Let the Light Shine by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 29, 1870

Let the Light Shine.

By Editor

Of the character of our numerous publications, of the interest awakening everywhere to read them, and of what they are doing to bring honest men and women to a knowledge of the truth, we have freely spoken in the REVIEW. It is evident to all those who understand the facts in the case, that we have the greatest encouragement to labor in this department of the work. We do not feel disposed to discuss the merits of the case any longer. We have the pleasure of meeting hundreds who have embraced the present truth within a few years past, simply from reading a few of our publications. And these persons give evidence of being true friends of the Lord, and of his truth. And as we witness this good work, we feel the importance of circulating our publications, as language cannot express. The present is the time to act.

Who will turn colporteurs on their own expense? That is, who will purchase our books, pamphlets, and tracts, and go from house to house, talk and pray with the people, sell our publications when they can, and when they cannot sell them, give them to those who are worthy? Who among us have sufficient moral courage, firm principle, love for souls, and piety, to do this work?

We are much pleased with the action of the church at Allegan, Mich., reported in the REVIEW by Bro. Littlejohn. And our brethren of the New-England Conference are getting on the track. See the doings of a recent meeting reported by Bro. Waggoner, in last week's REVIEW. Ten thousand dollars' worth of our books should be given before the close of 1871. Let all our churches get into working order. They should organize for the distribution of our publications.

Many of our people are dying spiritually, for want of labor in the Lord's vineyard. Manual labor makes the muscles strong. Mental labor gives mental strength. And labor in spiritual things, makes one strong in God. It strengthens the faith, brightens the hope, and makes the spirits strong in the Lord. The fields are all white. Laborers are wanted. Consecrated laborers we must have. God give us laborers.

Ministers whose hearts are imbued with the tenderest, deepest love for souls, are wanted. Men, women, and youth, who feel the force of present truth, are wanted to enter the whitening fields. Those who will sell, and give alms of heavenly light to those whose moral vision is dimmed by the mists of popular errors and fables, are wanted.

Not one in four of our people have religion enough to circulate our tracts. Let those who take on a burden to circulate our publications, first get a burden to purchase them at the extremely low rates of sixteen hundred pages for one dollar, and then they will be more likely to feel a proper burden to circulate them judiciously and prayerfully.

We do not ask men and women to circulate tracts as they would scatter corn to the chickens. Our publications should be handed out judiciously, where they are needed and wanted. “Cast not your pearls before swine.” Men and women are wanted in this work, who can form some idea of the difference between those properly represented by swine and goats, and those by sheep, lambs, and doves.

Those who feel it a duty to sow this kind of seed broadcast, can sow all they please at their own expense. We will sell them tracts at the rate of sixteen hundred pages for one dollar. Let them sow away. It is true that at our camp-meetings, when the minds of the people are stirred on some important subject, we offer a tract on that subject, to all who will come to the stand for it. Many come. Some do not. This course tests the interest, and is right. If others, however, wish to sow broadcast, where there is no interest raised, we do not object, if they can afford to purchase their own seed.

We heartily recommend organized action, in the circulation of our publications, by all our churches. And where this cannot be done, for want of numbers, let scattered brethren and sisters put forth individual effort. Friends of present truth, Let the light shine.

LIBERAL.

All persons wishing books, pamphlets, and tracts, to give to their friends, can have them at this Office, at one-third discount from published prices. If ordered by mail, they will be furnished at one-third discount, and postage only added.

Poor persons who wish our publications to read themselves, and to lend to their neighbors, can have them free, by sending with their orders a suitable amount to pay postage.

THE RIGHT BURDEN.

Those who feel a burden to circulate our works, and have not the money to pay for them, will do well to ask the Lord to open the way for them to “buy the truth, and sell it not.” We are impressed that in most cases the Lord will lay the burden of circulating our publications upon those who have the money to pay for them.

SPECIAL NOTICE.

To those who are indebted to this Office for publications, we would here state, that bills of their indebtedness will be sent to them, as the secretary shall find time from other duties. With the present General Conference year, we design to close up all old book accounts. The first of April next, we shall commence a cash-in-hand business, at one-third discount on all our publications. Ministers, and all agents who shall have publications on hand just prior to the first of April next, can then close up their accounts by remittances of money, or by the return of publications at their own expense.

