TRACT AND MISSIONARY WORK.
By James White
WHEN the Tract and Missionary work was first introduced among our people, we felt it necessary to labor through our prints to bring the brethren all up to the work, for a strong pull, and a long pull, altogether. We had succeeded wonderfully in raising means to carry forward the several branches of the work by stating the wants of the cause to our people through the REVIEW, and we had no doubt of success in raising funds for the Tract and Missionary work through the same means. Others viewed the matter in a different light. One good brother said he must speak to the brethren assembled in order to move them to take hold of this work. He has proved himself able to do this. But in order for him to serve the cause fully in the wide field, according to his plan, it would be necessary for him to be in fifty places at the same time. He could occupy but a small portion of the field, hence but few of our people have as yet taken hold of the work as the few have who have had his personal labors. And some fields are now suffering from shameful re-action where verbal appeals have been made for means, and matters have been carried pretty strongly in that line. When clear, plain, straightforward statements through our prints will not move our ministers, the elders of our churches, the T. and M. officers, and the brethren generally, then we shall cease to hope for the success of the T. and M. cause. Our brethren in California, New England, New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin are doing something to circulate the SIGNS. Other States, in consequence of little or no action in past time, or from want of action at all, are doing next to nothing. This is the natural result of not taking hold of this work in the right way. We must be able to reach all our people on this subject through our prints, before we can have a strong pull, and a long pull, and all pull together. We are surprised at inquiries whether the added one-third to the regular s. B. income should be used to pay for packages of the SIGNS, on the installment plan, to be used in missionary work. The plan of adding the one-third to s. B. was introduced to take the place of calling for donations which are never made on an equality. To reach an equitable position, and also to secure sufficient funds, the system was instituted. And the plan of paying in installments was to encourage all churches to send for packages at once, and pay for them as they should collect the added one-third, month by month. The added one-third is to be used in the T. and M. work, especially for the circulation of the SIGNS and the REFORMER. Those Conferences whose churches are not coming up to this plan will find themselves destitute of means to carry forward this work. But this work will not long move so heavily. Care must be taken to select men for executive committees in our Conferences, who have sufficient breadth of calculation and energy to do their duty. The action of the General Conference, last fall, on this matter of equality in raising means for the support of the cause was right. The matter must be pushed forward in a liberal and proper manner in all our Conferences and churches, and should be cheerfully carried out by all our scattered brethren and sisters. Oh! for a strong pull, a long pull, and all pull together. Much will be accomplished on the plan of equality in 1877. Ten times as much will be done in 1878. If the added one-third is not all used in the T. and M. work in 1877, let it be carefully preserved for a grand campaign in 1878. Eld. Haskell says that the T. and M. Societies will send abroad 25,000 copies of the SIGNS in 1878. Meantime, during the remainder of 1877, let all our churches and scattered brethren take packages of the SIGNS. Should any, at the end of three months, find that they have more copies on their hands than they can well use, or than they can well pay for, they can have the number reduced. Let all do their duty in 1877. Let none over-act, so as to fall back in the work. Let all get ready, and be ready for a strong, united effort. J. W.