Chapter 32—Sales Promotion of Books
Divine Purpose for Books—The work of bookmaking is a grand
and good work; but it has not always stood in the high and holy position
that God designed it should occupy, because self has been interwoven
with the work of some who have engaged in it. The book work should
be the means of quickly giving the sacred light of present truth to the
world. The publications that come forth from our presses today are to
be of such a character as to strengthen every pin and pillar of the faith
that was established by the word of God and by the revelations of His
Spirit.
The truth that God has given for His people in these last days
should keep them firm when there come into the church those who
present false theories. The truth that has stood firm against the attacks
of the enemy for more than half a century must still be the confidence
and comfort of God’s people.
Our evidence to nonprofessors that we have the truth of the word
of God will be given in a life of strict self-denial. We must not make a
mockery of our faith, but ever keep before us the example of Him who,
though He was the Prince of heaven, stooped to a life of self-denial
and sacrifice to vindicate the righteousness of His Father’s word. Let
us each resolve to do our best, that the light of our good works may
shine forth to the world.—
Testimonies for the Church 9:69, 70
.
Ministers to Instruct Members in Literature Work— Our min-
[337]
isters should not give all their powers to preaching discourses, and let
the work end there. They should instruct the members of the church
how to take hold of and successfully carry forward this branch of the
work [missionary correspondence], [
Eleven years before this state-
ment was made, i.e., in 1869, a group of Spirit-filled SDA women in
South Lancaster, Massachusetts, organized themselves as the Vigilant
Missionary Society. One of their principal activities was to gather
names and conduct missionary correspondence “with people over the
whole United States and many foreign countries.” Their society was
the nucleus of the Conference Tract and Missionary Society, which
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