"SUNSHINE" AND SIGNS CANVASS by S. N. Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, January 6, 1885

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 62, No. 1

"SUNSHINE" AND SIGNS CANVASS.

By S. N. Haskell

It is now about thirty days since arrangements were made at the REVIEW Office for a combined offer of "Sunshine at Home" and the Signs of the Times. Had the General Conference been held, and this arrangement been made, two months earlier, no doubt ten times as much would have been accomplished by the first of January as has been accomplished in the thirty days. Our brethren were wholly unprepared to enter upon this canvass, but those who were at the Conference returned home full of courage and faith that something could be done. The call was made, and already there have been over ten thousand copies of "Sunshine" sold and delivered. This is quick work, considering that there were only thirty days before Christmas, in which to arrange for and do the canvassing.

It is very fortunate for the friends in New England that they had previously ordered and had had shipped to the New England Tract Society about four hundred copies. This helped them very much, though the books cost our Society about twenty cents more per copy than those purchased of the International Society; but the Society would rather sacrifice the eighty dollars which they paid on the four hundred books than to have been behind in the canvass and let the golden opportunity slip. What we lose financially we gain in getting interested readers. Over one thousand copies have been sold and delivered in New England since the General Conference. The work goes well, and the brethren are of good courage.

We hear encouraging words from different parts of the field. Under date of Dec. 18, Nebraska writes, "Our canvassers are now working for 'Sunshine' and the Signs. I think we will sell nearly, if not quite, one thousand copies. We are only afraid that the REVIEW Office will not be able to furnish us with books so we can fill our orders before Christmas." Indiana, ever ready for business with a good word, writes, Dec. 18: "We can report progress; we have five agents, and shall soon have many more. Eld. Bartlett has taken eighty-five orders in Indianapolis during the last few days, and has delivered fifty of them. I ordered from the Office, and paid for, some three hundred copies, which are now sold. At the rate we are now selling we shall dispose of a thousand by January. The book sells well. I do not see any reason why in a short time we cannot run up the Signs list to fifty thousand. We shall do our share, and pay for our 'Sunshines' as we order them. You may depend on Indiana; we will do what we can. I wish we could have commenced one month earlier; then we could have sold two or three thousand before Christmas." Illinois bears the following testimony: "Our canvass for the Signs and 'Sunshine' is now pretty well under headway. We shall probably use four hundred copies by New Year's, and perhaps more. The book is universally liked, and nothing but the exceeding hard times prevents a large sale. We do not mean to stop the canvass with the holidays; we see no reason why it cannot continue through the winter." Kansas reports: "We received two hundred and fifty 'Sunshines' day before yesterday, and to-day they are all gone but about fifteen copies. We hope to receive the next two hundred and fifty soon. We have several agents who are doing good work, and we feel quite sure that a good work will be accomplished." From the Ohio Conference we have the following encouraging words: "'Sunshine' is selling fast, and we shall soon have one thousand off. We are of good courage; the prospects are better than they have been for some time. The Lord is working for us."

From New York we have received very encouraging words. When the "Sunshine" offer was made, Eld. E. E. Miles closed the school in Rome, and took the advanced class, numbering about twenty, to Utica, where they commenced to canvass for "Sunshine at Home." He there gave them lessons on canvassing, and a daily practical drill. They have had marked success, and the prospect is that much will be accomplished. Nearly every Conference in the country from which we have heard, writes encouragingly. God has gone out before us, and if we go forward in hope and faith, trusting in him, we shall soon see the subscription list of the Signs increased not only twenty thousand but fifty thousand. The International Society has already ordered twenty thousand "Sunshines" to be printed as soon as possible for this purpose, and we expect that before the summer of 1885 closes not less than fifty or seventy-five thousand "Sunshines" will have been used for this purpose.

S. N. HASKELL.