THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES FOR 1880.
By Editor
HAVING made some improvements in the Signs, both in appearance and contents, we have concluded to give the Tract Societies their choice between the two editions. We have received many criticisms on the eight-page edition, because its size would not admit that variety of reading matter which was thought indispensable to a successful missionary paper, and some have suggested that the 12-page edition would be more acceptable to the T. and M. Societies. We are not only willing, but anxious to please those Societies which have worked so diligently and effectively in the past. The Signs of the Times is no experiment. Experience has fully proved that it is necessary to have two papers: one for a church paper, the organ of the denomination. Our brethren throughout the country—on the Pacific as well as on the Atlantic—have done well in accepting the Advent Review as the church organ. We are pleased with our success in placing it in almost every family of Sabbath-keepers in California. Beside this we must have a missionary paper; one which, while it advocates the great truths of the third angel's message, is not so distinctly denominational as the Review; one which shall contain a variety of that which will be of greatest interest to new readers, with none of the matters pertaining to the churches only, such as can be of no interest to those not identified with us as a people. To serve this purpose the Signs of the Times has been published. We do not intend to let the Signs fall below what it has been in the past, but, on the contrary, we shall aim to make it better than any volume which has been published. Our 12-page edition being stitched and trimmed, is more convenient to handle and contains more matter than the eight pages of previous volumes. This affords opportunity for that variety of reading which must render it acceptable to the Tract Societies, and to the numerous readers throughout the world to whom it is sent. PUBLISHERS SIGNS OF THE TIMES.