WHEN the system adopted is carried out, it will be seen that the efficiency of the Tract Society has not been overrated. We as a people are a unit in our faith, and in all our general work. What we now want is to have an individual effort put forth in every part of the field, at the same time, and upon the same point. There is a position for each to fill, and God will bless every individual in filling it. To accomplish this, it is necessary for our officers to be prompt in the discharge of their duties. We therefore make the following suggestions:—
1. The State secretary should live at some central point, where there are good railroad and mail accommodations, and at this place there should be a general depository of our publications, largely tracts, and including all premiums used by our canvassers. This depository should be sufficiently large to supply each district as orders are sent in.
2. A less quantity should be in the hands of each district secretary, to supply each church in his respective district.
3. A still less quantity should be in the hands of each librarian in the several church societies, to supply the members.
4. These publications sent to the general depository in the State, should be sent as freight, as much expense will thereby be saved on expressage. A little planning of this kind will save enough in some Conferences to furnish entire districts with tracts.
5. No business whatever with your Tract Society or the Office should lay over a single mail, unless you have regular days each week to send your business to the Office of publication: In that case, the business with the Office will be attended to on certain days, but not so with matters in the State. These should be attended to the day they are received.
6. The business of the society should be first of all. No person is fit for the Lord's business (and the tract business is the Lord's business) if he has other interests more important than this.
No tract society will prosper if the business is delayed or done in a slack manner. Members who have any interest will become discouraged and disgusted, and will in a short time lose their interest in the work. Give us prompt officers, who do business correctly and with dispatch, and the spirit will become so diffused through the members that the whole Conference can unite in any general action within ten days' notice from head-quarters. The New England Conference has become noted for making general moves on short notices. Visit the house of the State secretary, and you will see the secret of this. When an order for tracts is received to be sent to any part of the Conference, there is no work of sufficient importance to prevent filling the order by the next train, and the next mail carries an accompanying bill. It is so with all the tract business.
The object of having tract society officers is to do business, and when men and women are placed in official positions, it is expected they will attend to their business. It is unfaithfulness to God on their part, and doing injustice to their brethren, to do the work of the Lord negligently. “Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently.” (Margin) Jer. 48 : 10.
If there be not funds on hand sufficient to have a State depository, arrangements can be made with the Office to wait for part of the pay for the publications while the money is being raised. When means are once raised for such a depository, the brethren fully come up to the plan of systematic benevolence, and adopt the one-third, by properly guarding the tract fund there will be no trouble about sustaining the tract society. The smallest of our Conferences should have at least one thousand dollars' worth of publications on hand, while larger Conferences, like Iowa, Wisconsin, and New York, should have twice that amount. We do not expect that all this will be accomplished at once, but each society should commence immediately to bring about this state of things. But few realize the importance of the present passing moments. Larger plans are being laid, and a work lies before us in the closing scenes of this world's history, the magnitude and importance of which is not comprehended.
S. N. HASKELL.
ACTING IN HARMONY.
By Stephen Nelson Haskell
While the Tract Societies are making an especial effort to increase the circulation of the Health Reformer, Signs of the Times, and Youth’s Instructor, The Review and Herald, Advent Tidende, Svensk Harold, and Les Signes des Temps should not be forgotten. There are no national barriers in the Christian religion. God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.” Acts 17:26. Christ has “broken down the middle wall of partition,” so that now, through him, we all have access by one spirit unto the Father. Now, therefore, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” The truth of God is designed for the human family, and Christ “is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” John 2:2.
Those of different nationalities can labor most successfully among those who speak their own native tongue, yet there is no reason why the tract system should not embrace all. The Scandinavians can labor among their own people, but report to the tract officers of the Conference to which they belong. Reports show that six clubs of the Tidende have been taken, making an aggregate of 210 copies; and through these about 300 subscribers have been obtained for this paper. This is as it should be. But this is only a commencement. Throughout this country the friends of the Tidende should be interested in its circulation. The Swedes should pursue the same course with the Harold. In Battle Creek a club of the Harold has been taken, and good results have followed. But there are companies West and East who should engage in this work. There are also companies of French brethren in Illinois, Wisconsin, Canada, and elsewhere. These should manifest the same interest in the same manner with the French paper. These should all co-operate with the Tract Societies.
