Missionary Department

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 3, 1875

Missionary Department.

"Philip saith unto him, Come and see." John 1:46.

Instructions.

BEING encouraged by seeing that some advancement has been made by our T. and M. officers and members in their mode of performing their respective tasks, we shall still patiently labor on, giving such counsel as we trust may stimulate us all to unity of action in each and every department of the work.

Bro. Haskell tells us, as the result of his experience, that "the prosperity of every tract society depends very much upon unity of action. I do not believe that any tract society can prosper unless this is the case. Each district should be engaged in the same enterprise at the same time. A united and harmonious effort should be put forth in every advance step taken. It is when we all lift together that the cause moves."

With this view of the case the T. and M. work is considered by the President and directors, and laid out before the T. and M. officers and members, and then the question should be with all, what are we called upon to do at present? Learning our duty let us do it promptly and cheerfully, then we will be ready to hail the next duties as they come. We should ever have the spirit of him who inquired, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

Aside from our continual tract and SIGNS distribution, and obtaining of paying or trial subscribers to the SIGNS, there is introduced for present action a matter on which we have spoken from time to time. It is this: We sent last week lists of subscribers to different churches and individuals on this coast, and shall continue to send them, until we have sent out the entire list to the T. and M. workers in the various States. We made some explanation in the last paper relating to these lists. We now say further that here is a chance for immediate action, in these cases where lists have been or may be received. What is wanted is first to see if the SIGNS is being read with interest and profit by those who have been receiving it free, for three, six, nine, or twelve months.

This move is not to cut off those who are interested in the perusal of SIGNS, but to get a report as to how the case does stand. One brother who sent us a list of over one hundred names, most of whom have had the paper free for about a year, has begun now to look them up, and finds that many of them have "moved away." Of course it is no benefit to such to send them papers only to be burned as waste paper.

Secondly, If persons have read with interest and wish to contribute to the support of the SIGNS, let them have an opportunity to do so. Thirdly, If persons do not wish the paper longer their cases should be reported. Fourthly, Those who have sent papers to their friends, either in California, or other States, who are prepared to report (as all should be) as to how these papers are received, should immediately report on the same to the SIGNS office, giving the name and P. O. address of your friends distinctly. If such wish to contribute for the support of the SIGNS, of course it is their privilege. Let it be borne in mind that each paper will cost for publication at least $2 per year. This expense will of necessity, be borne by some one. We are not for making rash moves or hastily cutting off interested readers if they have not the means with which to pay for their papers. Let what is done on these lists in calling upon subscribers, be done patiently and with the greatest kindness and courtesy.

It is the duty of the agent in each church to attend to the lists, as will be seen by the following quotation from our State T. and M. Constitution, Art. V., Sec. 3, (2), defining the duties of the director: "To appoint an agent (who may or may not be the librarian) in each church, to collect dues on periodicals which may have been stopped, and to take moneys by renewing subscriptions or by new subscribers, and the director shall furnish him with a list of subscribers for that church and vicinity only."

This defines the work of using the list sent out. Our church T. and M. business agents are the proper persons to take charge of the work, reporting through their district secretary, and paying the money collected immediately to the director.

We supposed we made the matter sufficiently plain in SIGNS No. 13, as to what was to be done with money collected, so that no business agent would spend the money for his own use, instead of paying it over to the director, and then when the church is called upon to pay its indebtedness report that "the business agent failed to pay it to the director and is cramped just now, will have to earn it before he can pay it over." "Faithfulness becometh thine house, O Lord, forever." I will state again on this point what I stated in No. 13:—

"The business agent of each church should pay all money received for periodicals to the director, and immediately send the business to the district secretary. The district secretary will charge these subscriptions to the church from which they come, and send the business for the SIGNS office to its destination, and that for the Review office to the State Secretary."

Again: "When the director of any district pays to the State T. and M. treasurer the money on subscriptions, he should immediately forward a statement of the fact; and specify the amount paid so that the district secretary may give credit to the respective churches in that district from which the money has been received. If it pertains to the publications at Battle Creek, the district secretary should forward a statement of the same to the State secretary, in order that she may give credit to the respective districts for the same."

According to the real plan of doing T. and M. credit business, it is expected that all credit accounts shall be squared each quarter. There is no reason why this may not be so with a little care, and with promptness on the part of the T. and M. officers. First, Let no business agent send an order to the Secretary for paid subscribers to the SIGNS or other periodicals until the money for the same has been paid to him. Secondly, When the name is forwarded to the district secretary let the business agent immediately pay the money over to the director. If these directions are followed the treasurer can easily obtain the money at the close of each quarter to square the whole account. We protest against business agents or secretaries ordering papers charged to their district when they have themselves received no money for the same.

We deeply regret that any should take the liberty to use for their own purposes means which should have been passed directly to the director. I hope no such license will be taken again. This is not the kind of credit business proposed to be done by the T. and M. Society.

We are now making an effort to square our T. and M. credit accounts. This week sister Bush will send each director a statement of his account with the Review office, so arranged that the director can tell what church and individual is to be looked to for the items of indebtedness.

The Secretary of the Pacific S. D. A. Publishing Association will also send a statement to each district of their indebtedness, at the SIGNS office.

What we want is for the directors and business agents to collect all these sums by the time of their district quarterly meeting so as to be prepared to square our whole credit account by the time of our State quarterly meeting. If we take hold of this with true California energy, enlivened by the Spirit of God, this object will be accomplished.

We present this item and urge promptness in its execution as we expect at our next State quarterly meeting to introduce a change in the mode of doing business with the SIGNS office. Of this we shall have more to say at the proper time. What we urge now is a proper closing up of the old account before we commence on the new plan.

J. N. L.