HINTS TO TRACT SOCIETIES.
By S. N. Haskell
The tract and missionary societies are no longer an experiment. The problem has been worked out with a successful result. Through their instrumentality, thousands of souls have been warned of the coming Judgment, and hundreds have been led to embrace the truth. There is no portion of this country where the effect of tract and missionary labor is not seen and felt. The news from every civilized nation on the globe bears testimony to the utility of the missionary efforts of Seventh-day Adventists; and yet it is true that we are not doing to-day one-twentieth of what might be done, or even one-twentieth of what we ought to do. If a tract society loses its interest, the fault is not in the system, but in its members, or more frequently with its officers. The officers should be live men and women. From the president down to the librarian they should understand their duty, and seek to faithfully perform the same. If this is done, you will have a prosperous tract society. If this is neglected, there will be discouragement and confusion. If members fail to get their business done promptly, they lose confidence, and conclude the whole system is a failure. The failure is with your officers, provided the business is handed to them correctly. The present indebtedness of the tract societies is nearly thirteen thousand dollars. This is all wrong, and altogether unnecessary. It arises from various causes. 1. In many districts there are tracts and pamphlets lying idle, which are not called for in those districts, while they are out of some of the publications most needed, and cannot supply the members with them. 2. Past pledges are unpaid, and many of the brethren and sisters lack interest in the payment of the one-third. 3. There is a lack of promptness on the part of officers in looking after the interests of the Publishing Association as connected with the interests of the tract societies. The tract societies, instead of being in debt thirteen thousand dollars, should be that much ahead; and the means should be invested in publications to be kept at general depositories in the various Conferences. This would relieve the Office, so that it could help forward the work in its different branches, where now it is greatly crippled. Every Conference tract society should immediately take steps to secure a fund sufficiently large to purchase a supply of publications, to accommodate its members, and sell to its ministers. Some Conferences commenced this work last fall, and are making it a success. This fund, when once raised, would be kept good by the payment of the one-third. Such a fund could not be raised at once, but it might be in two years; and the Association will gladly do all it can to assist the tract societies in this matter. We therefore suggest the following plan: Let pledges be made to a sufficient amount to cover all indebtedness, and secure a fund for such a depository of publications as is needed, payable in 1878 and 1879. The Association will furnish publications on credit to the tract societies during 1878 to the amount of books and tracts on hand at the general depository in each Conference. The tract societies should not expect the Association to wait for its pay for publications sent to the districts, as they have gone out for distribution. Then, commencing in 1879, all bills should be promptly settled each quarter. In each society, an invoice of those publications on hand at the general depository should always be taken quarterly, that its indebtedness exceeding the publications may be known. Those tract societies where the present indebtedness exceeds the amount of publications on hand, should obtain the money, and forward immediately to the Office. There are those in each Conference who could loan their tract societies one hundred, two hundred, or even five hundred dollars, without interest, till such times as these pledges could be paid. The time of the spring camp-meetings is rapidly approaching, and at these meetings there will be a general attendance of the tract officers; and each Conference should then decide the amount that should be raised in the same, for this purpose, and apportion it to the districts, assigning to each a sum that would be just and equal, considering its ability, membership, etc. Those societies that can do faster than this, will confer a favor that will be highly appreciated by thus doing, as the Office is in immediate want of funds. While a special effort will be required to bring about this important change in the finances of the tract societies, none should be deprived of a liberal supply of publications. Our object should be to bring up all branches of the work, so that equality and efficiency may exist in every department. At these meetings, those librarians having on hand tracts and pamphlets that are not needed in their districts can exchange them for such publications as are wanted.