Reporting by J. Clarke

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 3, 1864

Reporting.

By J. Clarke

"I HAVE done as thou hast commanded me." Eze. ix, 11. Suppose a city employ engineers to construct works of public utility, as is often done, how often reports are made, and printed, and circulated. A nation sends its armies into the field, do we not often hail with eager interest reports from them? Does not the report of the soldier find an open ear? Does not the report of the officer find a listening audience? Who ever thinks of discouraging such reporters? Let them write on. The weary traveler sits by the mountain side, and describes the landscape, and ten thousand eager eyes glance over the printed copy in the daily press.

The missionary journalizes his history, his experience, his travels, his observations &c., and the religious public carefully peruse the columns of the society magazine. The adventurer notes his exploits, and escapes, and enterprises, and history stereotypes his reports. The mariner reports his voyages, his discoveries &c., and sage philosophers are in ecstasies of delight.

It is naturally right and proper to report, and often to report. It does not manifest vanity as a necessity at all. If you employ a man, you expect him to tell you what he has done, especially if his work is away from yours, and you take an interest in it.

Now do we not like to hear often from those who are fighting the battles of the Lord? I say that for you to give a fair and candid report often duplicates the good you do by a reflex influence.

Report, report often; we want to hear all about it, and reports are the first articles we read after the editorial, which is seldom more interesting than after a battle with the enemy. J. CLARKE.