BEGINNING with the next number, May 3, a new department will appear in the Signs of the Times weekly, for the special benefit of busy persons—those who have but little time for reading. It will be called “A Corner for Busy Men, by One of Them.” It will be just as good and just as interesting, however, for busy women and busy young people as for busy men.
This department will be filled with short, pithy items on the great fundamental principles and doctrines of the Bible, put in such a terse and interesting way that they can be easily comprehended and remembered.
The verse-by-verse study of that most interesting of all the books in the Bible, The Revelation, will soon begin. Each number is filled full of the gospel message for this time, and is a most effectual soul winner.
Here is what an old subscriber has to say about it:—
“I have read this dear old paper (the Signs of the Times) for twenty years. It has always borne witness to the advent message in all its fulness, and is still doing its work nobly. I have sold and am selling it from house to house, and taking subscriptions for it continually. In my ministerial work I would hardly know how to work without it. A young business man, who has just made up his mind to keep all the commandments of God, and who has been reading the Signs, said to me as I handed him a copy last week, ‘How much is this paper?’ I told him, and he answered, ‘Have it sent to me for one year. It is the very best paper I ever saw. It is clean.’ This man has made a success in business, and is a leader in the First Baptist church. He has now decided to obey and walk more fully in the light. The Signs has helped me to teach him the truth. This is simply one out of many experiences I am continually enjoying.”
Are you a subscriber to the Signs?
Does your church take a club for general missionary work?
If not, this is a splendid time to begin. Only 50 cents for three months, 90 cents for six months, $1.75 per year.
In clubs of five or more, $1.25 per copy, per year.
Address your tract society, or Signs of the Times, Mountain View, Cal.
Western Meetings and Workers’ Council
DURING the last week Elder A. G. Daniells, Prof. H. R. Salisbury, and Dr. W. A. Ruble have left for the West, to attend some meetings in the central States and to be present at a council meeting called by the Pacific Union Conference at Loma Linda, Cal., to consider the question of a school for the training of medical missionaries. They will be away from the General Conference Office a month or two, very likely. A number of the union conference presidents in the West will also be in attendance at the Loma Linda meeting.
IN a letter received from Elder A. T. Robinson, of Nebraska, he says: “We have just closed the best workers’ meeting ever held in Nebraska.” He says the necessity of greater results in winning souls in the home field, and the dearth of men and means in the foreign fields, were ever before the council, and the Lord witnessed in a remarkable manner to the efforts to get a clearer view of the necessities of the hour.
Special Notice
By W. T. Knox
THE General Conference Corporation is in immediate need of funds to provide for maturing obligations. For such accommodations, the corporation will issue its notes, drawing four per cent interest. Any of our brethren who can accommodate us with the use of their means for this purpose, will kindly communicate with the treasurer. W. T. Knox.
Colporteurs for Mexico
A CALL has come from Mexico for three more colporteurs to solicit orders for the Spanish Signs of the Times. The Lord has wonderfully blessed the efforts of our agents in handling periodicals and subscription books in Mexico. We want three strong, earnest, devoted young men, who will esteem it a privilege to go to Mexico and learn the language, with the purpose of making that their permanent field of labor. Workers who can make recommendations to us, or young men who wish to volunteer, should correspond with E. R. Palmer, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.
Further Transfer of Laborers
By W. A. Spicer
SOME further recommendations on distribution of labor, by the recent Council and in General Conference Committee meetings since, are as follows:—
J. W. Lair, of Colorado, to take the presidency of the New York Conference, in place of Elder F. H. DeVinney, appointed to Japan.
N. P. Neilson, of South Dakota, to New York City.
B. M. Garton, of Nebraska, to New York Conference.
E. C. Silsbee, of Southern California, to South Africa.
B. B. Aldrich, of the Foreign Mission Seminary, to Mexico.
Drs. A. V. and Mrs. Heynemann, of Edinburgh, Scotland, to Australia.
H. G. Bailey, of the Foreign Mission Seminary, to China.
E. B. Beuchel, of Takoma Park, to China.
A. J. Clark, of the New York Conference, to the Northern New England Conference.
George E. Langdon, president of the Upper Columbia Conference, to India, as superintendent of the India Mission.
W. A. SPICER, Secretary.
South American Union Conference
THE third meeting of the South American Union Conference was held in Entre Rios, Argentina, February 25 to March 12. Elder J. W. Westphal writes: “I am glad to tell you that we had a good conference, the best we have had.” Workers were present from Chile, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and the local field.
Our Literature Work
By A. J. S. Bourdeau
THE periodical sales of two of our European publishing houses alone, the International Tract Society, Hamburg, Germany, and the International Tract Society of London, amounted to $94,451.93 during the year 1909. Many of us little realize the great work that is being accomplished by our publishing houses located in these countries.
One of the history teachers connected with Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn., writes the following concerning the last issue of Liberty (No. 2): “Please send me for the enclosed ten cents the last number of Liberty. I want to use the pictures for my class in general history. I am very glad to find this collection.” It will be remembered that in this number are found excellent pictures of the kings, queens, and presidents of the leading nations of the world. Another notable feature of this number is the complete report of the recent Sunday law hearing before a committee in Congress. The arguments made by both the opposers and advocates of the proposed Johnston Sunday bill are given in whole or in part.
Returns to date from twenty-eight publishing houses and mission fields indicate that our total sales of denominational literature during 1909 amounted to $1,240,235.59, at retail value. Of this amount, $747,286 (or over 50 per cent) represents our subscription-book sales, $500,519.10 (about 35 per cent) the periodical sales, $129,798.30, trade-book sales, and $42,632.19, our tract sales. Thus the sale of our periodicals, trade books, and tracts throughout the world amounts to practically 50 per cent of our entire literature sales.
Mrs. W. D. Fleming, of California, has just established a new world’s record in the sale of our ten-cent magazines. In one day’s effort, of seven and one-half hours, she sold 333 copies of Liberty magazine. The best previous record was made Sept. 7, 1909, by Miss N. Rosella Smith, of Union College, who on that day sold 300 copies of Life and Health in the city of Lincoln, Neb. During the same week she sold 1,000 copies in four days. The next best record was made early in 1909 by Edna Shull, of California, who in her first week’s work sold 230 copies of Life and Health in San Jose, in one day. A. J. S. BOURDEAU.
Foreign Mission Seminary Leadership Change
With the call of the president of the Foreign Mission Seminary to other duties, Prof. J. L. Shaw is taking charge of the work during the last weeks of the Seminary term.
Salisbury Returns from Australia
AFTER about twenty years in other lands, Brother W. D. Salisbury and wife have returned to America for a time. We were glad to greet them in Washington last week. Brother Salisbury has had charge of the Australian printing-house for about seventeen years, we believe. These have been years of changes and great growth in our world-wide publishing work. Our printers are no less missionaries than our evangelists.