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The Fruitage of Spiritual Gifts

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    The Distribution of Our Literature

    In the early years all our literature, whether papers, pamphlets, or tracts, was given away free. Indeed, many were glad to find neighbors or friends who had the courage to read it, so despised was the advent hope. But gradually there came a change. There was no subscription price on the Review and no price on anything else. Friends helped with gifts, but “if expenses were not met the only thing to do was to wait till means came in. In back files of the Review you will find, May 30, 1854, after the receipts, this announcement: ‘One hundred dollars behind on the Review; no paper next week.’ June 20 of the same year: ‘$65.89 behind on the Review. The paper will be omitted next week.’”—Uriah Smith in The General Conference Bulletin, 1889, 103. The plan was that friends of the cause or members collect a fund to pay for reading matter to send out gratis.FSG 351.1

    But in 1855 a long step forward in the circulation of Adventist literature was taken. J. N. Loughborough, one of our most active veterans, decided to sell our publications. Friends laughed at the idea, calling the plan “a pipe dream without a pipe.” No one thought it could be done. At that time one copy each of all tracts and pamphlets was offered for sale at thirty-five cents, though the real value was over three dollars. Elder Loughborough was holding a series of public lectures with a fair attendance. On Sunday night he offered to sell his packages of various small publications, and he sold over $50 worth the first time. The idea spread like a prairie blaze, and soon all our ministers adopted it. The distribution of our reading matter made fair increase, though much too slowly the next twenty years; some was distributed by our members, some sold by our ministers, and much given away free. As late as 1878 this offer was made to those who were too poor to buy:FSG 352.1

    “We will send you a package of books containing four volumes of ‘Spiritual Gifts,’ ‘How to Live,’ ‘Appeal to Youth,’ ‘Appeal to Mothers,’ ‘Sabbath Readings,’ (4 books) and two large charts with ‘Key of Explanation.’ ‘Send fifty cents to pay the postage, and we will send you the five-dollar package and charge the fund four dollars.’”—Testimonies for the Church 1:689.FSG 352.2

    In 1869 our total membership, all in America, had increased to 4,900, and we had 57 preachers; but our entire literature sales amounted to only $18,952, of which $3,933 was sold right at the Review office. The increase of sales continued, but still as our leaders considered the question, they were greatly distressed by the slow growth of literature circulation.FSG 352.3

    About this time special light on the subject, came from the Lord’s servant. There were three important decisions or plans given us that brought phenomenal success in literature distribution. They were: (1) The light concerning tract societies; (2) the decision to print large books, to be sold by self-supporting canvassers; (3) the change in the plans for the Spirit of prophecy books. For over thirty years they had been published for our own people only; now they began to be sold everywhere.FSG 353.1

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