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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 26, 1914

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 91, No. 13.

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In China

THE superintendent of our publishing house at Shanghai sends the following interesting report:—
"Our publishing department begins the year with very promising conditions. The Wenli Signs has already a paid-up average monthly subscription list for 1914 of 2,261, with a club subscription list bringing the total Wenli issue to 15,000 monthly. The Mandarin paper has an average paid-up subscription list for the year of 202, with a club list of 41,500 copies a month. There is also an average paid-up subscription for the year of 336 outside of China. This makes a total monthly output of upward of 55,000 copies. If the published reports of Christian societies operating in China are correct, the Signs has a circulation several times the total of publications issued by them. The paper has been increased in size by four pages, making it possible to give a fair representation of the current news of the republic. Plans for the year have been so outlined that the main features of the advent doctrine may be presented, besides giving in the Outlook department a fair association of current events with the prophecies.
"The book on the prophecies of Daniel is well on its way in the type room, and we expect to have it out within the present quarter. The new edition of the Mandarin 'Bible Readings' is being published with illustrations, and we hope to have this ready for the public within the next two months. We find that the provinces of Honan, Hunan, and Hupeh have sold during the past year 336,000 magazines, besides our other literature associated with the message. On taking our inventory, we found that our stock is becoming quite depleted, with no time in the pressroom to replace it. Several subjects are not represented on the inventory. We hope, however, within a few months to be able again to supply all topics.
"Those at our stations where schools are being operated will be glad to know that we are publishing an adaptation of the McKibbin series of Bible studies, and we hope to have both the Old and the New Testament lessons through the bindery this quarter.
"To begin the new year, the first mail brought us 772 subscriptions from the Central Division. It may be interesting to our brethren in south China to know that these subscriptions are for the Wenli paper, at thirty-five cents each. The colporteurs there sell the Mandarin paper by the copy, but in taking subscriptions almost invariably secure orders for the Wenli. The Fukien field is quite faithful in supplying us with subscriptions to the paper, but outside of these two sections, we are sorry to say, very little is being done.
"It has been an encouragement to us to receive in almost every mail orders for literature from those who have accidentally secured a copy of the paper. Many are deeply interested in the truth because of such acquaintance with our work. We are very sure that these instances are sufficient evidence to convince one as to whether or not it pays to sell the paper in clubs to the colporteurs. The annual subscriptions, of course, are very essential, but the seed falling by the wayside will be the means of saving many souls in the kingdom. The work in Shanghai has been supplemented by a tract depository in connection with the reading room at the Xiang-si road chapel. It is very encouraging to see what a nice display can be made of our current literature."