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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JANUARY 24, 1986
PAGE 3
Proa Robert Morton
We have been delighted with the exceptionally high
interest shown in Mr. Armstrong's book "Mystery of the Ages."
The
softcover version was offered to 11,864 "Good News" subscribers in
Australia and, by the end of December, 6,653 requests for the book were
received. This is a 56% response, and we know of no similar promotion
in Australia where the response has been higher.
The response to Mr. Armstrong's November 11 semiannual letter in which
he offered his new book to "Plain Truth" readers is also pulling
strongly.
By the end of the month 14,257 requests were received, a
20.1% response, and requests are still coming in.
If we add members and co-workers (who receive the hardcover version) to
the requests so far received, more than 30% of the Australian "Plain
Truth" mailing list will have received the new book. In this country no
other book or booklet has generated such a high degree of interest so
quickly. Requests for "Mystery of the Ages" have broken all previous
records.
Because of the interest shown in Mr. Armstrong's book, our incoming mail
count for December was the highest for any one month in the history of
God's Work in Australia and Asia.
We received and processed 40,276
lette�s--a 62.7% increase over the same month last year.
Throughout 1985 we were encouraged by the number of new visit requests
from Australia and Asian countries.
By the end of the year 565 new
people had requested personal contact with the ministry--a 61% increase
over 1984.
Prom Prank Brown
"Plain Truth" circulation as of the February issue
stands at 158,000 in the United Kingdom, an increase of 1.1% over the
February, 1985, issue.
The most notable growth in 1985 occurred in the "Good News" file. When
"The Good News" was offered to people who had been reading "The Plain
Truth" for two years, a staggering 44% accepted. This has increased the
file by 140%.
December mail income was the best ever for one month in the history of
the Work in the United Kingdom and Eire. Income for the month was up
37% over December, 1984, which brought the income for all of 1985 up to
a 15.7% increase.
This was slightly more than budgeted for, which
helped cover unexpected expenses and the cost of the increased "Good
News" circulation.
In Scandinavia, combined English and Norwegian "Plain Truth" circula
tion stands at 56,477 as of the February issue, up 62.8% over February,
1985.
Demand for "The Plain Truth" continues to be very high in the Middle
East and on the Continent. The "Good News" list has increased dramat
ically in the past year, up 140% in the Middle East and up 120% in
Europe.
The Church in Africa is continuing to grow steadily. There are now 435
members, an increase of 9.3% over 1984, and the co-worker list has
increased by 31.3%.