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California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Mar 25, 1875

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 1, No. 20.

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Questions and Answers.

By John Norton Loughborough

THE question has been asked, "Why is it necessary for each district to do business for the periodicals through its district secretary; and why each member cannot send his own money and business direct to the Review Office, or to the SIGNS OF THE TIMES?"
Reply. There is no objection raised to any individual's sending his business direct, provided it is plainly stated, and that cash to the amount of the business accompanies each letter. You will see, by looking over the instructions given in the SIGNS on this matter of doing business through district and State Secretaries, that it relates to credit business. If the Review Office does a credit business with any State Tract Society, of course it is proper that it should all be done with one person; and the proper person is the T. and M. Secretary of that State. So with the SIGNS Office. In doing a credit business with each district in the State, that business must be done with one person—the district secretary—or the account of that district will not be kept straight.
To illustrate some of the perplexities of doing business without system, I will give an example. A member of the tract society in one of the States, wrote to the Review Office wishing "the Reformer sent at half price to a friend, to be paid for from the T. and M. funds." This called for a letter from the Secretary of the Publishing Association to the State T. and M. Secretary of said State. But the Secretary only records what is done, so as a matter of course having no authority to act, she referred it to the President of the State T. and M. society for authority from the district where the person lived, to order the paper. The State Secretary then ordered the paper from Battle Creek, requesting them to charge it to the State T. and M. society, while she charged the same to the district where the member lived who first orderd the Reformer. All meant well in this transaction, but it will be readily seen that with the T. and M. system as recommended, all such perplexities or delays would be avoided.
J. N. L.