The Circulation of Our Periodicals by U. P. LONG

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 22, 1909

The Circulation of Our Periodicals

By U. P. LONG

U. P. LONG

Do we fully realize the importance of giving an extended circulation to our periodicals? Surely the world has never before seen a periodical literature which is so nearly perfect as that brought to us in our religious, missionary, educational, temperance, and liberty papers. These periodicals faithfully publish the greatest of all Heaven-sent messages ever given this sinful world. Each week or month they carry the truth wherever we send them. Eternity alone will reveal the results arising from their circulation. Many souls have embraced the truth through this agency alone, and yet only a beginning has been made. The Signs, REVIEW, Watchman, Life and Health, and Liberty are our leading periodicals in the English. We also have excellent papers in the other leading languages of the world.

As a result of special efforts in this work during recent years, better methods have been learned and put into successful operation. They deserve careful consideration. Our papers can be sold. Indeed, this is being done quite successfully in many parts of the world, especially in cities and towns.

Special advantages arise from selling the papers rather than giving them away. By this means a much larger number of papers (perhaps from three to five times as many) can be handled by a church than when the number circulated is limited by donations. As a rule, people appreciate more highly what they pay for than what is given to them, and they are more likely to read it. The profits of paper sales make this work, to a considerable extent, self-supporting. Other advantages might be named, but surely these are important.

Instead of paying for these papers out of the missionary treasury, another plan is recommended. The members interested, and this should include all, each become personally responsible for a certain number of papers each week, to sell or give away, or to place in the hands of those who can. The cost is but a

few cents a week, and according to their means, spare time, etc., members can take from three to one hundred or more. The librarian orders the whole number, and the subscribers pay enough to cover the cost of the whole club. This relieves the society of the burden of carrying the club, and yet the club may be greatly increased. The policy should be, “Pay as you go.”

We also have many other opportunities of using our papers besides selling them. While traveling on the cars or otherwise; during intermissions at factories, workshops, or schools, or at certain public gatherings, and on many other occasions, we can engage others in conversation, and hand them a paper or a tract. Almost every one has opportunities of this kind, and no work is fraught with greater results for good than that in which we come into personal contact with the people.

In all our large cities there are public institutions, prisons, almshouses, hospitals, reading-rooms, and even railroad depots, where some of our periodicals would be welcomed. Send the officials (or hand to them) marked copies of our papers, write them of our interest in their work, asking the privilege of sending our papers regularly. If you do your work discreetly, many will be pleased to accept. Papers may be sent to certain institutions direct from our publishing houses, at cheap rates, when desired.

Another excellent plan is to mail copies to our friends or to certain selected names, following up the papers by correspondence. This plan has long been used with good results. However, there is danger, at times, of spending money for both papers and postage to but little purpose, while we neglect the personal-contact work all around us, which could be done at one half the expense.

Success in the spiritual life depends not only on prayer and study of the Word, but also on daily, systematic labor for others. The periodical work affords such an opportunity.

The work with our papers is a pioneer work. It opens other avenues of usefulness. We can all readily see how any one going from house to house, as one must do in handling our periodical literature, will discover and develop other fruitful opportunities of missionary endeavor.

Ft. Morgan, Colo.