THE TRACT SOCIETY SYSTEM TESTED by Stephen N. Haskell

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, January 1, 1880

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 1

THE TRACT SOCIETY SYSTEM TESTED.

By Stephen N. Haskell

BY ELD. S. N. HASKELL.

In the arrangement of the tract and missionary organization, one object has been to make provision so that every family of S. D. Adventists in each Conference could be visited within a brief space of time, if necessary, by some official member. To this end, it has been urged that each librarian should become personally acquainted with every family in any way connected with the church; also, that the director become acquainted with each individual in his district, so that if during any quarter there should be a falling back in reporting, or lack of interest, or if affliction of any kind should make it necessary to visit any family, such circumstances may be known by the librarian and director, and the required labor and assistance be bestowed by them or some other proper person. (This in no way releases the local elder from his duty.) The manner in which the duties now devolving upon the tract societies are performed will thoroughly test their efficiency in this respect. It is expected that each director, during the quarter which we are just entering, will see that every family and scattered member in his district has Testimony No. 29, also as far as practicable the REVIEW AND HERALD and Good Health, and also that family readings are established in and by the same.

We suggest that next April each district report through the State officers as follows: 1. The number of families in the district; 2. How many have Testimony No. 29; 3. How many have the three volumes of Spirit of Prophecy; 4. How many have the REVIEW, also Good Health; 5. The names and post-office address of any who may fail to have the above-mentioned publications, and the reasons for the same. The design of this is not for publication, but to enable the society to decide what course to pursue.

If any family be poor or afflicted with sickness, this should not of itself be a sufficient reason why they should not, in these respects, have the same privileges of those more fortunate. The REVIEW in its present size should have an increase of one thousand subscribers per month during the year. May God bless the tract societies.