Still Onward by E. R. Palmer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 18, 1907

Still Onward

By E. R. Palmer

THE third angel's message is advancing with steadily increasing power every day. This is the cheering word from every department of the General Conference. The Publishing Department has another good report to offer, as will be seen by studying the Summary for May. These reports should inspire the heart of every worker.

This Summary is far from being complete, yet the grand total is over $51,000. The total for the month of May last year was $36,000, which shows a gain of over forty per cent.

Two years ago the sale of subscription books in Southern California amounted to about $1,000. Last year the sales amounted to $6,000. During the month of June of this year the sales went above $1,000 a week.

In the Atlantic Union Gleaner the report for week ending June 14, 1907, shows an interesting comparison with the work of the corresponding week of 1906:— NO. AGENTS. VALUE OF ORDERS. 1906...............23 $ 498.35 1907...............62 $1,487.78

This gain of nearly two hundred per cent may be partially due to improved efficiency in the reporting system.

These are not isolated cases. The success of our canvassers is world-wide. Let us gather courage from these evidences of God's goodness and his powerful workings among us, and press onward.

The New Health Books

Great interest is being shown in the two new books. “Home and Health,” published by the Pacific Press, is already in the hands of the agents. “Practical Guide to Health,” published by the Review and Herald, will soon be ready. Each of these books gives promise of being a great success. The Pacific Press has printed twenty thousand copies of “Home and Health,” and must soon print another edition. Over four hundred prospectuses are in the hands of agents, and their success is far beyond all expectations. One young man earned a scholarship in one week. Another earned a scholarship by canvassing between meetings during a two-weeks’ institute. Many boys and girls from fifteen to twenty years of age are selling from fifty to two hundred dollars’ worth of books a week.

Many Volunteers

It is encouraging to see how freely men and women, and boys and girls, are offering themselves for this service. In several States recruits are coming in faster than they can be instructed. “This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”

Let Us Build

When the work is growing so rapidly, there is danger of superficial work. We fear the results of booms. Great buildings without proper foundations will soon go to pieces. Let us build solidly and well. The following points should be carefully guarded:—

The selection of workers.
The training of workers.
Assigning territory under contract.
Promoting the success of every agent.
A perfect reporting system.
Complete, accurate records.
A sound financial policy.
A spiritual work for God.

Can Books Be Supplied?

Yes, on certain conditions, which we will explain. All our publishing houses have dropped commercial work, and are using their facilities in publishing the message. They have a great task before them to supply the heavy demands. They can do it by concentrating all their forces upon such books and bindings as the agents are selling. The weekly reports from the agents furnish the basis for their estimates. They will undertake to provide as many books as are reported, but there is no probability of their being able to supply agents who are careless, and do not report. Field agents who neglect this point, and do not instruct their agents to report, or who neglect to send in the reports in the regular way, can have no assurance of being supplied. To the faithful we can give the promise that every reasonable effort will be made to provide books promptly.

The following paragraph from a letter from H. H. Hall, of the Pacific Press, will show what an effort is being made to bind sufficient books:—

“Last Friday I suggested that some of us go to the churches near Mountain View, and see if we could not get help. Accordingly Brother Gage went to San Jose, Brother Jones to San Francisco, Brother Wilcox made a plea here, and I went to Oakland. It was a new thing to go to these churches and tell them that we were not there particularly to ask them to circulate books, but to help make books to supply those who are already in the field. It caused a stir, I assure you. But as a result, we are getting helpers. We are moving signatures so as to give more room for the bindery. It looks as if we shall have to move them out into the sun to make room for the work inside. I am sure of only one thing, and that is, we are going to supply books.”

Surely the Lord is with us, for we see the working of his mighty arm which he has made bare in the sight of all the people. E. R. PALMER.