Bookmen, Colporteurs, and Secretaries from Pacific Press Territory—A Soul-Saving Work the Spirit of the Occasion
By H. H. Hall
“PRINTING is the latest and greatest gift by which God enables us to advance the things of the gospel,” said Luther. Had he been here last week and witnessed the enthusiasm and heard the experiences of the hundred men and women gathered in convention, he would doubtless have repeated the statement, or used a stronger one. Why?—Because to a greater extent than ever before, the convention emphasized the value of gospel literature to save men rather than to make dollars.
A Gigantic Affair
As an indication of this soul-saving idea that permeated the entire sessions, we quote the following from a talk given us by Elder I. H. Evans, president of the North American Division Conference:
“I believe that every man individually ought to take rifle aim, and say, By the help of God I will bring souls to Christ. This book department has grown to be a gigantic affair. You have more men engaged in it than we have in any other line of work, unless it be our sanitarium work. You are doing a splendid work; but I think we want to get a better focus on the real purpose, and then every man set his heart to bring souls to Christ. That will incite you to prayer. I hold that if a man has the true ideal of labor, he will be a man of prayer. . . . I would like to see our men in the field so carry on their work that wherever a man has sold a book, there should spring up a great demand in that community for a minister to come and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. It seems to me this book department is the forerunner for the ministry to follow.”
Advance Methods and Plans
Under the leadership of Elder N. Z. Town, secretary of the General Conference Publishing Department, and Elder W. W. Eastman, secretary of the North American Division Conference Publishing Department, careful consideration was given to improved methods of circulating our books and of securing a still stronger class of men to act as leaders in foreign and home fields.
THE FIVE UNION FIELD AGENTS
The demand for properly educated and thoroughly trained colporteurs to enter foreign lands was emphasized by Elder N. Z. Town, who has recently completed long trips through Europe and Central America.
DELEGATES TO MISSIONARY AND BOOKMEN'S CONVENTION, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CAL., MARCH 5-15, 1915
Publications in Other Languages
Very definite progress in the preparation of large subscription books in various foreign languages was reported by the Pacific Press as follows:
In Portuguese we already have “Home and Health,” “Christ Our Saviour,” “Steps to Christ,” and “Glorious Appearing.” “Patriarchs and Prophets” has been translated, and a joint edition will be published within a few months, in Brazil. “Coming King” is translated, and a joint edition of 12,000 copies is being issued in Brazil, we to take 3,000 for our western territory.
In the Italian we now have the new edition of “Steps to Christ” and “Mystery Unfolded.” “Coming King” has been translated, and a joint edition for the use of Italy and the United States is being published for us in Gland, Switzerland.
In Polish we have the new edition of “Mystery Unfolded.”
In Finnish a 5,000 edition of “Great Controversy” has been completed in Helsingfors, and only awaits the opening of sea traffic to be shipped to Mountain View.
In Russian we have “Mystery Unfolded” already in stock, and the translation of “Great Controversy” is nearly completed.
In Hungarian and Bohemian, shipments of “Mystery Unfolded” have been imported from Hamburg.
In Danish, “Practical Guide” is about completed, while the same book is now being translated into Swedish and will be ready the last of this year. The Spanish edition of “Practical Guide” is already on the market, and nearly 5,000 copies have been sold.
A Cheering Message from Mrs. E. G. White
The day we were considering foreign literature, and methods by which it could be carried to the foreign-speaking people of the United States and Canada, a telephone message was received from Brother C. C. Crisler, one of Mrs. E. G. White’s secretaries, reading as follows:
“Sister White once more expressed her pleasure over the privilege she had two years ago of meeting with so many of the bookmen from the Pacific Press territory. And then she said: ‘I am very glad for all they are doing for the circulation of our books. The publishing branch of our cause has much to do with our power. I do desire that it shall accomplish all that the Lord designs it should. If our bookmen do their part faithfully, I know, from the light God has given me, that the knowledge of present truth will be doubled and trebled. This is why I have been in so much of a hurry to get my books out, so that they could be placed in the hands of the people and read. And in the foreign languages the Lord designs that the circulation of our books should be greatly increased. Thus we shall be placing the cause of present truth on vantage ground. But let us remember, in all our endeavors, we must seek daily power and individual Christian experience. Only as we keep in close touch with the source of our strength shall we be enabled to advance rapidly and along even lines.’”
These words were greatly appreciated by the convention, seventy of whom had made a visit to her home at the close of our convention two years ago.221
DELEGATION FROM THE NORTHWEST ON SPECIAL CAR EN ROUTE TO THE CONVENTION
Increased Sale of Tracts and Periodicals
The convention members were surprised to learn that over 32,000,000 pairs of gospel tracts had been sent out from the Pacific Press during 1914. The accompanying chart shows the continued interest manifested in this class of literature.
The members were also pleased to hear, from the periodical department, that the Signs of the Times Magazine had increased twenty-two per cent in its mailing list, and over seventy-two per cent in gross sales, since the first of the year 1914. It was reported that the Signs of the Times weekly had closed the year with an increase of sixty per cent in its list over the preceding year.
Home Missionary Work
One entire day was given to home missionary questions. This was led by Elder F. W. Paap, secretary of the Home Missionary Department of the North American Division Conference. The campaign upon which Elder Paap and his associates have entered, is to know no cessation until every Christian in the denomination shall have some definite part in soul-saving service. The spirit of these sessions took possession of all, and we believe the delegates will work to this end as never before.
LITERATURE SALES OF THE DENOMINATION SINCE 1885
Evening Sessions
Among the interesting evening sessions was a stereopticon lecture by Elder A. O. Tait, editor of the Signs of the Times, entitled “The Heavens Declare the Glory of God”; another by Elder N. Z. Town, secretary of the General Conference Publishing Department, on the progress of our work in Europe; and another by the writer, on his recent trip through South America.
Other features of these evening sessions were selections by the Pacific Press orchestra; the rendering of “The Heavens Are Telling” by local musicians; motion pictures illustrating various processes in the making of paper and books, explained by our art director, F. H. Gage; and selections on the harp by Brother De Nufrio.
In a series of slides presented without comment in connection with these evening sessions, several interesting items of progress were given. Ten years ago, when the first convention was held at Mountain View, our entire western territory did not have a single general agent. At the present time, we have five general and twenty-three local agents, besides an army of regular colporteurs. Ten years ago, the entire output of gospel literature by the Pacific Press was $243,814. Last year it was $471,126. The entire sales of the Pacific Press during the forty years of its existence were shown to be $8,170,639. A chart presented by Elder N. Z. Town showed the sale of gospel literature by the denomination to have reached the astonishing sum of $1,869,000 for 1913; and while records for 1914 were not yet complete, it is supposed they will nearly reach the $2,000,000 mark. A blessed reaping is already realized from this liberal sowing of the gospel seed.