In Boston, Mass., Portland, Maine, and many places West, there are settlements of the French, Danes, and Swedes, none of whom believe in present truth, and yet there are American brethren living near by. Here is a missionary field for them. When Bro. Sawyer was in Boston, he found a large company of Swedes; and the idea that an American should take such an interest in them as to learn their language, and then go to labor in their midst, so affected them that they at once procured a hall, and now offer him an open door to labor in their midst.
There must be more of a blending of efforts on the part of those of every nationality under heaven in the work of present truth. In all such places as Boston and Chicago, our brethren should take a sufficient number of these foreign papers to meet the necessities of the case. There are tracts and pamphlets in these different languages which should be kept constantly on hand, and furnished to people of these different nationalities. All this can be done through the tract societies. This home missionary work is the quintessence of Christianity. God accepts no service without it. A religion that gives no burden for the salvation of others, of whatever nationality, is a mere shell, a dry form, without any God, or Christ, or salvation in it; and the more one possesses of it the more he is to be pitied.
My brother, my sister, do you fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it? Do you realize that these promises are conditionally given, and that the anxiety on our part should be faithfully to comply with the conditions? Enlarged hearts and tender consciences are valuable commodities in these days of peril.
S. N. Haskell.
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
By S. N. Haskell
Much has been said about clubbing the SIGNS and paying for them in monthly installments; not less than eight copies being taken, and sent to one address. This plan should be more largely entered upon this coming year than it has previously been. A Vigilant Missionary Society should be organized in every church in the country, and where individuals reside alone, and do not have the privilege of meeting with a company of believers, they can organize themselves into such a society. If in the future it be found that you are not able to pay for as many copies as you ordered at first, they can be discontinued, or you can find a paying subscriber and have a copy transferred. But in all cases whenever a copy is transferred, the one having it thus transferred should at once see that it is paid for for the year.
The business should all be done through the tract society. Each individual is amenable to the librarian or collector of monthly installments in the church, and the church is holden to the district. The money should be paid to the district secretary at least once a quarter, previous to the district quarterly meeting. The district is also amenable to the State society, and your State society is responsible to the office of publication.
Those churches that have ordered a number of copies of the SIGNS, and whose subscription has about expired, should see that they are renewed for 1878; and instead of taking a less number for the coming year a larger number should be subscribed for, and a greater effort should be put forth than ever before. The Lord is soon coming, and we have no time to lose by slackening our hands in the cause of present truth. S. N. Haskell.
REPORTING
By Joseph Harvey Waggoner
This is an important part of the work in the T. and M. Societies, and every one ought to bring in a report every time. At a meeting which I lately attended; the complaint was made that the director did not seem to like it if a small report was presented, and this was made an excuse for making no report at all if but little had been done.
This is all wrong. Every item of work should be reported, however small the amount, and the directors should so instruct the members. Otherwise, the whole amount of labor cannot be known; and many small items swell the aggregate.
Beside this, it will be found to be a fact that the habit of reporting will beget and strengthen the habit of working. If all were compelled to report every quarter, there can be no doubt they would all work, for few if any would be willing to repeat many times the following report: “I have done nothing during the last quarter.” It may not in itself be a commendable motive to wish to make each report larger than the one preceding, but it is a truth that the heart soon grows into the work in which we are engaged, and the greater our diligence in our work the greater will be our interest in the work. The more we do for the cause of God the deeper will be our interest in it, and the stronger our love for it. They who are dull and indifferent in the cause of God should not wait and do nothing till their feelings grow stronger. If they go to work, they will soon find themselves in possession of lively feelings for the work in which they are engaged.
No labor of love is ever lost. It has its influence somewhere. Even if we see no immediate result on others, it has a beneficial result on ourselves, so that it is never unfruitful. We have no cause to be discouraged. Nor should we falter because we cannot do much. Remember, it was the man who had only one talent who was condemned for not improving it. So there can be no excuse offered for want of opportunity to do a large or great work. A little is just as acceptable as much, if the little is all that we can do. The widow’s mites were of great value, because they were all she had. These are lessons of which tract workers should never lose sight. Let every one do something, and let every one make a report, that the general report may show the true amount of work done. J. H. Waggoner.
WORK FOR YOUTH.
By W. C. White
We have missionary work for one thousand youth and children during the month of December, in introducing the INSTRUCTOR into ten thousand families, where there are young folks to read it. Offering, as we do this year, the INSTRUCTOR and a valuable premium to new subscribers for 50 cents, we cannot give any discount to agents. But this we will do:—
To any one person who will send us fifty subscribers, we will present “The Bird’s-Eye View of Palestine,” a beautiful chart worth $2.50. For twenty-five subscribers we will give, The Golden Grains, neatly bound in two volumes, worth $1.00. For fifteen subscribers, we will give one of these volumes.
