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The Bookmen's Convention

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 7, 1909

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 1.

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The Bookmen's Convention

By E. R. Palmer

THE bookmen's convention for the Review and Herald territory was held, according to appointment, at the Foreign Mission Seminary, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C., commencing Dec. 16, 1908.
Elder Morris Lukens, manager of the Review and Herald Book Department, was elected permanent chairman, and L. W. Graham and R. J. Leo were elected secretaries.
All the general missionary agents and field missionary agents under appointment from the Lake, Canadian, Atlantic, and Columbia union conferences were present. The names of the delegates, and the territory represented by unions, are as follows:—

LAKE UNION CONFERENCE

J. B. Blosser, General Missionary Agent.
F. B. Numbers and wife, Wisconsin.
O. Morris, Northern Illinois.
C. J. Tolf, Southern Illinois.
A. C. Haughey, West Michigan.
J. H. McEachern, East Michigan.
H. W. Johnson, North Michigan.

ATLANTIC UNION CONFERENCE

R. J. Bryant, General Missionary Agent.
G. W. Whitney, Maine.
A. R. Evans, Vermont.
H. C. Wilcox, Central New England.
Charles Dyer, Southern New England.
H. C. Tonjes, Greater New York.
A. R. Scott and wife, New York.
F. M. Dana, Union Missionary Secretary.

COLUMBIA UNION CONFERENCE

I. D. Richardson, General Missionary Agent.
E. R. Numbers, Ohio.
I. G. Bigelow, West Pennsylvania.
David Percy, West Virginia.
W. H. Zeidler, Virginia.
R. French, New Jersey.
G. H. Clark, Chesapeake.
G. W. Holman, Eastern Pennsylvania.

CANADIAN UNION CONFERENCE

Ira S. Jones, General Missionary Agent.
G. W. Miller, Maritime Provinces.

GENERAL

E. R. Palmer, Secretary General Conference Publishing Department.
N. Z. Town, South America.
Morris Lukens, Manager Book Department Review and Herald Publishing Association.
L. W. Graham, Manager New York Branch Review and Herald Publishing Association.
R. J. Leo, General Conference Publishing Department Assistant.
It was a real inspiration to meet such a band of leaders from the conferences of this great Eastern field. The work of the convention was entered upon with sturdy enthusiasm. The following was the program of one day's work:—
9:30-9:45 Devotional Service
9:45-10:30 Health Book Study
10:30-11:15 Study of Canvass for Health Books, and Class Drill
11:15-11:25 Intermission
11:25-12:30 Round Table Council
12:30-2:30 Intermission for Dinner
2:30-3:15 Study of “Daniel and the Revelation”
3:15-4:00 Canvass on “Daniel and the Revelation,” and Class Drill
4:00-4:10 Intermission
4:10-5:30 Round Table Council
5:30-7:00 Intermission
7:00-7:45 Study of “Great Controversy”
7:45-8:30 “Great Controversy” Canvass, and Class Drill
DELEGATES TO THE BOOK MEN'S CONVENTION
DELEGATES TO THE BOOK MEN'S CONVENTION
Brother J. B. Blosser and Elder Morris Lukens conducted a series of studies in “Great Controversy;” I. D. Richardson and R. J. Bryant, in “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation;” and the writer conducted a series of studies in the health books—“Ministry of Healing,” “Practical Guide to Health,” and “Home and Health.”
Two hours each day were devoted to Round Table Council, which proved both interesting and profitable. Among the most important questions considered were the following:—
The Spirit that Should Characterize Our Work.
Qualifications of Leaders and Their Canvassers.
The Selection of Agents.
The Scholarship Plan.
Training Agents in the Art of Christian Salesmanship.
Institutes.
Details of the Agent's Methods and Work.
How to Conduct Deliveries.
The Financiering of All Features of the Tract and Missionary Work.
The Importance of Reporting.
Many other interesting questions, too numerous to mention in a brief report of this kind, were also taken up.
Sabbath morning, December 19, the delegates attended the regular services in the several churches of the District of Columbia. In the afternoon a general meeting was held in the Seminary chapel, at which Elder A. G. Daniells and Prof. W. W. Prescott presented many interesting features in the rise and progress of our book work, and the possibilities before us.
Sunday morning the bookmen assembled in the chapel of the Review and Herald, and Brother S. N. Curtiss, the manager, gave a study in the art of bookmaking, illustrating the various processes by samples from the factory. This pleasant and very entertaining study was followed by a trip through the manufacturing plant.
The convention continued for one week. During this time all the delegates settled down to a careful, systematic study of the field organization and work.
December 23, after a brief closing meeting, the manager of the Book Department and his assistant treated the visitors to a trip through the beautiful city of Washington. Among the places visited were the Capitol building, the Congressional Library, the National Museum, the George Washington Monument, and the White House.
This was the best attended, and in many respects the most successful bookmen's convention the writer has had the privilege of attending. The splendid success which the Lord has given to this department of his work, in the face of no ordinary difficulties during the year 1908, seems to have given to the leaders a most distinct consciousness of the possibilities of this work, when assured that God is with them. The enthusiasm manifested in the convention work gives fair promise of another prosperous year.
May the power of God's Holy Spirit go with these workers, and enable them to do great things for the Master.
E. R. PALMER.