Collecting on Periodicals by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 18, 1872

Collecting on Periodicals.

By John Norton Loughborough

THOUGHTS FOR MISSIONARY SOCIETIES.

For some weeks I have thought of saying something on this topic. The thoughts I wish to suggest are brought to mind by difficulties we have met here in collecting delinquencies of subscribers to whom the papers have been sent by persons residing in other States.

In attempting to gain a clean list in this State, we find names we do not know, and, on writing to them, ascertain that they do not know where the paper came from, and they tell us “they don’t want the paper.” Now whatever good might be accomplished by sending a paper to a friend, it certainly tends to spoil all the good impression, after receiving the paper unsolicited, to be followed with a dun, though expressed in the mildest terms possible. In sending papers to our friends, why not inform them that we are sending them, with the request that they read them? In nine cases out of ten they will then be read with still greater interest.

As a sample of several cases in this State, I will give extracts from two letters received. The first was a case that was one volume behind. He says:

“Permit me to say that some one, I don’t know who, had your paper sent to me; and while I appreciate their kind intentions I do not appreciate the paper; for I never read it . . . . I do not wish the paper. Inclosed please find the amount claimed ($1,00). J. L. B.”

While this one seems to appreciate “the situation,” of the publishers, and pays for his paper, the next one does not. He says:

“I never signed for that paper, nor know who did. If M. S. Kellogg signed for that paper, he did it without my knowledge or permission, If M. S. Kellogg signed for it, M. S. Kellogg must pay for it. We never wanted the paper. You will do me a great favor to stop that paper. S. S.”

Had such a case as this been followed up, it might have been ascertained before the expiration of the subscription whether the paper was wanted, and thus $1,00 saved to the publishing association in not allowing the paper to get six months behind.

The publishing interest of S. D. Adventists is one, and concerns all the States equally. The object is not simply that each of our States may present a clean list, but that the whole list of the papers shall appear without any delinquencies; and this state of things will be effected in due time, with care and perseverance on the part of all. Our greatest difficulty in this State has been in collecting from strangers, at distant points, who have received their papers from parties in other States. Our State fund paid last year some $30,00 on just such cases who refused to pay, or never responded to letters, and we shall still follow it up, till all stands square on the list. But as I suggested once before—in the Reformer—we can render material aid to each other in this matter. As President of the missionary society on this coast, I have adopted the following plan: that all our people in this State when sending our periodicals to any part of the world inform me of that fact. I have before me now a list of all the papers sent by parties in this State to any other State, Territory, Province, or Kingdom, with the name of the person sending, and the date of their subscription. At least once a month this list is looked over, and parties who have sent to other parts inquired of to know what about the papers they sent, and whether they shall be still continued at their expense, or discontinued. Thus we are working on lists in other States at the same time we are working on our own.

It is not for me to dictate to other States, but the thought was in my mind to suggest that if such a course were pursued in each State, and still further, if the Secretary of this State informed other States through their secretaries what papers this State was responsible for in those States, it might save some unpleasant feelings in some cases. And so also if other States did the same by us, we might be mutual helpers to each other in this matter. I simply suggest these thoughts to those who have led out in missionary societies, and who still have the matter in hand. Desiring success to the cause in all departments.

J. N. Loughborough.