Extend the Circulation of the Review.
By E. S. W.
I trust that all the readers of the Review will consider the heading of this article as specially addressed to themselves individually, and that our ministers in particular will treasure it up and act upon it wherever they go. I suppose that all are agreed that the circulation of the Review is calculated to disseminate light—to build up the believer in present truth, to sustain, comfort, and support the scattered ones, who are deprived of the association and counsel of those of like faith; and if not to convince, at least to create an inquiry in the minds of unbelievers as to whether these things are so. If these are facts, are we not all interested in having its circulation increased? Yea more. Is it not our duty to do all in our power to extend its circulation? We have a glorious truth, a blessed truth. We have light that the world and the churches have not. Why hide it under a bushel? Rather let us elevate it, seek to increase its radiance so that others may be benefited by it. There are many honest ones in the churches who are now living up to all the light they have; and many honest worldlings who are disgusted with the teachings and practices of popular Christianity, who upon being presented with the truth will gladly embrace it. We are frequently in the receipt of letters from lonely ones who have embraced the truth, or whose attention has been called to the different subjects of our faith, by accidentally getting hold of a stray number of the Review, or by having a copy of it sent to them by a friend, who were thus induced to search the Scriptures and found to the joy and comfort of their souls that "these things were so." What a wide field for usefulness is then open before us. We who cannot preach the message, with our one talent, may by this means convert at least one sinner from the error of his ways, and thereby "save a soul from death and hide a multitude of sins." The circulation of the Review is now only about 2800. It should be four or five thousand to enable the Association to publish it for the prices it is now published at. You will bear in mind that while paper has advanced more than fifty per cent., and labor and everything else used in its publication has advanced very materially, the subscription price of the Review remains the same. And the only way that it can be afforded for present prices is to increase the subscription list. Our list is now in a healthy condition. It has been thoroughly pruned since the formation of the Publishing Association and some seven or eight hundred dead or withered branches cut away at different times, so that our present list may be all considered as permanent paying subscribers with the exception of those copies that are sent to friends for investigation and to the scattered worthy poor, free. It needs but a persevering united effort to increase our list to five thousand copies. We should have that number of subscribers, and if the proper effort is put forth, they can be raised in a few weeks. But in order to accomplish it there must be system and unity of action. It will not do to intrust so important a work to every one in general and no one in particular, for, according to the old adage, "what is everybody's business is nobody's business." We have a plan which we think will work admirably. It is this. Have the business done through, or by the aid of a committee. And as we have no chairman, and the people are not assembled, we will take the liberty to appoint the committee. And we hereby appoint each subscriber of the Review and every Sabbath-keeper, as a member of that committee—each one to act independently of the others; and each to consider the responsibility of raising the requisite number devolving upon their personal efforts; every member of the committee to report progress within one month after the date of their appointment; and further, none of the committee to be discharged until the requisite number of subscribers be made up. It will readily be seen that if each member of the committee is faithful to the trust imposed upon him or her, there will be no difficulty in the matter, and the number would soon be raised. If each subscriber, it would not be necessary for every reader, but if each household where the Review is taken would get one subscriber, only one, the result would be more than accomplished. Surely any one can do this, or at least can try. If you cannot get a brother or sister to take it at full price get some honest well disposed person to take it at half price for investigation. A word to our ministers in relation to this matter. Some of them have done nobly during the past tent season. Bro. Cornell, Lawrence, and Van Horn, held only two tent-meetings in Michigan, and obtained seventy-five subscribers for the Review. Bro. Cornell told me that they frequently urged upon the new converts the necessity of taking the Review; told them that it was our itinerant preacher; that as we did not station our ministers as the nominal churches did, they must have the Review to keep them posted; and the result of these frequent urgent appeals was the number of subscribers above mentioned. And at Memphis, where there was not a single Review taken before they went there, there is now the largest number of subscribers on our list. Others may have pursued the same course, but if they did, they did not meet with the same success; perhaps some did not have so good fields to operate in. Others were visiting churches, where most of the brethren were taking the Review. We are willing to make all the allowances that can be made under the circumstances, but we think most of our ministers might obtain more subscribers if they would present the matter oftener and more urgently to the people. Brethren, preachers, and people, we appeal to you again. Will you make the effort? Will you all lend a helping hand? We feel confident that all that is required is a united and persevering effort. In circulating the Review, we circulate our publications; for where the Review goes, orders for books soon follow. Shall we have the five thousand subscribers soon? It181would be very gratifying to the Publishing Association, and to the friends of the cause, and aside from this, would be the means of doing an incalculable amount of good, which eternity alone would unfold. Time is short. Probation will soon close. The world has to be warned. We all can do something in our Master's vineyard. The question again comes home, Will we do it? Reader, will you make the effort? The future will answer. We have made this appeal in good faith, believing that it will not be in vain, and that brethren will nobly and promptly respond to it. May the blessing of God rest upon this effort, as well as upon all efforts for the advancement of his cause.