Canvassing for Our Own Books.
By George Ide Butler
Every honorable means must be used to get the light of truth before the world. We believe, as a people, that we have important truths which are to test the last generation of mankind. We claim that the Lord is soon coming to gather his people and destroy the wicked, and that the “commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” is the great platform of divine truth upon which the world is to be tested. We hold that when probation closes those who have not accepted these truths will drink of the plagues of God’s wrath. We have a great truth, or we are in a great error. Believing we have such a truth, the only consistent course we can take is constant, aggressive activity in bringing these truths before the people. As a people, we have a certain amount of talent among us,—as great, perhaps, in proportion to our numbers, as others. But the amount is small indeed at best, compared with what is needed in a work of such vast importance as this. A hundred times more than all we have could be used to advantage; for the harvest is very great, the issues201are momentous, and the time to work very short. Millions and hundreds of millions are to be warned, and many tens of thousands yet to embrace it. They are to do what they can to enlighten the people. This is a most important work. Solemn responsibilities rest upon them, and the Judgment will show whether their work has been faithfully done. The reward or punishment will be great, according as they have been faithful or unfaithful. There are many young men who could become successful workers if they would consecrate themselves to God and the ministry. Our Tract and Missionary Workers
They are doing a noble work. Their field is the world. There is no end to their opportunities for usefulness. Until our High Priest in Heaven shall say, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still.” Most of them are doing but little to what they might do. Here and there we find earnest workers, who act as if they really believe the truth. Oh that the people would wake up, and be truly in earnest. What a vast amount of good they could accomplish! Much might be done by colporters. We have made a small beginning in this direction. There are many persons who could never speak as public speakers who might be just as truly useful as colporters, if they would work from love to God and of precious souls. Such could go forth with our publications and visit from house to house, talk and pray with the people, get acquainted with them, and hunt up interested persons here and there. Here is a most useful field of labor. We have had several instances in which men who feared God and wanted to work for him have made this a success. So we know it might be a great success if we could find those who would give themselves to the work. There are hundreds among us who might do great good in this direction, if consecrated to God. The only reason I can see why they are not doing it is love of the world, and lack of real faith in, and devotion to the work. They could find access to the people where the minister could not go. They could reach the people in the “highways and hedges,” and prepare the way for the ministers. In many countries the truth will mainly go by their efforts. Persecution will hinder the preacher from reaching the people. Churches cannot be obtained in which to hold meetings, and the people will not come out because of prejudice. But the godly colporters could go from house to house, and reach them where they are, pray with them, gain their confidence, and bring the light of truth before them. I believe much of this kind of work will be done before the end. But to do this work will require a degree of consecration and love for the work not second to that needed by the minister. Humble, devoted, self-sacrificing men or women alone will succeed in this. To talk and argue, and perhaps joke and have a jolly time with the people, while trying to get them to take our publications, will do more harm than good. It will leave a false impression concerning the truth and the nature of the work, which will stand in the way of really accepting it, and the spirit of it. Persons of good address, humble, unassuming, who have taste and refinement, who are imbued with the love of Christ for souls in darkness, who are serious in their deportment, cheerful and pleasant in their demeanor and conversation,—such can do great good in this important and unoccupied field. Where are the volunteers to enter it? Canvassers for Our Most Important Publications Could Do Much Good.
