⁴ A little over a year ago we were introduced to the six-month home Bible-study program. We immediately grasped that this would be an additional effective method to help get the work done in the short time remaining.

⁵ Now reports from the field show that Bible studies are being discontinued as publishers realize that the student is not making progress. This is entirely proper. There is no reason to spend our time with those who obviously are not really interested in doing something about the truths they are learning. Some publishers still ask, “How can I know whether to discontinue the study when they appear to be interested and still are glad to have me come?” The answer is that we discontinue studies when it is apparent that there is not the appreciation for the truth that there should be. There might be interest in continuing to take in knowledge. But is there appreciation for the knowledge already taken in? Appreciation for Jehovah and the truth is demonstrated by deeds.

⁶ There are three separate occasions each week for attending meetings or a total of seventy-eight in six months. If the student has not attended one of these meetings, when this is circumstantially possible, can it be said that there is appreciation? Or, if he has not, of his own initiative, or with your encouragement, done additional reading, can it be said that there is appreciation? Or, if he has not felt the urge to tell one of his friends or relatives about the good things he is learning, can it be said that there is appreciation? Each publisher will have to consider the matter carefully and then decide, but these thoughts will help in making that decision. Apparently the matter is being taken seriously by the brothers, because circuit servant reports show that many publishers unhesitatingly discontinue studies when the time comes to do so.

¹⁰ Having this view of the house-to-house work and its place in starting home Bible studies has made it possible for a number of publishers to have more than one study with the public going at one time and thus they are not left without a study when it comes time to discontinue one. Then, too, they keep in touch with those whose study was discontinued to see if appreciation has been built up by the loss of the study or for other reasons.