Book and Tract Department.
By Editor
Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days. EDITED BY ELD. JAMES WHITE. PRICES OF OUR PUBLICATIONS.
It is with pleasure that we call attention to the low prices of our publications. The work in which we are engaged is one of sacrifice. Those who have written our valuable works, have received little or no pay for their labors. And the Association wishes to make profits only sufficient to cover losses. Hence our publications are furnished at low prices. The Book Fund which we commenced to raise in September, 1868, is destined to be a wonderful means of circulating our publications. Since last June we have given, from this Fund, a little more than $1200 worth of publications, and during the same time we have received about $1400. Here is a gain to the Fund of $200, without especially appealing to our people, and after they had responded liberally to our urgent calls. The amount in the treasury enables us to purchase large lots of paper at reduced prices, and to print large editions of our works. This enables us to offer our publications at reduced prices. We offer our tracts to those who wish them for gratuitous circulation, at the rate of sixteen hundred pages for $1.00. When we put them into the hands of our preachers and others to circulate gratuitously, they are charged to the Book Fund at the rate of sixteen hundred pages for $1.00. Our tracts are well written. They are printed on good paper, with good type, and their pages are of respectable size. That we are able to offer sixteen hundred pages of such matter, on such paper, of such size, for $1.00, is a matter of grateful interest to us. Our pamphlets and books are below the market prices of religious publications of their sizes, even from those societies who print for the million from stereotype plates. We are a small people. The market for our publications is comparatively limited at present; and it is a matter of deep interest that we can afford these larger works at prices below those issued by other societies under far more favorable circumstances. Our plan is to sell our publications where we consistently can. But there are many cases where it would be better to give judiciously than to urge a sale. It is not always best to give large works, or many small ones, at once. A tract or two, or a pamphlet, at first, might awaken an interest to obtain and read more, which might result better than to give a larger quantity. We place the retail prices of all our works as low as possible, and do justice to writer, printer, and binder. We discount one-fourth from these prices when we sell to agents, colporteurs, and others, by the quantity. But we discount one-third on all publications given, and charge to the Book Fund. With these facts before us, we make free to call on the friends of Bible truth to help in this important work. Here is an opportunity for you to bring in your free-will offerings. God would be pleased with thank-offerings from those he has blessed with health, and has prospered in business, or in spiritual advancement. At the Kirkville camp-meeting a brother handed us $30 for the cause, to be applied as we thought best, saying, “Here is a thank-offering from us children to the Lord for sparing to us our mother.” Another handed me $15 as a thank-offering to God for the conversion of his wife at that meeting. We applied these to the Book Fund. Others have made thank-offerings for similar reasons. Many more would do well to do the same. Hundreds among us have been wonderfully blessed with health, increase of property, conversion of companions, children, brothers, and sisters, and yet have manifested (only in word) no gratitude to God, who holds all such blessings in his hands, and dispenses them to his own glory.174And yet many others would be blessed in bringing to the treasury of the Lord trespass-offerings. Some have vowed to God that they would help the cause with their means when their worldly circumstances should improve, and have failed to pay their vows. Such a course is fearful. While others have robbed God, they have robbed the treasury, not only by withholding from it, but some by taking from it. “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse.” Mal. iii, 8, 9. We close these remarks by quoting the exhortation of the Lord by his prophet: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Eld. R. F. Cottrell writes, Nov. 15, 1869: “Though we are afflicted, the Lord is kind and good. Ulysses has suffered much of late, but the Lord has heard our cries, relieved his severe pains, and he seems really improving. We wish to make a thank-offering to the Lord. We send $15.00 (R. F., C. M., and J. U., Cottrell), $5.00 each, for this fund. Pray for us all, and for me, that the Lord will prepare me for labor, and open the way and guide.” Let these thank-offerings to God come in, and let the light shine out to his glory. Amen.