WHAT IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED?
By S. H. Lane
Those who are at work on the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” are very much encouraged. This book can be sold at the present time as rapidly as in the past. The time has come to make a decided move in this respect. The Lake Union Conference is to put forth a greater effort than ever before to get the books out this winter. Professor Sutherland and the writer met the Michigan Conference Committee at Cedar Lake a few days ago, and it was there recommended to make a decided effort immediately to put thousands of these books into the States which compose this District. We hear many good reports. Brother Van Eman, of Elgin, Ohio, writes as follows:— “At the camp-meeting held in Dayton, Ohio, I agreed to take ten books. When I received them, I decided to do all I could to get my neighbors and friends to buy them. The first one I sold to one of my neighbors. One stock buyer bought one, and when I saw him afterward, he said, ‘You said that was a good book, but I think it is a real good book.’ One Sunday a stock buyer came to look at my stock, and I told him that I had something that I would rather sell him than a horse, although it cost only $1.25. I showed him the book, and told him what it was good for, and he said, ‘I do not read the Bible.’ I said, ‘You ought to, for it is the best book in the world.’ He said he had a good wife at home, and I told him to take a book for her, and see if she would not enjoy it. He bought one, and about four weeks afterward called again, and said he had been reading it, and it was good. One morning as I was going out to work, I met a stock buyer who wanted to know if I had anything to sell, and I told him that I was not quite ready to sell my cattle, but I had something else that I would like to sell him. So I showed him ‘Christ’s Object Lessons,’ and told him the name of the author, and that the book was a gift to our schools. He said he had read some of the author’s writings, and bought a book. As I deal with men in a business way, I make it a point to try to sell them a copy of ‘Christ’s Object Lessons.’ At four different times I took a copy of that work with me when I went to our county seat (Van Wert) to transact business. I sold three each time. I sell them to my friends and to people with whom I do business. One banker gave me a dollar on the debt, but did not buy a book. I have had twenty-three dollars given me to help pay for the materials in the book. I now have out seventy-five copies, and I wish to increase the number to one hundred. I do not want to discontinue the work even then, for I wish to sell all I can, and thus help pay our school debts. I have had many rich experiences as I have tried to interest the people in the Lord’s work. I want to urge all our people to put forth an effort to sell this book. It can be sold to bankers, merchants, stock buyers, and all with whom we have dealings. Make special efforts to get your friends to buy the book. If all will put forth earnest efforts, we can soon pay our school debts, and then sing the ‘song of jubilee.’” The rich experience of which this brother speaks is enjoyed by all who heartily engage in the work. We should not let this winter pass without disposing of many books in our Union Conferences. What Conferences will unite with the Lake Union Conference in putting thousands into the field at the present time? We should begin immediately. We should not let the debts remain upon our schools. The interest is all the time accumulating, and the sooner we sell these books, and pay off the debts, the sooner we shall get full and complete relief from the burden of debt. We should not make the debt the main object, but we should dispose of the book because of its value. It is one of the author’s best, and should be in the homes of Protestants, Catholics, and all classes.