The Annual Summary by E. R. P.

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

The Annual Summary

By E. R. P.

WE take pleasure in publishing herewith a general summary of our canvassing work for the year 1908, as reported from month to month through the columns of the REVIEW. The past season has been an interesting one. Many battles have been fought, and we rejoice that there have been so many victories. Now that the year's work is in the past, it will be interesting to study this general summary, and draw from it such lessons as we may, and make such comparisons of figures as will be profitable and just. In doing this we should bear in mind the following facts:—

1. This summary does not show the actual sale of literature by the denomination. It represents the orders taken by regular canvassers as far as they have been reported in the regular way.

2. Actual sales of all kinds of literature include trade books, tracts, pamphlets, and periodicals, which for the past year will no doubt carry the figures far above the one-million-dollar mark.

3. Since this summary shows the total of orders taken as reported, it might be inferred that these figures would overestimate the actual sale of subscription books; but such is not the case; for, we are sorry to say, there are many agents who fail to report their work in full, and so the omissions more than make up for the shrinkage in deliveries. In several cases which I might mention, the actual sale of subscription books was several thousand dollars higher for the year than reported in this annual summary.

4. It will doubtless be understood that the "amount-per-capita" column represents the sale of subscription books for each member, counting the full constituency of the conference, but not the amount sold by each agent. This figuring of the amount per capita is only valuable to a limited degree; for it will be evident that certain conferences having a large constituency might do an aggressive work in proportion to the population of its territory, and yet not appear in such a favorable light in the summary as some conference or mission field having a small constituency. Such widely differing conditions should be considered in studying these figures.

However, let us not be too much inclined to excuse ourselves. “It is good for us to climb up out of the rut we are in, and look over into our neighbor's rut, and see how he is getting on.” We may discover in this way that our neighbor is manifesting more enterprise and energy than we are in pushing this department of the work of the Lord. In such cases let the feeble say, “I am strong,” and show it as well as say it during 1909. Under the great Master Workman, let us arise and build. With our work well organized in the field, with our canvassers well trained, and with the strong, ever-conquering Spirit to strengthen us by the way, we may do great things for God. E. R. P.