Porto Rico by U. BENDER

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 18, 1909

Porto Rico

By U. BENDER

U. BENDER

OCTOBER 20 I arrived at San Juan, Porto Rico, and boarding the train at 7:15 P. M., I reached Mayaguez about three o'clock the next morning. I found Elder and Mrs. B. E. Connerly in fairly good health. After spending the remainder of the night in getting a little more sleep, we faced the duties of the every-day work that falls to the lot of God's servants in this field.

They were very busy finishing the November number of El Centinela, that it might be sent out by the first of the month. The fact that the paper is put out on time has added much to its general interest and circulation.

Between five thousand and six thousand copies are issued each month. This is no small task, when we consider the work required on one copy. Each paper consists of six sheets of four pages each. Being printed on a press ten by fifteen inches, which prints two pages at each impression, it will be seen that twelve impressions must be made for each copy. The entire issue requires over sixty thousand impressions, and is done by foot-power. Then comes the gathering, folding, stitching, trimming, and the pasting of names for the mail, making, in all, seventeen or eighteen times each paper is handled. Besides this there is the work of editing, typesetting, proof-reading, keeping the subscription list, keeping accounts, and the correspondence connected with such work.

Elder Connerly is in charge of the work in Porto Rico and Santo Domingo, and for this reason he is away from home a great deal of the time. Nearly every month he is here during the last week to help prepare the paper for the mail, and to plan the next month's issue.

With the aid of a young man, who works only part of the time, Mrs. Connerly looks after the translating, proof-reading, subscription list, accounts, and correspondence. A young man who is hired by the day does the typesetting and presswork. When the issue is ready, two young persons are employed to gather, and all, except the pressman, fold, stitch, and mail till the work is finished.

I spent only five days in Porto Rico this year. While we worked, we planned for the extension of the work. Brother Moulton has been doing good work in Santo Domingo during the year, but has been hindered some by sickness. The return of Brother and Sister J. C. Brower to the States has left us short of workers in Porto Rico, Elder and Mrs. Connerly being alone at present.

Riversdale, Jamaica.