An Organized Effort to Develop Workers
By H. H. Hall
At the recent meeting of the General Conference Publication Committee the question of how we might the most successfully encourage those who have been selling “Christ’s Object Lessons,” “Story of Joseph,” or other small books and papers, to develop their talent by selling other books, was carefully considered. Our conclusions were in substance as follows:— 1. To set apart an easy-selling line of books, the retail price of which would be as low as good workmanship and fair commission to the workers will permit. 2. To encourage the workers to canvass the members of their own church first, extending the effort to the neighborhood, town, or county in which they20live, as their time and experience will enable them. 3. That to make this work self-supporting, our people be requested to pay full price for the following books which were set apart for the use of such workers: “Education;” “Things Foretold;” “Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing;” “Sunshine at Home;” “Steps to Christ;” “Daniel,” paper binding; “Revelation,” paper binding; “Power for Witnessing,” paper and cloth bindings; “Great Nations of To-day,” paper binding; “The Vegetarian Cook Book;” “Cobblestones,” now in press. 4. That to become such a worker, and receive the forty per cent discount which will be allowed on these books, it is necessary to arrange with the local church librarian or officers only, and not with the State agent, unless the worker desires to take up other books, in which case he is always to arrange with that officer for terms and territory. In a sentence, then, the plan and objects are, the setting apart of a list of books on which the worker receives a discount of forty per cent, and for which our people are requested to pay full price, thus encouraging the worker to begin right in his home church, and to use the experience thus gained to become a resident canvassing missionary. Simple, isn’t it? And yet in it is the life to two great movements; namely, the increased circulation of the truth, and an organized effort to develop workers. It is already in operation in some States, with very satisfactory results. May we not expect our people everywhere to join in this movement by cheerfully paying the full price for the books mentioned? May we not also expect our church officers to arrange for members of the church best suited to the work to canvass at least the church for these and other books, hoping and praying that the effort may not only greatly benefit the members to whom the books are sold, but may beget in the heart of the worker a determination to enter a wider field? A booklet telling more about the plan, entitled “Prices and Discounts,” may be obtained free by addressing the writer. 1059 Castro St., Oakland, Cal.