Andy comments:

Only two of the wires are needed for a phone connection.

On the outside of your house, you will see a customer service box.
This can be opened by the customer to check out the telephone
themselves before calling the phone man...

It may be that you can determine which two wires in the cable
are used by examining this box.

Also,
If you have a voltmeter, you can also determine which wires are
used by measuring the voltage between pairs.....
When the phone is on-hook ( not in use) , there will be approx
45 volts DC between the two wires which are used. An unplugged
phone is considered on-hook.

( When off-hook, and in use, this
voltage drops to around 5 volts DC or so).

Typically there are four wires in a phone jack. Either the two
inner
wires or the two outer wires will be used. Usually it is the two
inner
wires, but not always....

Another easy way is to put a couple clip leads on a normal phone
cord, and just try the cable , two wires at a time, until you hear a
dial tone.

This stuff isn't rocket surgery, but you might have to mess with
it
for a few minutes.....

Andy in Eureka, Texas