Our Readers by J. N. Loughborough

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Aug 5, 1875

Our Readers.

By J. N. Loughborough

WE are cheered from day to day in publishing the SIGNS OF THE TIMES to learn that it is appreciated by its readers, and is doing good. That is the object for which we are laboring. We will here make a few quotations from letters received from subscribers. The first is from San Jose. The writer has been raised a Roman Catholic, but is investigating present truth. He says :—

"The SIGNS always contains an abundance of matter both interesting and instructive; it is good for all Christian readers whatever their religious tenets or predilections may be; but to the reader who has either no inclination, or time, or opportunity, to read the Bible, it is particularly serviceable, in that it imparts a knowledge of the sacred pages in an extended, yet pleasing and satisfactory manner. I would like to see it widely circulated in this community, but fashion and prejudice prevailing in the churches, and worldly-mindedness and indifference outside, are great obstacles in the way of its circulation—obstacles which it would seem impossible to overcome, were it not that there is scarcely anything impossible in this nineteenth century."

The second is from Bro. J. N. Ayers, Kansas. He says :—

"I take the liberty of addressing you this morning in relation to the trial subscribers of the SIGNS in Dist. No. 3 of the Mo. and Kan. T. and M. Society. When I sent in the names I expected to have been able to send you a liberal donation, but immediately after sending the names, the drouth, chintz-bugs, and grasshoppers destroyed our crops so it was impossible, and if it had not been for the liberalities of our brethren we would have been obliged to leave our farms. Again this spring the grasshoppers in some parts of Mo. and Kan. took everything that was green. Where I live some have planted three or four times before getting anything to stand; but thank the Lord the hoppers have left and everything, excepting what is entirely killed, is beginning to grow again."

"Wheat in this section of the country was all killed, but I think if the weather continues favorable we will be able to raise enough of other crops, such as corn, beans, potatoes, turnips, and buckwheat, for our support. Crops look well now, and I never saw a more favorable time for things to grow. Our fruit is a failure on account of the hoppers stripping the trees last fall, and a great many of the peach and apple trees are killed. But to return to the subject. I think the paper is doing considerable good here, and feel very thankful that it has been continued so long. I like it, and hate to do without it, but cannot pay for it until times get better. There are many others who feel the same, but I would not ask for it for myself or any one else in this district any longer than the present volume unless I should receive favorable answers to published notice to trial subscribers."

This notice was inserted last week. I esteem it a pleasure to pay $1.00 on Bro. Ayers' paper, and keep it still going.

Here is another touching letter from Kansas :—

"I write to tell you of the great blessings that we receive in the dear SIGNS OF THE TIMES—you wish all to report to you whether we are reading the paper with interest. I can truly say that it is a well-spring of life to us. We are too poor to send the money for it, but oh! I pray you, do not take it from us. We are reading every word of it with the greatest interest, and I do not think we can possibly do without it. We will make every effort to pay for it as soon as we can. I am a widow, having one child. We are both Adventists and have no preaching, nor anything to help us but the TIMES. My son is but sixteen years of age yet is firmly established in the faith."

We cannot stop such papers. We do not wish to stop any which are read with interest and profit. If any of our brethren and sisters, who have been prospered in their affairs while these Kansas readers have been scourged in the loss of their crops, feel as though they wanted a $10.00 or $5.00 or $1.00 blessing in paying for some of these papers in Kansas, we will not object to receiving it, and the Lord says : "He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again." J. N. L.