R. D. HOTTEL by R. D. Hottel

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 30, 1902

R. D. HOTTEL

By R. D. Hottel

Is It True? And Does It Pay?

R. D. HOTTEL

If we remember correctly, the REVIEW had something to say some time ago about the chain-letter business, condemning the whole thing as being wrong morally, and also against the postal laws. This we presume applies when money is solicited. But there must be something fascinating about the chain letter whether money is solicited or not. Not long ago one came along from the far-away country of Australia, asking that each one receiving the letter write to three friends, soliciting used postage stamps, etc. Just recently one comes along from one of our prominent workers in America, asking that each one receiving the letter write to two friends requesting them to pray for a certain object. It asks that the ball be kept rolling till the thousand number is reached. The one from Australia wished only the one hundred and eightieth number.

Unless we are greatly mistaken, we do not believe that the means will justify the end in any such arrangements. We believe in praying for the work and the workers in all the fields of the world, and in giving of our means for the advancement of the message, but we believe that this is a trap of Satan to take money from the people, and put it in the wrong place. It seems to us that at such a time as this every cent should be made to count in the great work of God in the earth, and that there should be no distracting efforts made to draw means from the people to channels where it is not used for the work of God.

We have been tempted ourselves to try nothing of the kind to raise means for the needs of our field, where the work moves slowly, and the need is great, and the people poor, but since the thing has been condemned, we have not tried it. If we are to solicit means, let it be brought into the treasury of the Lord.

Let us see: it costs two cents for the man to start the letter. The second man is requested to write two letters to two friends, asking them each to do the same, and so on. It costs the second man four cents to write the two letters. These two friends who receive the two letters are to write to two friends each, and it costs them eight cents to do the writing. These four who receive the four letters from the two friends are to write two letters each, and it costs them sixteen cents to pay the postage, and so on, doubling each time the number of the letter is increased.

Below we have a table showing the cost of postage to the number of thirty. We do not have the time to compute the cost any further, and would not take the time for this if it were not for the purpose of getting right ourselves in the matter, or getting some one else right. Please study the table below, and see if the application is right, and then answer the questions:—

The Letter Chain


1	.02
2	.04
3	.08
4	.16
5	.32
6	.64
7	1.28
8	2.56
9	5.12
10	10.24
11	20.48
12	40.96
13	81.92
14	163.84
15	327.68
16	655.36
17	1,310.72
18	2,621.44
19	5,242.88
20	10,485.76
21	20,971.52
22	41,943.04
23	83,886.08
24	167,772.16
25	335,544.32
26	671,088.64
27	1,342,177.28
28	2,684,354.56
29	5,368,709.12
30	10,737,418.24

$21,474,836.46

It is said that figures never lie. We would like our wise men and mathematicians to go over the matter carefully and answer the questions, Is it true? and, Does it pay?