The T. and M. Societies will soon be supplied with premiums, but if you are ready to begin the work of canvassing, send 25 cents to the YOUTH’S INSTRUCTOR, Battle Creek, Mich., and one will be sent you at once by mail.
W. C. WHITE.
PREMIUMS
By S. N. H.
The first edition of “The Household Manual” was prepared expressly to be used as a premium with the REFORMER. This being exhausted, a second edition was printed a few weeks since, and offered to the tract societies for 20 cents a copy, when ordered in quantities of not less than 500 copies. This entire edition has already been sent to the tract societies for canvassers to use with the REFORMER. It was thought advisable to make the third edition a better finished book than the ones previously issued. Therefore, the publishers have gotten up a nicer bound book, printed upon heavier paper, one that will not fail to more readily attract the eye of the purchaser. The retail price of this edition of the Manual will remain the same as the previous editions,—75 cents. To agents, in quantities of ten to fifty copies, 50 per cent. discount. In lots of fifty copies or more, 60 per cent. discount. When ordered in large quantities by the tract societies, special rates will be given.
The two last editions of this book have been revised, or it might more truthfully be said, rewritten, and plates have been added to illustrate what to do in case of drowning, the nature of trichinae, &c., &c. It is full of useful hints to every family, and we can recommend it to all our tract societies, to be used in canvassing for the HEALTH REFORMER. Already some of our brethren who canvass for the REFORMER on a per cent., and thus support their families, and who used the former edition, have ordered 1000 copies.
This shows how it is appreciated by old canvassers, and how well it takes with the public. Every tract society should immediately be supplied with a sufficient quantity to meet all demands in each district. “The way of Life” also can be used as last year, with the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. Special rates to tract societies.
There has also been prepared a beautiful premium for the YOUTH’S INSTRUCTOR, “The Child’s Poems,” containing 112 pages. These are gems of the richest order. The price of this book is 50 cents, yet it can be used as a premium with the INSTRUCTOR for only fifty cents. This, however, gives no profit to the canvasser. Already some Conferences have ordered 500 copies. This premium is especially designed to encourage missionary work among the youth and children, and also to largely increase the circulation of the INSTRUCTOR. Nothing can be better for a Christmas or New Year’s present than one of these books, and the INSTRUCTOR one year, for 50 cents. The presidents of the various tract societies should see that a liberal supply of all these premiums is in the hands of each district secretary, so that all our brethren can take hold of this work at once.
The children and youth should be especially encouraged to canvass for the INSTRUCTOR, and thus learn to do missionary work. Now is the time to put forth such efforts as never before. Many of our Conference tract societies are putting on the armor anew. The work is rising everywhere. The cloud is already being lifted before the camp of Israel, and the voice of God, by his providence, speaks, Go forward! We have not a moment to spare. There should be, including the youth, more than 1000 canvassers in the field within the next three weeks, visiting from house to house, and more than 20,000 premiums should at once be ordered by the various tract societies, to extend the circulation of these periodicals. There need be no fear of incurring a debt to be lifted by donations, as all these premiums pay for themselves to the tract societies as the subscribers are obtained. S. N. H.
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
By Stephen N. Haskell
“WHEN a member of the Tract Society moves from one place to another, does his membership hold good in the place to which he moves? or should he join in each place where he goes?” Answer: If he moves from one Conference to another, his membership does not hold good, but it is expected he will join wherever he may be; but if he moves simply from one district to another in the same Conference, it makes no difference with his membership; but he should report to that district from which he draws his tracts.
The difference between moving from one State to another and from one district to another is this: In one case the membership fee, and donations from the individual, have gone into the Conference tract society fund, in the other case they have not.
“Shall we place the Annuals in stores to be sold?” We answer, by all means. Every store that will take them should be at once supplied. Properly managed, two hundred thousand Annuals can be sold by the tract societies for more than the first cost of them. 1. Let every family of Seventh-day Adventists take a copy and pay ten cents for it. This goes into the tract society fund. 2. Let every Seventh-day Adventist sell to those not interested in present truth for five cents. 3. Place them in the hands of every store-keeper and peddler in the land who will take them, and who is not of our brethren, at three dollars per hundred. 4. Encourage the children everywhere to sell them. 5. Send a copy to each friend of yours everywhere. In fact, a stir should be made all through the ranks of Seventh-day Adventists. Every store should be visited, and every shop and every family throughout the land.
