“Seats Free. No Collections”

As early as the second issue of the Watch Tower, in August 1879, Brother Russell stated: “‘Zion’s Watch Tower’ has, we believe, JEHOVAH for its backer, and while this is the case it will never beg nor petition men for support. When He who says: ‘All the gold and silver of the mountains are mine,’ fails to provide necessary funds, we will understand it to be time to suspend the publication.” Consistent with that, there is no begging for money in the literature of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

What is true of their literature is also true of their meetings. There are no emotional appeals for funds in their congregations or at their conventions. No collection plates are passed; no envelopes in which to put money are distributed; no letters of solicitation are sent to congregation members. Congregations never resort to bingo or raffles to raise funds. As early as 1894, when the Watch Tower Society sent out traveling speakers, it published this notice for the benefit of everyone: “Let it be understood from the first that collections or other solicitations of money are neither authorized nor approved by this Society.”

Thus, since very early in their modern-day history, handbills and other printed invitations to the public to attend the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses have carried the slogan “Seats Free. No Collections.”

Beginning early in 1914, the Bible Students rented theaters as well as other auditoriums and invited the public to these to see the “Photo-Drama of Creation.” This was a four-part presentation, eight hours in all, made up of slides and motion pictures synchronized with sound. During the first year alone, millions of persons saw it in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Although some theater owners charged for reserved seats, the Bible Students never requested an admission fee. And no collections were taken.

Later, for over 30 years, the Watch Tower Society operated radio station WBBR in New York City. Jehovah’s Witnesses also used the services of hundreds of other stations to broadcast programs of Bible education. But never did they use such broadcasts to beg for money.

How, then, are the donations that finance their activity obtained?

Supported by Voluntary Donations

The Bible sets the pattern. Under the Mosaic Law, there were certain contributions that were voluntary. Others were required of the people. The giving of a tithe, or tenth part, was one of the latter. (Ex. 25:2; 30:11-16; Num. 15:17-21; 18:25-32) But the Bible also shows that Christ fulfilled the Law, and God brought it to an end; so Christians are not bound by its regulations. They do not tithe, nor are they under obligation to give any other contribution of a specified amount or at a particular time.—Matt. 5:17; Rom. 7:6; Col. 2:13, 14.

Instead, they are encouraged to cultivate a spirit of generosity and liberality in imitation of the marvelous example set by Jehovah himself and by his Son, Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 8:7, 9; 9:8-15; 1 John 3:16-18) Thus, with reference to giving, the apostle Paul wrote to the Christian congregation in Corinth: “Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” When informed of a need, this presented them with ‘a test of the genuineness of their love,’ as Paul explained. He also said: “If the readiness is there first, it is especially acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what a person does not have.”—2 Cor. 8:8, 12; 9:7.

In the light of this, the comment by Tertullian regarding meetings held by people who were endeavoring to practice Christianity in his day (c.155–after 220 C.E.) is interesting. He wrote: “Even if there is a chest of a sort, it is not made up of money paid in entrance-fees, as if religion were a matter of contract. Every man once a month brings some modest coin—or whenever he wishes, and only if he does wish, and if he can; for nobody is compelled; it is a voluntary offering.” (Apology, XXXIX, 5) During the centuries since then, however, the churches of Christendom have engaged in every conceivable money-raising scheme to finance their activities.

Charles Taze Russell refused to imitate the churches. He wrote: “It is our judgment that money raised by the various begging devices in the name of our Lord is offensive, unacceptable to him, and does not bring his blessing either upon the givers or the work accomplished.”

Rather than attempt to curry favor with those who had wealth, Brother Russell clearly stated, in harmony with the Scriptures, that the majority of the Lord’s people would be poor in this world’s goods but rich in faith. (Matt. 19:23, 24; 1 Cor. 1:26-29; Jas. 2:5) Instead of emphasizing the need for money in order to spread Bible truth, he focused attention on the importance of cultivating the spirit of love, the desire to give, and the desire to assist others, especially by sharing the truth with them. To those who had ability in making money and who suggested that by devoting themselves principally to business affairs they would have more to contribute financially, he said that it would be better to limit such activity and to give of themselves and of their time in spreading the truth. That is still the position taken by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses.a

In actual practice, how much do people give? What they do is a personal decision. However, in the matter of giving, it should be noted that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not think merely in terms of material possessions. At their district conventions in 1985-86, they discussed the subject “Honoring Jehovah With Our Valuable Things.” (Prov. 3:9) It was emphasized that these valuable things include not only material possessions but also physical, mental, and spiritual assets.

Back in 1904, Brother Russell pointed out that a person who has made a full consecration (or, dedication, as we now say) to God “has already given all that he has to the Lord.” Thus, he should now “consider himself as appointed by the Lord the steward of his own time, influence, money, etc., and each is to seek to use these talents to the best of his ability, to the Master’s glory.” He added that, guided by the wisdom from above, “in proportion as his love and zeal for the Lord grow day by day through a knowledge of the Truth and the attainment of its spirit, he will find himself giving more and more of time, more and more of his influence, and more and more of such means as are at his command, for the service of the Truth.”—Studies in the Scriptures, “The New Creation,” pp. 344-5.

During those early years, the Watch Tower Society had what it called the Tower Tract Fund. What was that? The following interesting details were set out on the back of stationery sometimes used by Brother Russell: “This fund consists of the free-will offerings of those who have been fed and strengthened by the ‘meat in due season’ which the above publications [made available by the Watch Tower Society], as God’s instrumentalities, are now laying before the consecrated saints, the world over.

“This fund is constantly employed in sending out, gratis, thousands of copies of ZION’S WATCH TOWER and OLD THEOLOGY TRACTS most suitable to new readers. It also assists in the spread of the paper-bound editions of the DAWN series, by aiding those disposed to circulate them—colporteurs and others. It also provides a ‘poor fund’ by which any of the Lord’s children who, through age, or sickness, or from other cause, are unable to subscribe for the WATCH TOWER are supplied free, upon condition of their sending a letter or card at the beginning of each year, stating their desire and inability.

“No one is ever asked to contribute to this fund: all donations must be voluntary. We remind our readers of the Apostle’s words (1 Cor. 16:1, 2) and corroborate them by saying that those who can give and do give to spread the truth are sure to be repaid in spiritual favors.”

The global activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses in proclaiming the good news of God’s Kingdom continues to be supported by voluntary donations. In addition to the Witnesses themselves, many appreciative interested persons count it a privilege to support this Christian work with their voluntary contributions.

[Box on page 341]

God Does Not Beg

“He who said, ‘If I were hungry I would not tell thee, for the world is mine and the fullness thereof. . . . I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds; for every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills’ (Psa. 50:12, 9, 10), is able to carry on his great work without begging for funds either from the world or from his children. Neither will he compel his children to sacrifice anything in his service, nor will he accept anything from them short of a cheerful, free-will offering.”—“Zion’s Watch Tower,” September 1886, p. 6.