These talks are assigned by the Teaching Committee in Brooklyn. The speakers are recommended by a committee of
elders and Circuit Overseers to the Branch. Once recommended and accepted, you become an "approved speaker"
Your first talk is usually on Friday. If you don't screw up, your next Convention Talk will be on a Saturday. If you are really good, you may get the Public Talk
on Sunday. These are not necessarily reserved for the Bethel Speakers. The Bethel Speakers usually give the talks that lay down
the newest thinking/instructions from the FDS. You know the ones: anti-college, Beware The Voice of Strangers, Don't Have a
Complaining Spirit, DO MORE YOO UNGRATEFUL MOB, WE ARE THE FDS, GOTTA PROBLEM??? You get the picture. That way
no local yokel can say "Brother so and so said this and that at THEE CONVENTION" No, what you hear will not come from Brother so and so in your local cong.,
but by the BETHEL SPEAKER, sent by the FDS, and therefore what you hear is from GOD ALMIGHTY!
The monitoring of the speakers is done by guys assigned from the Chairman Office. EVERYONE gets monitored, CO's, DO's
alike. The instruction is to show no quarter to anyone. If you screw up, space out, forget something, go overtime, say ANYTHING
the least bit controversial (something humurous, an experience that hasn't been vhetted, etc) and zey vill poot it in zee reeport!
So, speakers don't get canned BEFORE their talks, only AFTER their talks!
Zack----
