Yes true, I added that as a side thought. Remember, it was the government that began shutting down businesses and churches, even arresting pastors and church members for being open and attending services. Then they introduced the "passports", mainly vaccination cards to be able to go out and eat or workout or attend concerts, and travel, etc.
That said, the Society is always ahead of the game. I remember when they first introduced the free literature on donation basis only. 6 months prior they had shut down their bookstore at Bethel. I was the Literature Servant and would go to Bethel once a month or so to pick up literature for the congregation. While waiting I liked to browse the store, and it was all boarded up.
Back in those days you went in, and all the books were on shelves, you grabbed a basket and took what you wanted and there was a brother/sister at the counter ready to ring you up and you paid for your items.
Tell you a sad but funny story. I remember reading that letter from the Society during the Service meeting. During the closing song, I walked back to the literature counter to be prepared because I knew what was coming. No sooner then the brother said "Amen", there was a stampede to the counter, people ordering everything and anything, because now it was "FREE". But what the friends didn't know was that the Society was still keeping tabs on what every congregation was ordering, and what they were all contributing.
One day we got a letter from the Society, it basically said, (paraphrasing) "You have ordered $2,500.00 worth of literature in the last two months and have only donated $500.00, you owe us $2,000.00" I remember telling the Presiding Overseer, "but the literature is free, how do we owe them?" (Yeah, I was one of those who always spoke his mind, the body heated me for it, but they respected me for it. weird). So the P.O. read a letter from the Society, about all the Kingdom Halls and branch offices around the world they were building, at that point, the P.O. said, "because of all the wonderful work that the Society is doing, we are please to announced that we will be donating to the Society $2,000.00". I almost busted out laughing, because I knew, the Society got their money.
RR