The information contained in the Annual is invaluable. Give the people the light. Now is the time. November is the best month in the year. December comes next. There is not a moment to spare. Go out with prayer, faith, hope, and courage in God. Commence as soon as you read these lines. Call for Annuals at once of your secretary. If your tract officers do not have them, they should order at once.
With the same effort, Iowa and Minnesota can dispose of as many Annuals as New York, which ranks next to Michigan, having ordered eleven thousand.
QUES. “Some churches are poor, and there is an interest to read in their vicinity; another is well off, but there is no outside interest. How can the distribution of reading matter be equalized by the plan of each church paying for its own publications?”
Ans. It is the duty of the director at the district quarterly meeting to consider this matter, and in connection with the librarian take action upon it, and see how much the other churches will give to this poor church.
This plan is adopted with the districts. One is poor and cannot pay for the publications which it can judiciously use. It is the duty of the directors to consider this matter at the general quarterly meeting, and help such districts by donating them publications. When any money is paid into the Tract Society it becomes Tract Society money, controlled by the board of directors, yet ordinarily each church draws out tracts in proportion to what it has put in, unless in cases like the above, also in cases of general expense, such as freight, &c. It can be seen that every district should have a surplus fund on hand, that there may be a quantity of books in the State. But, says one, “why not have all the money go into one general fund, and the executive committee control the whole matter?” The system is to guard against a reckless distribution of reading matter. If a church squanders its funds, it cannot use any one's else means, unless by consent of the other churches.
This plan of helping each church and district is Bible equality. “But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want; that there may be equality.”
S. N. HASKELL.
S. N. HASKELL
By Stephen N. Haskell
In conclusion we say, Take the annuals with you everywhere you go, and make a business with the SIGNS and REFORMER, and at the same time encourage the children to engage in the work of canvassing for the YOUTH’S INSTRUCTOR. Go in faith, hope, and courage, and God will bless. The time is short, and the present moments are golden in which to work for God. The time in which to work for the salvation of souls will soon be past, and we must individually give an account of the use we make of the opportunities offered us. Therefore, we say, Let us commence at once, work in earnest, and God’s blessing will rest upon us.
S. N. HASKELL
CHURCH RECORD AND S. B. BOOKS.
By W. C. White
At the last General Conference a committee was appointed to perfect a plan for a Church Record-book and a S. B. Pledge and Business Account-book, which all our churches might adopt, thus enabling them to keep their records and accounts on one uniform plan and in the most simple and accurate manner.
Every one who has kept the s. b. accounts, finds the old book imperfect, because it has no place to record irregular payments, which will occur, more or less, in every church. According to the plan proposed, the new book is to have a place to record all cash paid out and received, without confusion, no matter how small the sums are or how often received.
It is also so arranged as to contain a complete record of the missionary one-third, due at the close of each quarter, which the church treasurer should collect with the s. b. and pay into the hands of the proper T. and M. officers. Another important advantage of the book is that it can be easily audited at each annual meeting of the Conference.
The Church Record will be a great help to the church clerk, as it is so arranged that at one glance he can see the exact standing of each member.
Full explanations will be printed in each book, and sample pages will be given showing just how the records and accounts should be kept.
Every church should have the books, so as to begin their records and accounts Jan. 1, 1878, on the right plan.
To facilitate all getting them in time, we shall ship a supply to each State T. and M. secretary, to whom you should send your orders at once, that he may improve the first opportunity to forward them to you with other book orders, thus saving high rates of postage, or a separate shipment by express.
We are also preparing blank record and account books for State and district secretaries, which we hope to have in readiness before the close of January. Let those who are in need of new books report at once, that we may know how many to prepare.
All the above books will be furnished to the tract societies for a trifle more than the original cost. We look to our tract society officers, with the co-operation of our ministers, for a thorough reform in doing the Lord’s business.
W. C. WHITE.
Record and S. B. Books.
By W. C. W.
The new Church Record and S. B. Books will be furnished at the following prices:
Church Record, 2 quires, ........ $1.00
Church Record, 3 quires, ........ 1.30
Church Record, 4 quires, ........ 1.60
S. B. Books, 2 quires, ........ 1.40
S. B. Books, 3 quires, ........ 1.75
[In quantities to T. and M. Societies, 15 per cent discount.
Churches of less than thirty members would only need the two-quire books.
Churches of thirty to fifty would need the three-quire books.
