Magazines for the Foreign-Speaking People in America by W. W. Eastman

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 27, 1916

Magazines for the Foreign-Speaking People in America

By W. W. Eastman

How can we reach the millions of foreign-speaking people in America with the message? is a question many of us have asked over and over again.

One of the greatest needs has been current literature, fresh, up to date, and attractive, that appeals to the people at first sight. The Pacific Press will undertake to meet this need after June 1, by issuing, from Brookfield, Ill., periodicals and magazines in the Russian, Roumanian, Bohemian, Serbian, and Italian.

The periodicals will be issued monthly, and will contain the Sabbath school lessons and other information and instruction, especially for the believers speaking these various tongues, while the magazines will be issued quarterly, and will contain matter similar to that in our English magazines, and, as far as possible, will have the same cover design. This will enable our English magazine sellers to offer the same matter to the various nationalities in their own tongues. It is hoped that our workers will avail themselves of this opportunity by always going prepared to supply message-filled literature to every man in his own tongue.

This is a great undertaking on the part of the Pacific Press, owing to the scarcity of believers in these various languages, and the difficulty of securing translators, proofreaders, and typesetters. It necessarily means a financial loss to them, but they are undertaking it from a missionary standpoint, because of the need which is so appealing. It is hoped that our English-speaking brethren will give their hearty support to the plan by seeing that their foreign-speaking neighbors are given an opportunity to purchase these magazines.

We believe this advance step in providing literature for those within our borders who do not speak our language is another indication that the Lord of the harvest is preparing to thrust in his sickle and reap the harvest of the earth. We confidently expect the hearty support given by our brethren will insure the success of the effort, and that it will be found necessary to add other languages to those already mentioned. Let us not forget the stranger that is within our gates.

W. W. EASTMAN.