Theocratic Aid To Kingdom Publishers

Lesson 31

GATHERING MATERIAL

Kingdom publishers must know how to gather material to support an argument or develop and explain a given subject. Questions arise at back-calls, and the publisher must be able to give answer. Sometimes he will need to make a search for material on the point raised. On other occasions he may be assigned to present a given subject before an audience, possibly before a public meeting. At the close of the discussion questions may be asked of the speaker. All this demands thorough preparation on the part of the Theocratic publisher. The first essential is gathering the material needed.

Think searchingly on the subject. Determine the purpose you have in speaking on the topic, and the theme you wish to develop. By quiet meditation gather from the recesses of your mind any and all bits of information on the subject. Let your mind dwell on the matter, and thus search out all possible avenues of approach and possibilities of development. As the ideas come jot them down. Make notes of aspects of the subject to be run down through research in other books. Stimulate mental activity on the topic by asking all possible questions on it, questions dealing with who, how, when, what, where, and why. Thus get to the whys and wherefores of the matter. Make copious notes during this initial stage. It is the formative period, and on the thoroughness of this probing process to ferret out all angles and possibilities depends to a large extent the final form of development the talk assumes as it is shaped up. Do this first stage well, because it will be the original part of the talk, so far as you are concerned. Its approach will be fresh, new, characteristic of you and hence natural to you. This means that it will be easy for you to deliver orally when the time comes.

Next, see what is the mind of others on the subject. Broaden your outlook. Someone may drop a comment that

will open up an entirely new channel of thought, one that escaped you in private meditation. Discussion stimulates. If another differs with you, it may stir up your mind to combat his objections. If he agrees, he still may give you a fresh outlook on a point. Two heads are better than one, it is commonly said. This is Scriptural. Note Ecclesiastes 4:9: "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour." Even more to the point, Proverbs 27:17 says: "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

Next, read. And as you read, of course, you will continue making notes. A convenient method is to make these written notes on cards of handy size. Confine the notes on any one card to just one point. This will permit reshuffling and rearrangement when the time to make an outline arrives. The first source for reading is the Watchtower publications and the Bible. Use the indexes provided in the bound books; look up all the Bible texts referred to; from these texts run down all marginal references. If the yield of Scriptural material is still not sufficient, look up key words on the subject in a Bible concordance. Now, this will not be easy. It means the searcher has to dig; and digging is hard work. But it will bring satisfying results. Using the Bible and the Watchtower publications hand in hand, you will get the Lord's mind on the subject. The Bible yields the Scripture proof; the Society's publications, being used by the Lord to reveal present truth, will bring understanding in the light of modern events.

Having now fortified oneself with the proper understanding of the matter, the searcher can glean from Bible dictionaries and other non-Theocratic references what they have to offer. Suppose, for example, the subject on which material is to be gathered is "Image-Worship". Much information thereon could be found under the headings "Idol", "Idolatry," "Images," etc. The searcher would learn that among the earliest objects worshiped were meteoric stones, which the ancients considered images of gods and

sent from heaven. Later they worshiped stone columns or pillars of wood, in which the divinity worshiped was supposed to dwell. Different animals and heavenly bodies were worshiped, and still are in places.

Such books as Hislop's The Two Babylons would add much to the mounting pile of material, and relate ancient religious rites and image-worship with modern religious practices. Quote from recognized authorities of those disagreeing with you, such as Cardinal Newman's Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, wherein it is admitted that much of the ritual and many of the images used in the Catholic religion are of pagan origin. Stronger yet, quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia: "The Christian religion has allowed the use of statues and paintings to represent the incarnate Son of God, the saints, and angels, and these images are a legitimate aid to devotion since the honor that is given them is but relative, being directed through them to the beings they represent." Thus one can quote the recognized authorities of one's opponents, and cannot be accused of misrepresentation. Refutation from the Scriptures would then be offered. There is, of course, much historical material that could be gathered on images.

If the subject is one having to do with prophecies being fulfilled by current events, one should most certainly keep abreast with the news of the day, in its major developments. Particularly is this true relative to religion and its machinations with the politicians and financiers. Such events are often maneuvered by the Lord to the end that prophecy is fulfilled by them. Furthermore, the well-informed Kingdom publisher can thus acquaint himself with the mental viewpoint of the common people, to whom he must preach this gospel of the Kingdom. Reference to up-to-the-minute news dispatches that are significant makes excellent collateral material. The Consolation magazine is of special aid in supplying current events that are significant in the realm of the religious-political-commercial combine.

If, during this time of thinking, discussing, and reading, the searcher has been making his notes on cards, he will find that in the end he will have an imposing array of material. Doubtless not all of it will lend itself well to the talk as finally outlined. Do not be afraid to discard material. Keep only the cream of that gathered. Do not make the mistake of trying to pack all the gathered material into the talk just because you worked hard to assemble it. Develop well the main points, use what is necessary for this, and lay aside what is left. The effort cannot be counted as wasted, even though the material is not used. If questions are asked after the discourse it may be called to mind and used then. At any rate, the thorough search and the knowledge gained, though not all used, will give the speaker a background for his subject and confidence in his ability to discuss it. This confidence will be reflected to the audience at the time of the delivery of the speech, and they will believe you qualified to discuss the subject. And so you will be.