Our Periodicals by D. T. Bourdeau

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 7, 1871

Our Periodicals.

By D. T. Bourdeau

Our periodicals are decidedly improved by being enlarged and by the pains that are taken to make them interesting and fill them with the best of matter. As a people, we should patronize them and labor to give them an extensive circulation; for they are a mighty means for the furtherance of the truth. Thousands can be led to read them, who could not at first be persuaded to go and hear our preachers. They work in a silent, yet effectual, manner, ever appealing to the intellect, and telling the same story.

Believers in present truth should read our excellent papers to stir up their pure minds by way of remembrance, and to keep pace with the truth in its onward march. “The rulers of the darkness of this world” are ever busy in getting out positions with which to oppose the truth, and the REVIEW and our other publications are designed to fairly meet these positions; and we should read up, that we may be prepared to give the reasons of our hope. Unless we do this, we must expect to be overcome by error and the powers of darkness. Brethren and sisters, let us put on the whole armor, having our loins girt about with truth. Let us read up to avoid being overcharged with the cares of this life, and that the day of God may not overtake us unawares. Let us read up if we would appreciate our papers and works, and realize from experience their value for others! How can we feel for others as we should, unless we first feel for ourselves? How can we recommend to others those things that we have not a knowledge of ourselves? We profess to desire to see the work move forward; let us make use of the means God has placed within our reach to advance his cause. Let us go to work in the Lord’s vineyard.

We consider it a sure sign of backsliding when we see old brethren and sisters under common circumstances decide to have their REVIEW, Instructor, or Reformer, stopped, perhaps under the pretence that they can’t afford to take them. It is an evidence that their interest in the cause of truth is decreasing, and that they are setting their affections on earthly things. Many excuse themselves under the idea of poverty, who invest quite largely in other directions, without deriving one-tenth of the benefit that they could receive from our periodicals.

Brethren, let us live out our profession. We profess to believe that the REVIEW, Instructor, and Reformer, are ordered by God to accomplish a great work through the instrumentality of God’s people. Let us make our faith perfect by our works. Let us first seek for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, believing that the rest will be added unto us. Let us keep our minds properly balanced between earth and Heaven.

Many who plead poverty would easily pay for their papers, if they planned as carefully to meet their indebtedness as they do in temporal things. But they serve themselves first, overlooking that their obligations to the Review Office and to God’s cause are more sacred than those which they owe to man.

I desire to manifest a becoming interest in our periodicals.

D. T. BOURDEAU.