Larger churches would need the four-quire Church Record. W. C. W.
HOW TO FILL OUT BLANK REPORTS.
Perhaps anything upon this point will seem unnecessary to many; but there are some among our Tract Society members who consider it a great task to fill out a blank report, and often the matter is delayed until it is too late, and no report is given. Others say they cannot fill out a report, and do not try. Hence the number of reports returned in the various tract societies does not average one-half the number of members. This is not because one-half the members do not do anything; for in those particulars respecting which the State secretary’s books give information, they invariably show that from five to ten times more labor has been performed in the Conference than is reported by the members. This shows how far short the reports of the tract societies generally come of representing the labor performed by their members.
Also the district secretaries, whose duty it is to make up a general report from the individual reports returned, often find it difficult to determine what is intended by the reports, and it is impossible to obtain a correct report for this reason. Every attempt in the direction of reporting to the society is highly appreciated, and we would not offer one word of discouragement to those who have failed to do so correctly; but if it is important that the labor of the society be reported, it is important that it be complete, embracing a report from all its members. Every partial, incorrect report does injustice to the society, and is a disgrace to its members.
Our object in these few lines is, if possible, to rid the matter of reporting of the dread attached to it in some minds, and make the burden so light that every tract society member will come nobly up, and perform his duty in this respect. First of all, be particular to keep an account of what labor you perform, as you perform it, and under the different heads specified in the blank reports; viz., families visited, letters written, all money received which pertains to the missionary work, and for what, the number of subscribers obtained for each of the periodicals, the number of copies which you pay for and send to your friends, and that the society sends by your request, number of all S. D. Adventist periodicals which you give, almanacs
Coming to the Help of the Lord
Now is the time to come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty in each of these moves, or to merit the curse of Meroz. See Judges 5:23.
TO THE NEW ENGLAND TRACT AND MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
By Maria L. Huntley
It will devolve upon the assistant secretary to take charge of matters connected with the New England Tract Society for the present. To lighten her labor, and to lessen the liability of mistakes, we make the following suggestions to those who may have occasion to do business with the tract society:—
1. Give all particulars necessary for any one to do the business correctly. For instance, if you desire to transfer a paper from one address to another, do not write like the following: “Change one copy of the SIGNS sent to this church to ——;” for if you do, she will not know to whose address the paper is now sent; but give the address of both parties distinctly, thus: “Transfer one copy of the SIGNS now sent to (give the address in full,) to (address in full.)”
2. If you order periodicals directly of her, give the price to be paid, and the length of time they are to be sent, whether a year or six months; and if the money is not enclosed, state to whom they are to be charged, &c.
3. Be particular to write distinctly, so there can be no doubt about the address. Guess-work does very well in some cases, but not in such matters as these, and if the secretary is obliged to write back to make inquiries, the business is delayed.
4. Write all business items by themselves, so they can be distinguished at a glance from other matter which the letter may contain.
5. Do not send your business items to some other person in the neighborhood to hand to the secretary; but send directly to her, even if it does cost a few cents postage, as she should preserve all business letters.
A little careful attention to such matters on the part of correspondents will prevent many mistakes, and render the labor of the secretary more pleasant and more satisfactory to herself and others.
The address of the assistant secretary is Miss Eliza Thayer, So. Lancaster, Mass.
MARIA L. HUNTLEY.
To District No. 3, New York and Pennsylvania Tract Society
By Wm. H. Brown
TO DIST. NO. 3, N. Y. AND PA. T. AND M. SOCIETY.
Never have I felt so deeply the responsibility resting upon us, and the need of being fully consecrated to God and his work as I have the past six months, and especially since my return from the Rome meeting. I find myself in a responsible position, where I need the help of the Lord and the co-operation of the members of the Tract Society, which I expect to have.
We felt our heart inspired with new vigor as we listened to the close, practical preaching of Eld. Haskell, and heard him speak in regard to the prosperity of the work, and the rapidity with which it is moving. Truly this is wonderful, and we feel to do with all our might what our hands find to do; for soon the night cometh wherein no man can work.
The time has come when people will devote much time to reading, and why not provide them with the best kind? Let us be energetic in this noble enterprise, and improve every moment to the best of our ability. Blessed promises are made to those who go forth scattering the seed. Although fruit may not be seen immediately, and perhaps never in this life; it will amply repay us to meet those in the better land whom we have been the means in the hands of God of saving. Stars will be placed in our crowns, and we shall hear from the lips of our Saviour, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many.”