p. 21 | The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jan 17, 1878

The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

In the efforts of the tract societies to circulate the Signs and the Reformer, the Advent Review should not be neglected. As a pioneer paper to introduce the present truth the Signs of the Times has, and does accomplish more than any other periodical. It has many advantages over tracts; the reading matter being both doctrinal, practical and miscellaneous.

In first directing the attention of a prejudiced public nothing is so well calculated as the Health Reformer, and health publications.

But it is not designed that the Signs of the Times, or the Health Reformer will in any case take the place of the Review. This is our church paper, and no other can take its place. The tract society officers should see that all of our brethren and sisters have the Review and Herald.

There are many poor among us who are unable to pay for the paper, and many who are able are not taking it. Their subscription has run out, and they borrow of their neighbors, and so from one cause or another neglect to renew their subscription. Every family of our brethren and sisters should take it. There are but few families that cannot pay two dollars in twelve months. When I find the paper missing in a family, I also find a waning interest in the truth. They are not as particular on the Sabbath as formerly, they have lost the sweetness of the holy rest day. In short, imperceptibly to themselves they are drifting downward, and unless they realize their situation sooner or later, they will leave the present truth.

Each church should look after its own members. The Vigilant Missionary Societies should make this one branch of its work. Every family should not only take the Review, but read it. Read it through each week. Watch the progress department. Notice the editorial, the sermon. It is just what is needed to make you intelligent upon the present condition of the cause. You meet with a loss without it that nothing else can make up, and our missionary workers are in a degree responsible. The same may be said of the Reformer. The enemy is watching in every possible way to come in upon us, and to wound one here, and another there, and to destroy the third, and so on. God’s providence has furnished us many helps, and the Review is one, and all should avail themselves of every such means, lest they be found wanting in the day of God. When a course of lectures are given and people embrace the Sabbath, the Review is the paper wanted. It is well for us brethren to take both that and the Signs, but in no case let the Signs take the place of the Review, and some of our brethren fail of its weekly visits.

S. N. Haskell.