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The Tract Society

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 13, 1873

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 41, No. 22.

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The Tract Society

By Jos. Clarke

MARKS a new era in the progress of the cause of present truth. Not only is it good in its influence upon the world, but it must also impart new life to those who labor in the enterprise.
The interests of the Review, Health Reformer, and Instructor, being also intrusted to this society, greatly extends its responsibilities and its usefulness.
The plan of making the church a working, responsible body, and intrusting it with its own financial affairs and interests, and thus cultivating in the church an interest and an intimate knowledge of its condition and doings, not only saves a large per cent to the Association, but it insures itself to a certain extent against incidental losses and errors.
The plan of a free colportage, also, is a mighty lever in the work if it is improved; no doubt many will be happy to find in this work a sphere of usefulness opened to them, which will just suit their tastes and humble, yet laudable, desire to be useful.
It is to be feared that the indifference generally prevailing on religious subjects, will manifest itself here; and many will let the golden moments pass unimproved, and many a tract will lie idle on the shelf which should be circulating. Many will be too busy to work for the glory of God and the salvation of their fellow-men. Dear reader, let us set ourselves resolutely and devotedly at the work of God. Let us arouse ourselves from our lethargy and actively engage in the work of saving souls.
Have you come to the conclusion to wait till you fully overcome before you engage in this work? Perhaps this is the very thing you need to help you in the work of overcoming. “He that watereth shall be watered also himself.” — Prov. 11 : 25.
It is a blessed thing to do good, to labor for souls, to spend time and means in the work, to labor gratuitously, to labor faithfully in the fear of God; it will do you good to lose a day, or a part of a day, from your business occasionally, or as often as possible, if there is the least hope of doing good to a fellow-creature.
We must meet our neighbors in the final day of accounts. There it will be seen if we have neglected to give them timely warning. We have in these tracts an instrumentality which is powerful, and one which we can use to good effect.
Shall this enterprise lag for want of energy and zeal in the church? God forbid! no, let every one who has a neighbor see that he does not perish for lack of knowledge. Let us, every one, work from the position he occupies in a circle around him, and let this circle continue to enlarge, until the circles meet each other.
It is not an irksome task to labor for God. No work is so pleasant, no work brings to us such sacred joy and peace, no work pays so well as God's work. Who will refuse to work in so noble a cause? JOS. CLARKE.