Notes to Readers and Contributors
By Editor
WE hope to give in our next issue a report of the hearing before the Judiciary Committee on the "Christian" Amendment to the Constitution. IN our Work and Workers' department will be found an interesting article on the Georgia Sunday-law cases, from Elder R. S. Owen. We hope it will not be passed by. WE call the attention of our readers, and especially the attention of our workers, to the article on page 307, entitled "The Missionary's Pattern." It will bear not only reading, but study. THE article "Caught in a Blizzard," in our Home department, is a real picture of what a real Western blizzard is, as our foreman who has experienced such storms testifies. The description will be of interest to all parties—to those that know them, because they do; to those who do not know them, for the information given. The story also shows God's providence. A Word to Our Contributors—especially our young contributors, or those who have had little or no experience in writing. First of all, write briefly. A long article by one who is well known will be read by a large circle because the writer is known. But long articles by comparatively unknown writers, unless on a subject of more than ordinary interest, will never by the majority of readers be begun, and unless exceptionally well written will not if begun be finished. It is safe to say that an article of one or two columns will be read four times when one of three or four columns will be read once, other things being equal. Short, pointed, well-written articles are always in demand. An editor longs for them. On the other hand, long, exhaustive articles are often exhausting to the editorial patience. They cannot well be condensed, many times it diminishes their value to divide them, and, if worthy, as they not infrequently are, they must wait and wait and wait till there is room. Kindly permit, dear fellow laborers who are ambitious to use the quill, a few suggestions. Write briefly. If you wish to treat a large subject, take a point at a time. Write pointedly, concisely, clearly, and stop soon enough. Do not try your "prentice hand" on poetry. In most cases it will be neither poetry, nor rhyme, nor rhythm. Write plain, clear, simple prose, and write short. Write on one side of the page. If the paper is ruled with the lines close together, skip every other line. It will greatly assist the editor. Be willing to be patient in waiting for its appearance. Some articles will bear keeping; long articles will frequently have to; therefore write briefly. A Word to Our Correspondents.—We have received many letters from all parts of the field which demand answer of some kind, but which have not been answered. We have about a hundred letters now on hand. We would be glad to reply to them all; we hope to reply to the most of them, personally or by proxy. But other matters of more importance to the work at large have crowded in, and replies to our correspondents have been crowded out. But we ask them to be patient, and we will answer as soon as possible.