Tract and Missionary Work in the West.
By George I. Butler
FEELING an earnest interest in this branch of the work, I venture to speak once more concerning it. Bro. Haskell starts West this week to hold the meetings appointed for Iowa. The leading brethren there, all of them earnest workers in the cause, have felt the need of help in getting the Tract Society as a system into working order. They have acted very sensibly in making a public call for the very man best qualified to help them, in this branch of the work, to come to their assistance. We expect these meetings in Iowa will help the tract enterprise forward very much, and enable the brethren to make great progress. The work of collecting the delinquencies on our periodicals, and renewing subscriptions, is a most important item to be attended to. Owing to the influence of these societies in New England, this matter is just about finished up there, while in New York and Ohio, where they were put in motion last year, they are in good progress, while in the West, but little has been done. Bro. H. goes to Iowa with proper blanks to help forward this work, and to give such instruction as is needed. While Iowa is waking up in this matter, we have wondered whether the officers of these societies in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, felt any need of assistance and instruction. Bro. H. is prepared to spend two weeks in Illinois, three weeks in Wisconsin, and two weeks in Minnesota, if desired. It may be said that spring is not the best season of the year to attend to this business. Suppose this be all granted. Is it not better to get a good start this spring by making a special effort, and have these in working order through the summer months, than it is to put it off till fall and lose all this time? It seems so to us. Then when fall comes, perhaps Bro. H. can come again and give the work a fresh impetus. We want to see this work move forward this year. We have no time to loiter away. Now if the officers of these societies desire the assistance of Bro. H. in these Conferences, let them write to him immediately at Knoxville or Osceola, Iowa, and say so, and give the places where they want these meetings held. If a general attendance of the brethren and sisters cannot be expected, if the officers of the society, especially the President and Secretary can be present the first meeting, great good can be done. They will then be prepared to instruct others. We hope our brethren will see the importance of striking in at the right time. GEO. I. BUTLER.