Here is a most important field waiting to be occupied. Something has already been said in the REVIEW upon this subject. A beginning is now being made. We have one book prepared for this purpose. “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation,” combined in one volume, is now being issued from the press especially to occupy this field. We expect others will follow in time. We are greatly encouraged at the good commencement already made, and at the success already seen, and shall be disappointed if many thousands of this volume are not disposed of in the near future. The time has come for us to move forward as a people, and to act as if we believed what we profess. We do believe a great and good work can be done in canvassing for our own publications. We confess to some alarm and sadness at the efforts Satan is making to thwart and head us off in this field. Considerable has been said in the past about canvassing among us, until it has produced quite an effect. A goodly number of our people have gone into the business. Many of our most promising young men are considering this subject, and some have already commenced to learn the business. Most are doing it solely for the sake of making money in order that they may accomplish some other cherished object. In this lies the cause of our anxiety. Personally, we greatly fear for the results upon our young men or any one who becomes a canvasser in the ordinary sense of the term. There is a spirit and method that go with canvassing, as ordinarily conducted, which not only hinders a person from becoming a successful laborer for God, but almost unfits him for it. We do not say this is so in all cases, or that it is necessarily so. But it is usually so, and almost certain to be so if one enters fully into the spirit of modern canvassing. Such canvassers are bound to sell their wares anyhow. They cultivate a brassy boldness. And no matter if they know a person has no need or use for that which they wish to sell, they are bound to keep at work at him until they make him think so, no matter how much they may regret it as soon as they come to themselves. Oftentimes persons buy things merely that they may get rid of their tormentors. Such canvassers extol their wares much higher than the truth will warrant, and many of them will not hesitate to misrepresent for the sake of selling. They fall into the habit of prevarication and exaggeration, till the moral sense is blunted and conscience is deadened. Such develop into sharpers, who live by their wits and prey upon the community. Quite a large class of these are to be found in all our towns, especially in large cities. Canvassers are generally dreaded by modest, retiring, sensitive people, because of their brazen importunity. The love of gain is the sole prompting motive which actuates them. We have not the remotest thought that God wants his people to develop into such canvassers. And when we see our young men turning their attention to canvassing because of what has been said on the subject in the paper or by our ministers, and realize the danger of their developing these unwholesome traits, we feel sad, and think it is time to raise the voice of warning. Satan is ready to take advantage of the interest manifested in this subject, and give it a turn entirely different from what God designed. This is ever his plan. Canvassing is an honorable business, if the end in view is a noble one and the method an honorable one. But, like every good thing, it is capable of being perverted. The proper object of canvassing is to bring valuable things before those who need them and are able to buy them, that they may be benefited by obtaining them. If these ends are kept in view by the canvasser, his business is a laudable one. But when he takes something of little or no value, and tries to create an impression that it has far greater value than it really possesses, he is simply a cheat. He does this to make a little money, the same as any other cheat. Many books are canvassed for which are of no real use to any one. If they have a passing popularity, they can be readily sold. Some circumstance may occur which brings the subject upon which they treat prominently before the public. By stepping in then, quite a harvest may be reaped. This is tempting to our young men who may be trying to obtain a little means that they may attend school, or accomplish some other worthy object; yet we regard it as short-sighted policy. By devoting themselves to some such project, and working for some insignificant or unworthy object, they are surely stunting and benumbing their nobler powers. Imperceptibly to themselves, the mind is turned away from higher and nobler aims. Worldly, sordid motives are more and more developed into prominence. Young men who intended to give themselves to God’s work, have time and again been turned aside in this way, till they lost all sight of God’s service in eagerness for worldly gain. They may be developing into good salesmen, sharp canvassers, shrewd money-getters, and possibly may pride themselves on their success. But their best friends are sad; angels weep; God’s cause has lost their service; Satan exults; and eternal ruin is before them if they do not halt. To become a good or successful canvasser, one must become absorbed in that for which he canvasses. When this is a puerile or trashy production, the mind which is absorbed in it partakes of the nature of that which specially interests it. “By beholding we become changed into the same image.” By expatiating on the supposed excellence of these things in order to sell them, the mind is really injured. Its moral tone is depreciated or depraved, till, sooner or later, taste for the good and the noble and the heavenly is destroyed. Hence we consider it really dangerous to the spiritual well-being of those who canvass for trashy and unimportant productions, and especially so for those who expect ever to give themselves to God’s work. Such need, in every way, to develop the higher powers by thorough cultivation. Canvassing for our own books is just the work that our young friends need. These books treat on themes of eternal moment. Heavenly and glorious ends are here presented. There is no danger of making these subjects too prominent in this degenerate age. The world is perishing in its own corruption. Worldly gain, worldly fashion, the fleeting pleasures of the passing hour, allure the mind away from the sacred objects which should engross it. To study the principles of truth so as to make them attractive, to learn to expatiate upon them till the soul becomes enthusiastic, and the love of God comes into the heart, will do the canvasser good, and also the one whom he solicits to purchase. This work will lead to the truth, and not from it. Every young man who goes into it with the right motive, will have the sweet satisfaction, when he looks back over his labors, of knowing that every book sold had an intrinsic value, and would do its purchaser good if he would study it; and the greater the interest he had in it, the more good it would do him. The labors of every month spent in canvassing for our own publications, would make the canvasser more familiar with the truth. Here is labor which would naturally call for devotion of heart. He could pray daily for God to bless him and prosper him. How much more satisfaction the true Christian will derive from such labor than from that which naturally leads away from God. Again, this kind of canvassing would be constantly preparing one for greater usefulness. He is as truly engaged in spreading the truth as is the minister, the tract worker, or the colporter; yet he can be supporting himself in the field, and saving means for educating himself for still greater usefulness. Here is a department which we greatly desire to see filled, and it will be filled. A great avenue of usefulness is here opened. Devoted men and women will be found to fill it. Volunteers are wanted. The final reward for faithfulness is eternal life. Could we ask more? May God help us in this important work. GEO. I. BUTLER.