The Beginning of Subscription Book Work in China by H. M. Blunden

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 26, 1916

The Beginning of Subscription Book Work in China

By H. M. Blunden

H. M. BLUNDEN

At the general meeting held in Shanghai, in 1915, the following action was taken:—

“WHEREAS, an urgent necessity exists for small subscription books to enable this field to enter upon self-supporting work with our literature; therefore,— “We recommend,” That immediate steps be taken to produce the necessary literature to build up a subscription book business.”

In harmony with this recommendation, Dr. A. C. Selmon was asked to prepare the manuscript for a small book, “Health and Hygiene,” to be our entering wedge in beginning this work. During the summer of last year Dr. Selmon worked hard to get this little book ready for the field as early as possible, and we certainly owe him a debt of gratitude for his earnest efforts in responding to this invitation. The first copies of this book came from the press about the middle of last June, when we were conducting a colporteurs’ institute in the school at Shanghai.

Six young men were selected to begin our campaign with books. Two of these had had excellent success with our magazine, and four of them had had no experience as colporteurs. A special class was conducted for these six men, and we were greatly encouraged by the enthusiasm they manifested.

The book sells for 75 cents in paper, $1 in board, and $1.25 in cloth binding. In China it is quite customary for one making a contract with another to pay what they call “ding chien,” or deposit money. We have taken advantage of this custom to make our work sure; so when an order is given, a deposit of 25 cents is made.

During the past two weeks we have been receiving our first reports from these boys, and it looks as if our first edition of three thousand will soon have to be duplicated. We are starting on a very conservative basis, until we know what we can do in book selling in China. It may be that later we can run editions of tens of thousands of our subscription books. We are fully expecting to do so.

Two of the colporteurs went into Che-kiang Province, beginning their work in the capital. In a little more than ten days they took over two hundred orders for the book, the majority in the best binding. They began with the highest officials, securing thirty-seven orders the first day, twenty of these being from the governor of the province. Their latest reports show them still doing excellent work.

One young man went to the city of Nanking, the capital of Kiang-su Province. He decided to secure the very best names in the city to head his list, and so started at the governor’s palace. This governor is one of the best-known men in China, and figured very prominently in the recent negotiations over the proposed enthronement of Yuan Shikai. He is now named as a probable candidate for the vice presidency. It was before this man that our colporteur gave his first exhibition, and as in the case of the governor of Che-kiang, it resulted in an order for twenty copies in the cloth binding, with a 25-cent deposit on each book.

Governor Feng then demanded that the colporteur leave with him the copy he was carrying. It was explained that this was a sample copy that the agent depended on to pursue his business, but it was no use to protest, and our canvasser had to part with his book, and wait several days till he could secure another copy.

For the first canvass given after securing his second prospectus, ten orders were taken, and for the first five days’ work this young man took sixty-three

orders, sixty of which are for the best binding.

Two other young men without any former experience went to the province of Shantung, and during the first week secured about seventy orders, nearly all of which are for the cloth binding.

In central China one young man is at work in the province of Kiang-si. He began his work in the city of Kin-kiang, giving his first canvass to the president of the business men’s club of that city, and secured from him an order for four copies in the best binding. This young man is averaging about seven orders a day.

If this beginning can be taken as evidence of what can be done with subscription books in China, we surely have a promising future before our book business in this vast country. What an army of book canvassers we can keep going if only we can develop them! We are careful in our selection, believing that the Lord requires a high standard of character of the men in this important branch of his work.

These books are being sold at a good profit to the publishing house, so that the development of this work will solve the question of self-support in our publishing work in this field.

Brethren, pray for the colporteurs in China. These young men face great dangers in carrying forward their work in this country, and should be constantly remembered before the throne of grace, that God’s protecting care may be over them. We are thankful indeed for a part in this grand work.