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Notes of Progress

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

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 29.

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Notes of Progress

By E. R. P.

Western Canada

Following closely upon that excellent report from the Southwestern Union Conference, in which ninety-four agents averaged thirty-five hours’ work each in one week, comes another report for one week from western Canada, which deserves special attention. Out of nineteen agents, thirteen worked forty hours or more during the week. Six of these worked more than fifty hours, one worked sixty-three and one-half hours, and another worked seventy-two hours. Men work just such hours as these in working for wages, position, and honor in the world. What a blessed thing it is to see our canvassers working with the same enthusiasm and faithfulness for the Lord Jesus Christ!

Mexico

A letter just received from Brother J. A. P. Green, general agent of Mexico, brings the good news that during the previous week Brethren H. A. Robinson and W. A. Yarnell, who are just beginning the canvassing work in Mexico, reported respectively $124.75 and $124.25 sales during the week. This is doubtless Mexican money, which is worth about fifty per cent of United States gold.
It is wonderful how the Lord is blessing our young men who are pioneering in the canvassing work in Mexico. In a few weeks Brother N. Z. Town, assistant secretary of the Publishing Department, expects to go to Mexico and hold a canvassers’ institute with these young men, and with a few more who have volunteered for service. As Brother Town speaks the Spanish, and is an experienced salesman, he will be able to give the canvassers much help in their institute.

South Africa

In response to urgent calls from South Africa for a general canvassing agent, the General Conference has recommended to them Brother G. H. Clark, field missionary agent of the Chesapeake Conference, and Brother Clark has accepted the call. It is hoped that he will be ready to sail by the first of August, so as to arrive in South Africa in time to conduct the institute before the school closes, and to organize their summer campaign, which should begin early in October. Brother Clark has been a faithful, successful leader for two years in the Chesapeake Conference; and as he goes to his new field of labor, he will have the confidence, prayers, and best wishes of the many friends he leaves behind.

The Ten-Cent Magazines

The rapid progress being made in the sale of our ten-cent magazines is one of the most cheering features of our publishing work. It is wonderfully encouraging to see our people, old and young, taking hold of this work and succeeding so well. A letter from the South brings the good news that the sale of the Watchman doubled during the month of June as compared with the month of May. The periodical department of the Review and Herald Office reports that the sale of the July number of Life and Health will reach eighty thousand copies. Nearly sixty thousand copies had already been sold on the first day of July, and orders are being received at the rate of about two thousand copies a day.
Brother J. R. Ferren, circulating manager of the Signs of the Times Monthly, in a recent letter, says:—
“The July number of the Signs is going very, very well. This is June 30, and orders for thirty-five thousand copies have been filled. We are sure of selling forty-five thousand, and I think fifty thousand copies.
“Since the close of our school at Lodi, three young lady students have been working in Sacramento and Stockton. They are having excellent success. The two in Sacramento have sold upward of fifteen hundred papers, and the one in Stockton has sold one thousand. The last report from one of the young ladies says: ‘Last Wednesday I sold sixty copies, one to the county surveyor, one to the tax collector, and one to the jailer. Thursday I sold one hundred copies. I am certainly having some good experiences in this work.’
“This is an orphan girl who was graduated from the church-school this year, and had no way of continuing in a higher grade next year. I heard about her in Lodi, went and visited her, drilled her on a little canvass, and then took her out a day in Stockton. She sold sixty copies that first day. She has been out selling magazines every day since, and I think by this time has her scholarship half earned.
“It is certainly encouraging to get hold of consecrated, earnest workers who will keep right at this work because of their love for giving the message.
“Two church-school teachers from central California came up here a week ago, and are nicely started in their work with the Signs magazine in Oakland. From their reports they are enjoying their work and getting on nicely.
“From the number of second orders we are receiving from some of those who are working for scholarships over in the central and eastern territory, we presume similar success is attending the work there. Surely the Lord is good to those who with determination take hold of work like this for a purpose. I am glad to have a little part in it.”
The agents for these magazines enjoy their work very much, and nearly all of them do exceedingly well. The following quotation from a letter recently received from one of the beginners speaks for itself:—
“Yesterday I sold fifty copies in four hours, and to-day forty copies in three hours. We are just learning how to sell. The people are so nice to us! Really I did not expect to be treated so well. We find some who are much interested. Most persons recognize the name of the magazine, but that makes no difference. I think this is the right time to work this place; the people seem to be ready for the truth. I have had long talks with a number who seem to be interested in the truth, and it is my desire that I may be able to drop a few words here and there, by God’s help, that may be a blessing to some one.
“I just love to sell these magazines, for I know that the angels of God are with me. I would not give up the experience I have had in these two weeks for anything. I feel that I am living closer to God than ever before. I trust him more, and my faith is stronger.”
This good work of selling our ten-cent magazines has opened an avenue whereby all who wish to devote their time directly and entirely to this grand and glorious work of soul saving may do so, and at the same time make their work self-supporting. May the Lord’s blessing rest richly upon the canvassers for our magazines, who are so earnestly pioneering this new line of work.
E. R. P.