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CLUBBING THE “SIGNS.”

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · May 9, 1878

FromReview and Herald, Supplement to Vol. 51, No. 19

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CLUBBING THE “SIGNS.”

By Stephen N. Haskell

The old plan of gathering up names and having periodicals sent to individuals directly from the Office, without first learning whether those to whom they were sent would be interested or not, has serious objections. 1. There is a law forbidding publishers to send out printed matter at publishers’ rates of postage to any who are not regular subscribers. 2. Many to whom the paper would be sent are not interested, and never would become so; and a year’s subscription would be lost. 3. Two or three copies are liable to be sent to the same individual by different tract workers. 4. The individual simply pays his money, and has no further care or responsibility in the matter, and no burden of labor.
The present plan has advantages over the old method in all the above particulars. It educates people to labor in the cause of God. 1. It lays upon each person a weekly responsibility which cannot be properly discharged without thinking, and planning, and much prayer. 2. It calls into exercise talent which would otherwise be useless in the cause of God. 3. It prevents any of the copies of the SIGNS being left over in families, because they cannot find interested readers. 4. It brings into the church a good moral atmosphere. 5. By this method, at least ten families will be visited by the SIGNS, where, by the old method, only one family would be thus benefited.
The plan usually adopted in getting up a club of the SIGNS, and ascertaining who will be responsible for the payment of the papers, is something like this: A paper is drawn up, as follows: “We, the undersigned, do hereby agree to pay monthly the sum set to our names, for several copies of THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES, to be sent to this church for one year, these papers to be used in the tract and missionary work.” The amount pledged will show how many copies of the SIGNS can be taken by the church. One dollar a month will pay for eight copies; fifty cents a month, for four copies; twenty-five cents a month for two copies, etc.
The Vigilant Missionary Society is an arrangement entered into by certain individuals in the church, usually sisters in small churches, though all are invited to join. The members of this society meet weekly, and take the responsibility of seeing that all the copies of the SIGNS that come to that church, and are not used by those paying for them, are used for the purposes designed. They should see that the poor in the church are not neglected, and should prepare clothing, etc., where needed. They should also see that each family in the church has the REVIEW and the REFORMER. All such labor that cannot be properly carried out should be laid before the proper officers in the church.
Such an organization as this can be effectual only in churches where those forming it can meet weekly, at some stated time, to confer together and transact such business as pertains to their work. Where churches are scattered, and cannot consistently hold weekly meetings, a committee of from one to three persons should be appointed to take charge of those copies of the SIGNS which are not used by the persons paying for them. In this case, the SIGNS should be sent to one of the members of the committee, or to the president or secretary of the vigilant society.
In organizing a vigilant missionary society, the necessary officers are a president, secretary, and treasurer. A vice-president, assistant secretaries, and corresponding agents can be added when circumstances render these officers necessary. The meetings of the society are opened with singing and prayer, followed by the reading of the report of the preceding meeting; then any business pertaining to the interests of the society is in order. Addresses of individuals to whom the SIGNS may be sent can be handed in, cases of need can be brought up, those not taking our periodicals may be looked after, and letters which have been received during the previous week may be read. Finally, the SIGNS are divided among the members present, and the meeting closes with a season of prayer for special cases which may have come before the society.
During the week, the SIGNS divided among the members of the society are to be sent out. After sending a paper for three successive weeks to the same individual, a letter should be written. If no response is made, cease sending him the paper, and try others. Some might be interested by continuing the paper, but the probabilities are that they would not be; and as the world is full of people who have not heard the truth, it is better to give others an opportunity to investigate than to continue to send papers to those who make no response.
I have been requested to answer the following questions:—
1. “How can addresses be obtained?”
Ans. From friends; from periodicals of all kinds; from corresponding agents. A successful method with some has been to correspond with individuals, stating that they were interested in a missionary work, and wished to send out religious reading matter, and then asking these persons to send them names and addresses. Addresses may be secured by every lawful means.
2. “Should the brethren join the vigilant society?”
Ans. All are invited to join.
3. “Does money paid to the vigilant society constitute one a member of the tract society?”
Ans. It does not.
4. “Is it necessary for every member of the V. M. society to join the tract society?”
Ans. They should do so.
5. “Must members of the vigilant society individually report to the tract society, if they are members of that society?”
Ans. Yes; just the same as though there was no vigilant society. Then the vigilant society report will show what proportion of the work reported by the district secretary was done by members of the vigilant society.
6. “Should the secretary be required to wrap all the papers, write all the letters, and perform all the general labor of the society?”
Ans. No: this work should be divided among the members present at the meetings of the society.
7. “How shall the postage be paid?”
Ans. Each individual should pay on the papers for which he subscribes; the rest should be paid by donations.
S. N. HASKELL.