IT IS ASTONISHING by E. R. Jones

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 21, 1878

IT IS ASTONISHING.

By E. R. Jones

Yes, it is astonishing that so many of those who profess to love the truth, and say they are anxious to avail themselves of every means possible that they may make advancement in the Christian race, do not take the REVIEW and INSTRUCTOR. In my limited field of labor, I have found families by the dozen that have not seen these papers for months, except as they have borrowed them of their neighbors or come across them accidentally. If there is an appointment made for their church, they know nothing of it till their brethren who do take the paper tell them. Usually something like the following occurs:—

“Bro. A., do you take the REVIEW?”

“No.”

“Don’t see how you can get along without it.”

“I have to.”

“Why do you not take it?”

“Can’t afford it.”

“Why! it costs but a little.”

“I know it, but I cannot afford that little; it is hard times, you know.”

I have been surprised to hear people who were above want say they could not afford to take the REVIEW; and my astonishment has known no bounds when I have seen quite a proportion of those who cannot afford to take the papers, freely using the unwholesome, unclean swine’s flesh, and hurtful tea. These articles, every month, cost them more than they would pay for the papers in a year. Is it not astonishing that people who say they are looking for the coming of the Lord, will deprive themselves of the blessings and helps which God has placed in their reach, and indulge in those things which only hinder them in the work of preparation? An apostle has said that he that has the hope in him of seeing the Lord come, and being made like him, will purify himself, even as he is pure.

Often I have felt like crying out, Turn ye! turn ye!

A sad thought comes in here. It is this: The many appeals which have been and are being made through the REVIEW, stop just short of reaching those whom they are designed to benefit, because they do not take the paper. What can be done? It seems to me that there is great need that our T. and M. Societies should make a special and persistent effort to remedy this evil that exists among us. Why not make our own churches a field of earnest, protracted missionary labor, till these “sinners in Zion” are converted.

In the name of the Master, brethren, we beseech of you to lay aside these hurtful things, and send for the REVIEW, which, from week to week, will come as a refreshing blessing of God to your homes; and the sunlight of the smiles of Christ will beam in your souls.

E. R. Jones.