Impossibilities by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 22, 1885

Impossibilities.

By Editor

THE SIGNS office has facilities for doing an immense amount of business, and it does a great deal. But we are expected to do a great deal which it is impossible for us to do. And this that we are expected to do and cannot do, causes us more perplexity than all that we do. We will explain.

1. It is impossible for us to fill orders that are sent to us with no name signed. As an illustration we insert here a letter that was actually received at this office a short time ago:—

"Dec. 26, 1884. "Soledad, Monterey Co., Cal. Please send me the following books:— One 'Great Controversy,' Vol. 4, One 'Year Book,' One 'Synopsis of Present Truth.'"

That letter lies before us now, and there is every word there is in it. The proper amount of money was inclosed but no hint of the name of the person who sent it. It was simply impossible for us to fill the order. All that we could do was to lay it aside, and wait for the person to write about it, with the hope that he would then sign his name; after nearly three weeks the expected letter came with the name signed. Then we could fill the order, and we could have done it in five minutes on the 28th of December, if he had only given us his name in the first letter, and he could have had his books within five or six days from the time he sent his order, whereas it was nearly a month.

If such instances occurred only once or twice a year, it would be bad enough, but literally hundreds of such letters are received at this office every year. Nor do we always fare so well with them as with this. In the majority of cases the second letter comes bearing a severe complaint or a sharp reproof because of our remissness, when the fault lies at the other end of the line.

2. It is impossible for us to fill orders when the name of the State is not given. We are certainly within bounds when we say that one-tenth of the letters and postal cards received at this office have not the name of the State written in them at all. Sometimes the name of the State can be gathered from the post-mark on the envelope; but this is very seldom, because in most instances the post-mark is so dim or so blurred that nothing can be made of it, and then all such letters have to be laid by for weeks, and may be for months, till a letter of inquiry comes, in which we can find the name of the State.

3. It is impossible for us to change the address of your paper from one place to another without the names of such post-offices being given us. Scores of such letters as follows come to us: "Please change the address of my paper to Lawrence, Kansas. JOHN SMITH."

We can do nothing at all toward complying with such requests, because we do not know where the paper goes at present. Some may say, "Can't you find that by the name of the person?" The answer is, No; and for this reason; the mailing list of all papers is kept thus: (a) The names of all subscribers in a State are kept together under the name of that State. (b) Then the names of all subscribers at a certain post-office are kept under the name of that post-office. Suppose, for instance, we want to find Grace Hollister, Marion, Iowa; we turn to the list for the State of Iowa; then run down that list till we find Marion, and there we find the name of the subscriber. And we cannot find the name of a given subscriber in any other way. We must have the name of your State and post-office before we can find your name.

Now for the benefit of all, we will here give directions and forms by which, if followed strictly, all communications to this office, on whatever business it may be, will receive prompt attention. 1. Be sure to give your own name. 2. The name of your post-office. 3. The name of your county. 4. The name of your State. Before sending your letter examine it, and see that every one of these is plainly written in it. Thus:— SALEM, Oregon, Jan. 22, 1884. SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal. Please send [order] to G. A. BAKER, Salem, Marion Co., Oregon.

In ordering the address of your paper changed, thus: Please change the address of my paper from Healdsburg, Cal., to Salem, Oregon. G. A. BAKER Salem, Marion Co., Oregon.

If these directions are carefully followed, this office will be saved a great deal of perplexity, and our correspondents will be saved all tedious delay in getting returns for their orders, and so help themselves and us. As the saying is, "This is business."