264
The Publishing Ministry
Preach With Tongue and Hoe—If you go out as a canvasser and
meet a man toiling in the field, join him in labor. Take the hoe, or
whatever instrument he may be using, and work by his side while you
are talking with him. Tell him that you know he is busy and that you
have no desire to hinder him. Let me assure you that the sermon which
you preach with the hoe will be in harmony with the sermon which
you preach with your tongue, and the two together have a power which
words alone could never have. Work in humility, and the Lord will
work with you.—
Manuscript 126, 1902
.
Show Points of Truth, Not Only Illustrations—The canvassers
are not obtaining that healthful experience in their work which they
should have. In their handling of the books they are being educated
to present before the public the beautiful cover and many illustrations
rather than the points of truth contained in the books. In doing this
they are patterning after the world, and they fail to make God their
dependence and trust. “What is the chaff to the wheat?” God asks
(
Jeremiah 23:28
).—
Manuscript 131, 1899
.
[304]
Emphasize Content Rather Than Covers—It is not the gilded
leaves of a book, not the expensive covers, which testify to its value. It
is the truth contained in it. This will make an impression on mind and
heart. If the expensive covers, gilt-edged leaves, and multitudinous
illustrations are dispensed with, the canvassers may not enjoy it. But
if they had never had such works to handle, the temptation to drop
books of high value and take up books which have a better outside
appearance, but which are not of so much importance, would not be
so great.
There is a large amount of literature to go to the world, and men
reason that the more abundant the illustrations, the better and easier
the sale of the book. But this reasoning is not always sound. Take The
Desire of Ages, for example. If there had not been more than one third
of the illustrations in it that there now are, the canvassers would have
found in nine cases out of ten that it would have had just as ready a
sale as it will have now.
And suppose that there were but a quarter the number of illustra-
tions. The canvassers would have to do more earnest service. They
would have to make more painstaking effort to become acquainted
with the subjects upon which the book treats. And the saving of the
money invested in illustrations would enable the publishers to give bet-