Waiapu Church Gazette. Friday, August 1st, 1924. BOOK PEDLARS.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XV, Issue 2, 1 August 1924, Page 426

Waiapu Church Gazette. Friday, August Ist, 1924. BOOK PEDLARS.

Before warning our readers against a certain class of book pedlar, we wish to commend most heartily to the hospitality of Church people our loved and revered old friend, the Rev. F. H. Spencer, whose praise was long m the churches as Agent for the British and Foreign Bible Society. Fred Spencer, as we love to call him, though m the evening of life is still full of energy and devotion to his Master. He is travelling about the North Island, m his motor van selling books m town and m the backblocks, healthy good books, especially books for children and books about Missions. Our readers, it hardly needs saying, can safely buy from him if he happens their way and we hope he will receive a hearty welcome whereever he calls. But there is another class of book pedlar, perhaps earnest enough m his work, but full of guile m- pressing his wares, that are pernicious poison. Most of these -are of the Seventh Day Adventist persuasion, but they take care not to disclose the fact and pretend that the books they selL- are harmless beautiful books, undenominational and all the rest of it. One such book was- shown to us the other day. -It has an innocent title, '"Bible Readings," but on- examination proves to be an exposition of -Seventh Day Adventist doctrine, a virulent attack on all Christians who observe the Lord's Day and a general condemnation of Catholic and Orthodox teaching. It is beautifully printed with excellent illustrations on good paper, solidly bound and costs 255. No doubt an excellent profit accrues from its sale to, be -used to support further Adventist propaganda. It is astonish-

ing how many people m one small country district have bought.-. this book and are perfectly innocent of the fact that they have admitted to their bookshelves,'for their children to read, a book which, by misquotations and clever argument, may easily persuade those who are not conversant with the truth that the whole Christian Church, including their pwn branch of it, is m grievous error and that the Seventh Day, heretics are the sole teachers of the true Gospel. Seventh Day Adventist books are mostly published by ' * The Signs Publishing Company," and may be recognised by the imprint. : Some of these book, pedlars;; improve the occasion by asking : for money towards the support of "Misr sions." Few people will refuse :a direct personal appeal couched as they couch it. Yet how many know that m the Mission field, Anglicans, Romans, Presbyterians and Methodists find the Adventists a never-ending source of mischief. These people prey on other Christian Missions. As soon as a missionary has by years of hard work got; together a successful mission school and established a centre of Christian teaching m a village, the Adventist comes along and tries to steal those who have become Christians, undermining the work that has been done. Adventist missions are progressing by leaps. and bounds as, m proportion to the numbers of the sect, their income is enormous. And yet Anglicans and Presbyterians who . seldom support their own missions, because they are not personally canvassed, will support those whose deliberate object is to undermine the work of their' own Church. As if, during the Great War, an ; English firm were to make presents of ammunition to Germany ! Beware of the book pedlar, especially. if he peddles innocent looking religious books ; some of them are utterly unscrupulous m trying to deceive prospective buyers into thinking their books orthodox. But it is not enough to warn against the buying of such books; we feel that country people particularly would welcome a Church van with books for sale, especially religious books for the home teaching of children. "Fred: Spencer "cannot be everywhere and his visits are necesr sarily infrequent, he himself is strongly urging the Diocesan authorities to organise a system of colportage m each diocese. He is willing to obliterate himself m favor of any properly organised scheme, or to take •part m it. In any case he cannot live for ever and, as one who has now had a good deal of experience, he is convinced -that there is a great, need m the backblocks and even m the smaller towns for such work; to be done as he is doing* Isn't it time we woke up and took advantage' of :

the undoubted demand for Christian literature by supplying the best ?Here is an excellent opportunity for spreading a knowledge of Christ and His Gospel and keeping our backblocks churchmen and their childr en m touch with the Church.