Unity of Effort
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as to be secure from temptation. All this trashy reading should be
resolutely discarded.
We have no permission from the Lord to engage in either the
printing or the sale of such literature, for it is the means of destroying
many souls. I know of what I am writing; for this matter has been
opened before me. Let not those who believe the truth engage in this
work, thinking to make money. The Lord will put a blight upon the
means thus obtained; He will scatter more than is gathered.
Circulation and Prices of Our Publications
Some things of grave importance have not been receiving due
attention at our offices of publication. Men in responsible positions
should have worked up plans whereby our books could be circulated,
and not lie on the shelves, falling dead from the press. Our people
are behind the times, and are not following the opening providence of
God.
Many of our publications have been thrown into the market at so
low a figure that the profits have not been sufficient to sustain the
office and keep good a fund for continual use. And those of our people
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who have no special burden for the various branches of the work,
do not become informed in regard to the wants of the cause, and the
capital required to keep the business moving. They do not understand
the liability to losses, and the expense every day occurring to such
institutions. They seem to think that everything moves off without
much care or outlay of means, and therefore they urge the necessity
of the lowest figures on our publications, thus leaving scarcely any
margin. And after the prices have been reduced to almost ruinous
figures, they manifest but a feeble interest in increasing the sales of
the very books on which they have asked such low prices. The object
gained, their burden ceases, when they ought to have an earnest interest
and a real care to press the sale of the publications, thereby sowing the
seeds of truth, and bringing means into the offices to invest in other
publications.
There has been a very great neglect of duty on the part of ministers
in not interesting the churches in the localities where they labor, in
regard to this matter. When once the prices of books are reduced,
it is very difficult to get them again upon a paying basis, as men of