186
Yearbook
The relatively few publishers in this country have always shown a fervent zeal for the Kingdom interests. The whip of the Hierarchy there was always in constant use, as evidenced by the many persecutIons of the past years. The few who dared escape that system were all the more happy and grateful to have found the truth. THE NETHERLANDS
In this country during the past year a work has been accomplished which has had no equal in Holland. In no other country
has there been such a tremendous progress in spite of the difficulties due to the political constellation. We point out that the figures given comprise only nine months' activity. Let us now compare same with the results of 1939, which had also been very gratifying compared with former success. 1940 1939 Books 6,880 6,215 Booklets 254,350 180,408 261,230 Total literature 186,623 This work was accomplished by nea:t1y twice as many pubhshers as during the preceding year, In 127,455 hours (nearly 30,000 more than m 1939). They gained 100 Bubscriptions more than last year, namely, 797, and illstributed 5,000 more magazines than in 1939, i.e., 52,401. The number of back-calls has also increased. (However, the sound attendance does not compare at all WIth that of the previous year; indeed we are not able to understand why there were five tImes less than in 1939. We conjecture that the war trouble made it impossIble for the sound-cars to be used.) DUling the course of the year Holland reported once 37 orgamzed compames. However, as reported by a pioneer who worked In Holland and recently returned to Switzerland, the orgaD.lzed actlvity of the companies naturally suffers under present circumstances. This pIoneer, who before and during the invasion fought valiantly m Holland, brought us a report from the branch servant of the SOCIety there, from which we quote the following: "I am very pleased to send you a report in this way. The Lord has led all things marvelously. All the brethren contmue in their offices, nothing has been changed in this, and all the warriors are stIll at the front. NothIng is too marvelous for the Lord. No one of the Lord's people perished in the war. Even under the greatest bombardment the brethren were preserved. Also the 100,000 booklets were preserved as a testimony, were delivered to us, and are already distributed. Many brethren have indeed been marvelously protected during the course of the war.