p. 92 | Our Periodicals by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 18, 1875

Our Periodicals.

By James White

Our periodicals should be a power in the land. We have none too many of them; but they should be better, and more widely circulated.

The REVIEW AND HERALD should be regarded as the periodical for the church, and the proper organ for all our missionary workers. No believer, at least east of the plains, should take any of our other periodicals instead of the REVIEW AND HERALD.

The Voice of Truth is designed to be “a make up” from the REVIEW, the Health Reformer, and the Instructor, to present a most valuable variety to go out everywhere to those who are not instructed in the reasons of our faith and hope. The scheme of getting up such a paper, to be furnished to Tract and Missionary Societies, and also to those who subscribe for it for their friends at half price, is one that should have the sympathy and hearty co-operation of all the friends of the cause.

Bro. Haskell thinks the subscribers of the Voice have come in too slowly. We do not say that all our people in the several States have done their duty in canvassing for the Voice. We do not believe that one-half has been done in properly canvassing that should have been done. But when we hear that about 6,000 names have come in already our fears are aroused that there has been careless canvassing, and that many names have been recklessly sent in of persons who will cast the Voice, unread, with other waste papers.

We do not say that we have too many names for the Voice. Instead of 6,000 subscribers, there should be at the present time not less than 15,000. The principal mistake in this whole matter was in not commencing the work in season. The very plan which was finally adopted, five months later, we fully matured on the cars from Oakland to Battle Creek the first of August, 1874, and it should have been put in immediate operation. We should not have waited for others who were held by a spirit of hesitation. The canvassing for the Voice should have commenced then, and not five months later, to be crowded to that degree as to make the work imperfect. This is a work for the year round, until all our work is done. No State has its full quota of subscribers while there are candid men and women in that State who have not been asked to read The Voice of Truth.

We made a mistake in taking hold of work at Battle Creek, which others had neglected, which held us in that city six months. We should have attended all the Eastern Camp-meetings and returned in season to attend the California Camp-meeting the first of last October, and then commenced to issue The Signs of the Times weekly. All our periodicals, but especially The Signs of the Times, have suffered because of our long stay at Battle Creek. While there, we could not find time to write, and since our return we have had heart, head, and hands, full of matters here, preparatory to building. But we have now reached a point in getting things ready to build where we take up the pen with hope and courage in the Lord, that we may be able to do something in his name to add to the interest and value of our good papers.

The Signs of the Times is now to be issued weekly. We have received two hundred reams of paper from Michigan at a handsome profit over San Francisco prices. We hope to have our new press successfully running before we leave to attend the camp-meetings. We now decide to circulate The Signs of the Times everywhere, and to receive donations from all the States and Territories. We abandon the idea of confining the Signs to the Pacific Coast States and Territories. Let it go everywhere, and let the subscriptions and donations come in. Mrs. White will occupy considerable space, and we shall do all in our power to add interest and value to the paper.

We shall expect to hear from many old friends, and hope to be able to speak to them at the several camp-meetings. We design to spend at least two days at each of the camp-meetings the coming season.

We urgently invite brethren who are able to do so to fall into the ranks of the $100 men. One hundred such can be found to raise $10,000 to furnish Presses, Engine, Types and material complete for printing and binding books as soon as the new building shall be ready. Let such donations be forwarded as soon as possible to REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, Michigan. Donations for the Signs should be forwarded to The Signs of the Times, Oakland, Cal. Let the names, and subscription price of those who wish pay two dollars a year, and the donations come right along. Eld. J. H. Waggoner, an able and experienced editor, will give the Signs especial attention in our absence. With the blessing of God there will be no failure of the Signs weekly from this time onward. We ask the sympathy, and prayers, and the full co-operation, of those who are true, and faithful, and liberal.

May God bless our periodicals, and make them a power in the land to expose error, to herald the truth, and lead honest men and women to Christ, and to Heaven. All our people should have the REVIEW AND HERALD. The Voice of Truth should have a circulation of not less than 15,000. And may The Signs of the Times, especially designed for the Pacific Coast, find friends and supporters everywhere, until it shall obtain patronage and strength sufficient to be self-sustaining by numerous friends within its more natural boundaries. J. W.