The Sale of Literature in California by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 22, 1908

The Sale of Literature in California

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

THE work accomplished by Nehemiah was done with great rapidity, because the rank and file of the people took part in it. “The people had a mind to work;” otherwise Nehemiah could never have completed the wall in fifty-two days. In like manner the “loud cry” of the third angel will be given when the rank and file of our people have “a mind to work.”

We have had an object-lesson of this in the California Conference this year. Last March we appointed a workers’ institute, to be held in Oakland, and most of the laborers in the conference were in attendance.

Before the institute we counseled with the brethren at the Pacific Press, and secured permission to sell tracts in quantities at greatly reduced rates. These tracts were made up into three sizes of well-assorted packages. A large package containing nine dollars’ worth of tracts was sold for five dollars. The second size package contained four dollars’

worth, and was sold for two dollars and a half. The third sold for one dollar, and contained $1.40 worth of tracts. Any one purchasing in smaller quantities was required to pay the regular price. The brethren at the Pacific Press also consented for us to offer four copies of “Great Controversy,” which retails for two dollars and a half each, for five dollars. “The Story of the Seer of Patmos” and “The Story of Daniel” were also sold at fifty-per-cent reduction to all who would buy five dollars’ worth at one time.

During the Oakland institute a large quantity of literature was purchased by the people. This was followed by a short institute in San Francisco and a longer one in Chico. Much literature was sold during these two institutes.

At the first camp-meeting, as our people, in response to the appeal of our ministers, came up and purchased large quantities of literature, some of our brethren said, “There will be a reaction in this thing; the people will get stocked up with literature, and then you can not sell them anything.” Their predictions failed; for we have just closed our fourth and best camp-meeting of the season, held at Fresno; and while the attendance was not so large as at the Melrose camp-meeting, held in June, yet the sale of literature far exceeded any meeting this year, in proportion to the number in attendance. One hundred seventeen copies of “Great Controversy” were bought by the people and carried to their tents. About two hundred fifty dollars’ worth of tracts were sold in packages during the camp-meeting. It was a common sight to see a large quantity of books or tracts piled up on the stand in the large tent, and at the close of the meeting to see the people going to their tents with their arms full of literature.

While heavy sales of literature were made during the three institutes and four camp-meetings, work was going on steadily between the meetings. We have kept our different periodicals on hand, and have encouraged everybody to sell. We ordered the papers by the thousand, and gave all the new beginners the advantage of the low rate to encourage them in selling. Sometimes we have had more than three or four thousand copies of Liberty and Life and Health on hand, but have always found some one who would sell them.

In the past seven months our people have purchased literature to the value of $15,563.48, consisting of books, tracts, Signs of the Times, Liberty, Life and Health and the Bible Training School. This amount does not include the sales made by the regular canvassers in the conference, neither does it include any of the orders sent in by the librarians of the churches to the tract society. It represents work done by the rank and file of our people over and above that carried on by the organized work in the churches and in the canvassing field.

Often those who had purchased large quantities of literature at one of the other camp-meetings, were the first to hold up the hand at the Fresno meeting for a five-dollar package of tracts, or five dollars’ worth of books, saying they had either sold or given away all they had purchased before. Some of our brethren bought several of the large packages of tracts, and gave them to the various tent companies to distribute.

The question may arise, “What is the result of the lay members handling such a large quantity of literature?” The result thus far is that interests are springing up all over the conference, and we have not sufficient ministers and workers to fill the openings. In some instances, after a few meetings have been held, a company is ready for organization.

We thank the Lord for the large amount of literature distributed in this conference; but this is nothing compared with what can be done when the entire denomination has “a mind to work.” Let the good work go forward.

S. N. HASKELL.