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. THE world is full of books. Many of them are worthless, and not a few are injurious upon the minds and morals of the readers. This is a reading age. The people will have books. The press is a mighty power to elevate or to sink. But good religious books are comparatively scarce. Books for the time, or those treating upon present truth and present duty, compared with the many books of our day, are as the drop of water to the ocean. Much is being done with books. The publications upon Spiritualism have found their way among all classes, and are doing their terrible work. Infidel books have ruined thousands. And should not Christians also be active in the circulation of good books? Seventh-day Adventists, above all others, should engage in the circulation of our publications with a will to work and to sacrifice. God is preparing the way before us. The people are ready, and many are anxious, to read our publications. The people must have books. Who will unite with us in saying, By the grace of God, the people shall have our publications? They should be circulated judiciously. It is no use to cast pearls before swine. From our publishing house we can survey the entire field, and are best prepared to control, in a great degree, the matter of book circulation. Our preachers are situated to do the work next best. Then next come the rank and file of the churches everywhere. They can purchase at lowest figures, and circulate as they please. We do not invite those who have not sufficient interest in the circulation of our publications to purchase them, even if they have to earn the money to pay for them by labor, to assist in the work of circulation. None such need to ask for tracts. Let those who have money to spare, or energy to earn it, engage in this work. The Lord's poor can have books for their own reading, free. And when the Lord calls them to circulate our publications, he will give them money to purchase them. We call upon those who have the Lord's money, to donate to the tract fund liberally, and, also to purchase largely to circulate themselves to those who will candidly read. Our churches, especially in villages and cities should form missionary societies, and engage in searching out the sincere, and furnishing them with our publications. There is work enough to do. Oh! for a heart to engage in it cheerfully, and pursue it fervently and patiently. The Advent-Christian Times for Nov. 16, 1869, says: “Last week brought us an order from a brother in a Western State to print for him one thousand copies of Adventism, which he wished to put into circulation in the section where he resides. This looks like earnest work. Such liberal sowing must result in some fruit to life eternal.”
“One brother a few months since ordered 20,000 tracts for circulation in Chicago. The Missionary Society there have also circulated 20,000 of one tract, besides others. And for a brother in New York we printed 20,000 copies of the same. We want more such men, who will ‘sow beside all waters.’”
That is what we want. And we believe God will raise up brethren and sisters in all parts of the field who will delight in this work of sacrifice. The express brought us a neat little box the other day, charges prepaid. We opened and found lying beneath the following note, twelve dollars in five-cent pieces. “Bro. White: Inclosed in this box, which I express to you at this date, please find twelve dollars.
“This money I received of the brethren and sisters of the Clyde church, and at the Clinton Junction Camp-meeting. It has been given me, mostly in five-cent pieces, with the understanding that I should forward it to you, to aid you in the good work of distributing books; in other words, to be appropriated to the Tract Fund. G. W. COLCORD.
“Coleta, Ill., Nov. 17, 1869.”
Bro. M. B. Cyphers, formerly of Skowhegan, Me.,182now of Greenville, Mich., wishing to express his gratitude to God for health and worldly prosperity, does, as well as says: “Inclosed, please find money order for fifteen dollars, as a thank offering to the Lord, to be used as you and Bro. Andrews may think will best glorify God.”
The receipts for the book-fund during the last week have been $87.95. The value of the books given the week past is $24.89. Brethren, let this good work move forward.