We think the establishment of a general rule that all orders must be accompanied with the cash, at one-third discount, will be best for agents, and also for the Association. Do any object, and say that poor preachers may not have the ready cash, our reply is, that to all such worthy-poor preachers we will donate a large order to begin with; and then they will ever after have ready cash to send with orders. Let there be no failure on the part of those who are indebted to this Office for books, in closing up all accounts before the first of April next. There is due the Association for books alone, not less than $4,000; and we hope all will be ready to respond with cash on the receipt of bills.

VERY ENCOURAGING.

We are receiving letters from all parts of the country, of very stirring interest, relative to the influence of our publications upon the people. We have room for brief extracts only from some of them. The first is from a minister in Iowa, addressed to us Oct. 11, 1870.

“KIND SIR: I ought long since to have acknowledged the receipt of a valuable present from your Association, by your hand, consisting of books, pamphlets, and papers. But the fact is, my time has been so completely occupied that I have procrastinated till now. Indeed, so strange are the positions you take, that I have thought several times that I would sit down and write you, to correct your errors and refute your arguments; but when I have taken up any work to refute it, I have been led to read a little more first; and by reading, have many times seen things in a new light.”},{

“I can now see how much of error has sprung from the pernicious doctrine of hereditary total depravity, and from the assumed immortality of Adam before the fall. If he were immortal then, what was the design of the tree of life?”},{

“I have not time now to give you my reasons in full; but I would translate the celebrated penal declaration of God to Adam thus: ‘From the day thou eatest thereof, thy death shall be sure.’ I feel able to sustain myself on this point.”},{

“On some points, I cannot agree with you yet,

though I will not now pronounce you wrong; for the error may be in me. I am seeking truth, and determined to follow it, regardless of where it may lead; for it never can go wrong.

“Accept my grateful thanks for your kind favors; and may God bless you, and lead you into all truth. “Your friend, E. SPOONER.

“P. S. The REVIEW AND HERALD visits me regularly; and after reading it carefully, I send it forth to carry its teachings to other inquirers. “E. S.”

The second is from Sr. Ashley, of Wisconsin, who has held the position of preacher in the Christian Conference. We met this lady at the Kilbourn City, Wisconsin Camp-meeting last July. She had, before coming to that meeting, read two or three of our small tracts. These awakened some interest, sufficient to induce her, by invitation of friends, to attend the camp-meeting. There she embraced the Sabbath. We there gave her a good supply of our books, pamphlets, and tracts, and have sent her the REVIEW. Her testimony will be read with interest. She addresses Mrs. W. and self, Oct. 3d, 1870, thus:

“DEAR FRIENDS: After offering an apology for not writing sooner, I desire to tell you that I am enjoying myself in the investigation of the truth. After I returned from the camp-meeting at Kilbourn City, I attended the Christian Conference at home. I belonged to the Conference, and the brethren and sisters all rallied around me with such force, and presented portions of the Scriptures in such a manner, as to get me quite puzzled; and my mind was filled with doubts. I began to waver and halt between two opinions. I thought perhaps all my convictions were a delusion, and my friends were surely right. I went home with one of my sisters to stay a few days, but was hindered from returning sooner than a month; so I did not read much until I returned home; but almost continually my prayer ascended to Heaven that God would direct me, and take away the dark clouds, and once more shine upon his holy word, illuminating my mind, and making me to understand the truth. He heard me, he answered me. I returned home a full believer in present truth. Not a doubt has crossed my mind since. This was my trial of faith, I believe. I have been reading as much as I could ever since, to get all the truth, if possible, to make up the lost time.”},{

“I attended a meeting at Liberty Pole, also at Kickapoo Center, Vernon Co., and have just returned from a meeting at Sand Prairie, held by Bro. Sanborn. I am greatly strengthened, and built up on the most holy faith. I am striving to get nearer to the Lord, and to keep all his holy commandments. I have kept every Sabbath since I was at the camp-meeting, and must say that I have enjoyed peace of mind, and felt the sacredness of the day, and a holy obligation to keep it, that I never felt before in keeping Sunday.”},{

“I would say to Bro. White, I thank you very much for the publications you gave me, and also for the REVIEW. They have been my study, with the Bible, and are just what I needed. I hope some time to be able to repay you for your kindness. E. ASHLEY.”

