THE YOUTHS' INSTRUCTOR.
By J. M. ALDRICH
Shall it be Published Semi-monthly ?
At the last meeting of the S. D. A. Pub. Association it was unanimously voted to issue the Instructor semi-monthly. We have no doubt that this would make it far more interesting and beneficial to all of its readers; and we presume that our young friends are now looking forward in joyous anticipation to the commencement of the new volume, expecting that they will then be permitted to receive their paper once in every two weeks, instead of once a month, as now. We are heartily in favor of thus gratifying our young readers, for by so doing, we believe the Instructor would become much more interesting and profitable to them. But right here quite a serious question presents itself. Will our brethren and young friends meet the expenses? and if so, how will they do it? In order to publish the Instructor semi-monthly we want a subscription list of at least 4,000 paying subscribers at 50 cents a year, whereas, we have now scarcely 3,000 that we can rely upon as sound on the pay question. Now, friends, we must have such a list made up at once,—which, by the way, you can easily accomplish if you will only set yourself about the work,—or, we must have the deficiency made up by donations, and the payment of more than the above-established rate. Very many of our Instructor friends have been in the habit of paying double the regular subscription price in order to support the paper in the past, and thus benefit the children. This is right, and all such have the warmest thanks of the publishers. And, now, if these friends are in favor of the semi-monthly issue,—as we have no doubt that they are—we shall be under the necessity of asking them to continue to pay the double rate, which will be $1.00 a year. But what we now want is assurance in the matter immediately. In less than a month we shall commence the new volume, and before we can fully decide to publish the same twice a month, we want to be assured that the increased expense will be fully met, either by one or both of the ways above indicated. We should greatly prefer to have the increased list, for thereby more good would be accomplished in having a greater number of readers; but knowing the habitual neglect of our friends to interest themselves in procuring subscribers, we dare not expect the immediate assurance that we want from this mode alone, and we therefore ask the liberal ones to respond immediately on their subscriptions at the double rate. Of course no one wants the Publishing Association to try experiments that will only result in financial embarrassment, and we therefore do not feel quite clear to run the risk of printing semi-monthly, until we have the assurance which we ask. Our friends now see how the case stands. If they wish us to publish the Instructor twice a month—as we shall be greatly pleased to do—they must interest themselves in its behalf. They must help increase the subscription list; they must donate for the poor that we always have on our list, who are not able to pay, and they must be prompt in paying up their own subscriptions. After saying what we have, we leave the matter of printing the Youths' Instructor semi-monthly with our friends. If they are willing to second our efforts and wishes on this question, we shall expect within the next three weeks to obtain from them the assurance we desire. In conclusion, we say to all, now is the time to renew your subscriptions. When the new volume shall commence,—whether the paper be printed once or twice a month,—let us have a paid up list. Many are now in arrears. We shall be under the disagreeable necessity of cutting off such from our list unless we hear from them. And let it be here distinctly understood that subscriptions are due from all who are not credited to 17–1. Look to the posters immediately.