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The Colporteur Evangelist
Wrong Principles
If our canvassers are controlled by the spirit of financial gain, if
they circulate the book upon which they can make the most money,
to the neglect of others that the people need, I ask, In what sense is
theirs a missionary work? Where is the missionary spirit, the spirit of
self-sacrifice? The work of the intelligent, God-fearing canvasser has
been represented as equal to that of the gospel minister. Then should
the canvasser feel at liberty, any more than the minister, to act from
selfish motives? Should he be unfaithful to the principles of missionary
work, and sell only those books that are cheapest and easiest to handle,
neglecting to place before the people books which will give most light,
because by so doing he can earn more money for himself? How is the
missionary spirit revealed here? Has not the canvassing work ceased
to be what it should be? How is it that no voice is raised to correct this
state of things?
Papers, Tracts, and Pamphlets
No canvasser should exalt the book for which he is working above
others that set forth the truth for this time. Should our canvassers
drop all but one book, and concentrate their energies on that, the
work would not be carried on according to God’s plan. Minds are
not constituted alike, and what might be food for one might fail to
attract another; therefore, books should be in the field treating in a
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variety of ways the special subjects for this time. It will be necessary
for the canvasser to make a wise selection. Let no one who is doing
the work of God become narrow and short-sighted. The Lord has
many instrumentalities through which He designs to work. When
one book is exalted above another, there is danger that the very work
best adapted to give light to the people will be crowded out. There
is no need of contrasting different books, and judging as to which
will do the most good. God has a place for all the voices and all the
pens that He has inspired to utterance for Him. It will be difficult for
some minds to fathom our most difficult works, and a simpler way of
putting the truth will reach them more readily. Let the leading workers
encourage the weaker ones, and show an equal interest in every one
of the instrumentalities set in motion to prepare a people for the day