CAN'T AFFORD IT by Stephen N. Haskell

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, January 8, 1880

FromThe Review and Herald, Vol. 55, No. 2

CAN'T AFFORD IT.

By Stephen N. Haskell

BY ELD. S. N. HASKELL.

ALL over the field, special efforts are now being made to extend the circulation of our periodicals, so that they shall be taken by every family among S. D. Adventists, and by others who may be interested in the progress of the work. There is not a single family that can read the English language and that observe the commandments of God, but that should have the REVIEW, Good Health, and the Youth's Instructor. But in our efforts to obtain subscribers, we are frequently met with—“I can't afford it; would be glad to take the papers if I were able.” They manifest great interest in the papers and in the truth, and yet their limited circumstances prevent their subscribing.

Now, could it be shown that a family is too poor to pay for the paper, there are scores of our people to every such family who would gladly pay the subscription price. But who are those who can't afford to take these papers? How much sacrifice have they ever made to take them? Have they ever deprived themselves of one luxury? Have they in any degree practiced self-denial that they might take these periodicals? When a family has gone as far and practiced as much self-denial as a tobacco-inebriate will for his tobacco, or the tea and coffee drinkers for their idols, and then has failed, our tract societies will pick up every such case, and send them our periodicals free.

But it may be said, We do not use tobacco, tea, nor coffee,—which cannot always be said where they plead poverty,—then we ask, Are there not other luxuries which can be dispensed with? There are families that do not feel able to have our publications and take our periodicals, and yet they can purchase a musical instrument at an expense of hundreds of dollars, and pay their regular installments on it. In many families that do not feel able to take our periodicals, is there not a sufficient amount unnecessarily expended upon the wardrobe of the sisters and children to pay for them? Neither does family extravagance lie altogether in dress and music; but not unfrequently we find individuals who cannot afford to take our periodicals or even to pay S. B., who yet pay annually more money for candy and such nicknacks than would be necessary to furnish them with all our periodicals and the three volumes of Spirit of Prophecy. But this money has been paid out by littles, and so the amount expended is not realized.

Many articles that help to swell the table expenses are not needful for health, but are used simply for the gratification of taste; and by curtailing these so little that they would hardly be missed, sufficient could be saved to pay for the REVIEW, Good Health, and the Instructor. If one cent a day were laid aside during the year, it would pay for the REVIEW, Good Health, and the Instructor at club rates, and leave fifteen cents for Sabbath-offerings. Is there any family that could not deny themselves this much without suffering? Would it not be well to consider the real reason why our periodicals are not taken? Is there not danger of our feeling that we are poor, and cannot afford it, when the fault is wholly in ourselves? Do we really want these publications? Do we desire them as our daily food? If so, we believe the families are very few that cannot pay for them. There are hundreds of our more able brethren, to say nothing of our tract societies, who would gladly help every worthy poor family to this reading matter; but there should first be a willingness manifested to sacrifice those things indulged in simply for the gratification of appetite or pride, for the sake of taking these periodicals.

We hope that these things will be properly considered, and viewed in their moral bearing. It is not a question of personal convenience, and of that which relates alone to this life, but it is a question which pertains to our eternal interest.