The third is relative to a family in Wisconsin, whose names we withhold. They will please excuse us for the liberty we have taken in quoting from their letter, on the ground that the facts are too good to be lost:

“DEAR SIR: Excuse the liberty I have taken in writing, as I am a perfect stranger to you. I think it is necessary that I should introduce myself and family. My husband is a native of Switzerland; I am a native of France. My husband was converted in Switzerland, in the free will church, but was baptized and united with a close communion church in America. I myself was converted to God at the age of seventeen, and then united with the same church. I have been brought up from childhood to look for the soon coming of Christ. My parents believed that event would transpire in 1837, and did not give up hope when they were disappointed. We lived in the northern part of Pennsylvania during the movement of 1843, among the so-called Millerites. The coming of Christ was always a pleasant theme for me to meditate upon. It is now about three weeks since we have learned to understand the third angel’s message, and are now trying to keep the commandments, and the faith of Jesus. I will now tell you how this came about.”},{

“Bro. Hanson gave my husband a tract on the Sabbath. This he read, and was convinced that the so-called Christian Sabbath was not ordained by God. He then wished myself and eldest daughter to read the same; this we refused, as we thought the apostles had instituted the first day. My husband returned the tracts with little or no hope that he ever could convince us, though he himself seemed convinced. He then spoke on the subject frequently. I told my daughter that we must try and get Scripture proof to convince father that he was in an error; so we went diligently to work to find proof against what we thought an erroneous doctrine. But this we failed to find, and saw, to our astonishment, that the error was on our side. We did not long consult with flesh and blood, nor with the consequences of such a step. We now take it as a mercy that God considered us worthy to reveal his will unto us. I forgot to mention that my daughter was also a member of the Baptist church. I think they will exclude us.”

A brother in Healdsburg, Cal., says:

“I want to love Jesus more. The REVIEW is the best paper I ever read. I cannot do without it. It is a welcome visitor to my cottage; I love the third angel’s message; I love all the present truth. I love those precious tracts; they found me wandering, and brought me back. Thank the Lord.”

We close the interesting subject of this department for this week, with the following valuable remarks from Eld. Cottrell:

“I have read with deep interest the article from Bro. White in a recent paper under the above heading. This branch of our work is of great importance. And as I read the petitions, ‘May God help Bro. Andrews in the preparation of this important work,’ and ‘May God help in the completion of them,’ my heart responded an earnest Amen. And I pray in faith. I believe God will fulfill the petition. He has not forsaken the earth. He lives and reigns. He has a great work to do; and he inspires his servants to do it. And he will give the needed wisdom to his chosen servants, and to all who wholly consecrate themselves to his work.”},{

“To the questions propounded, I reply, I will be one of one thousand to make up the ten thousand dollars. For my past year’s labor in the cause, I received just $200. Sickness in my family during the year had increased my expenses, and diminished my time devoted to the work, and, consequently, the sum that I received. Out of this $200, I paid $15.60, s. d., besides some unsystematic. And now I will give five per cent or one twentieth part of the whole for this cause. I am not afraid that God will forsake those who trust in him, and consecrate all to his work.”},{

“I have learned somewhat of the value of our publications by using them. When I give a course of lectures, by their aid I can accomplish more than double the amount of good, in a given time, than I could by my poor preaching alone. It may be a benefit to tell how I use them. I take a package of one kind at a time, and at the close of the meeting, distribute them, one to each family who desires to read them. They can read a small tract before the next meeting. At the next, I give them another kind. While the subjects of my discourses are the prophecies and signs of the advent, I hand out such tracts as, Sufferings of Christ, Heavenly Meeting, Some Features of our Times, A Sign of the Day of God, Seven Seals, Sixteen Answers, &c., Millennium, and Second Advent. And when I come upon the law and Sabbath, I give out, Which Day Do You Keep, and Why? The Law and the Gospel, God’s Memorial, Who Changed the Sabbath? and so of the rest. These follow up the preaching, and make a deep and lasting impression. And I have found that if I cannot be a preacher, for want of quickness of thought and readiness of expression and eloquence, I can be a colporteur; and in this way, I am bound to labor, and hope to continue in the field till the work is done.”},{

“And now, brethren and sisters, I hope you will all feel that you have ‘a call to preach’ through our publications. We must engage in this work as never before. My prayer is that God will give me a part in the work till the time of resting is come. Pray for me.”