Lord of the Harvest, in thrusting in the Sickle of Truth.
Though we have had the PEOPLES PULPIT running for only about four months, already there have gone out about 70,000 of the special issue, through the post, and enquiries are coming in daily as a result. Our Subscription Cards number about 250 and many of these have subscribed for quantities of from ten to hundreds. We believe that the Lord is blessing this work, so "that all his saints here shall be 'sealed in their foreheads' before the four winds (of trouble) are let loose."
In regard to Pilgrim Work: With the exception of the more isolated parts, the friends everywhere have been visited, some more than once, and we believe they have been encouraged and strengthened. This means that some 10,539 miles have been traveled by rail and boat, about 56 public meetings have been held, and about 108 private and semi-private meetings, with a total attendance of about 2,265, besides many personal visits made, the traveling cost being L.63 10s. 2d.
Regarding funds: We would like to be able to show Australasia as supporting the work on her own shores; this, however, has not been attained, though a big move in that direction has been made. In the previous year L.91 were all that were received by way of donations to the Tract Fund. In the year just closed the total of Tract Fund, Good Hopes and PEOPLES PULPIT contributions has reached L.213 17s. 1d.; this is simply the work of the Truth in the hearts of the Lord's people, not a penny has been solicited in any way. Then if we were to add to this the amount which the friends in various parts have spent in connection with the Pilgrim meetings of the International Bible Students Association, which, as far as we have particulars, would be about L.40, it makes a total of L.253 17s. 1d., which is much beyond anything that has been done in the past. We know that many of those who have contributed have done so at quite a little personal sacrifice, and yet have realized a joy that money cannot buy in thus co-operating with the great Lord of the Harvest in bringing the joys of the Truth to others.
We believe that the interested ones all over have made good spiritual progress and our meetings in Melbourne have increased in interest, and slightly in numbers also. We have just undertaken a special effort in the way of Saturday Night Chart-Talks in South Melbourne. The first was last Saturday and was quite encouraging; some twelve or thirteen of the friends distributed about 12,000 PEOPLES PULPITS with a good advertisement on the back. We hope to find some new interest in this way. With Christian regards to yourself and all the happy household,
Yours in the Service of our Redeemer,
R. E. B. NICHOLSON,
Australian Secretary.
EDWARD NELSON, Auditor.
SCRIPTURE STUDIES, sold at cost...................
11,927
" " (Magazine edition).............
470
Booklets..........................................
2,481
———
Total............................................
14,878
Free Literature:
Old Theology Tracts..............................
114,710
Debates, Sermons, TOWERS, etc....................
54,411
PEOPLES PULPITS..................................
267,600
———-
Total............................................
436,721
Representing Tract pages.......................... 7,924,792
Letters received..................................
1,944
Letters sent out..................................
2,829
Deficit from 1909................................L.969 17 7
General expenditure (including freight,
postage, rent, etc..............................
211 12 5
Pilgrim work, meetings, etc......................
107 1 7
—————
L.1,288 11 7
Good Hopes and donations to Tract
Fund from Australasian friends..................L.197 3 4
——————
Deficit now owing Brooklyn.....................L.1,091 8 3
Publications circulated:
SCRIPTURE STUDIES................................
2,023
Booklets.........................................
3,104
——-
Total............................................
5,127
Tracts and PEOPLES PULPIT circulated free........
342,600
These in Tract pages............................. 5,480,000
Letters and cards received........................
1,164
Letters and cards sent out........................
710
BROOKLYN BETHEL HYMNS FOR FEBRUARY
After the close of the hymn the Bethel Family listens to the reading of "My Vow Unto the Lord," then joins in prayer. At the breakfast table the MANNA text is considered. Hymns for February follow: (1) 259; (2) Vow; (3) 301; (4) 75; (5) 60; (6) 135; (7) 129; (8) 333; (9) 176; (10) 238; (11) 38; (12) 105; (13) 293; (14) 170; (15) 172; (16) 245; (17) 313; (18) 8; (19) 279; (20) 145; (21) 229; (22) 256; (23) 98; (24) 164; (25) 162; (26) 160; (27) 208; (28) 303; (29) 222; (30) 267.