THE SECOND EDITOR by H. C. Welty

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 28, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 22.

THE SECOND EDITOR.

By H. C. Welty

It has come to me that “our missionary society” is largely a Samson shorn of strength. The intelligent, efficient effort of its individual members is the mighty leverage of the whole society. “The press,” its right hand, is truly a world-mover, and the second publishers (our missionary society) plays no small part. The first publisher pays the printer’s bill, and you pay the publisher; his and your obligations to each other cease there. The open question now is, Will you pigeon-hole the paper, or destroy it? Or will you become its second publisher, without a printer’s bill, and double its touch with humanity?

The Lord says of His Word, “It shall not return unto Me void.” Whatever has quickened you is the vibrant force of His Word, and it may do the same for some one else; pass it along. Remember, too, only one-seventh of the rain of manna kept two days, and two days only. “God is not dead, Frederick,” as grand old Sojourner Truth expressed it. So do not clip and hoard first-page articles and fine poetry.

“The bird with the broken wing Never soared so high again.”

God commends a clean, sound, whole burnt-offering. My ways are not your ways, the Almighty says. Man lives to die; the Lord kills to make alive. Euclid multiplies to increase; He divides (loaves and fishes) to multiply. The divine pattern is, To keep anything, give it away. Your neighbor, and the stranger in the ‘broad way,’ may not know your (first) editor, but may know you. Whatever in the paper has quickened you, may, by a little underscoring with red ink (you being its “second editor”) call attention to it, and quicken some one else; the underscoring being your soul’s Amen to a great, uplifting truth. “Let there be light”—a host of “second editors.” H. C. WELTY.

And the editor says, Amen.