Use pictures

more frequently.

country where our religion is a novelty, and there is much
prejudice against it, and what will happen? His wares
are so utterly different in appearance from those com-
monly sold there, that the crowd can see from afar off
that they are Christian books, and every man who stops
even to look them over, is a marked man among his
fellows. This does not prove that it is wise to ignore
neatness and beauty as elements of success, but it does
show that we need to study well all the conditions of
the problem we desire to solve. It does teach how well
the Master knew how hard it was to contend against the
prejudices of our nature, when he urged the tempering
of the meekness of the dove with the wisdom of the
serpent.

But more and more, as the strangeness of our literature
wears off, we shall find our account in studying ways of
making it more attractive in appearance; and as fine
paper, and wide margins, and handsome bindings are
forbidden us by their costliness, the principal resource
that is left us is that of pictorial illustration. In fondness
for picture books most of us are but children of a larger
growth. Nor is this taste at all one to be ashamed of, for
it is based upon a profound fact of philosophy-the su-
perior impressive power of the concrete over the abstract.
That which we see, is that which we feel that we know,
understand, trust in. The illustration of our books and
tracts should more and more be made a point, and to that
end there should be some to make a study of the subject,
and find out just what can be done, and at what expense.
When the day comes, and there is no reason in the nature
of the case why it might not come soon, that original
engravings for our books shall be made in this country,
it will probably be found that pictures in outline can be
made at a mere fraction of the expense, which is common
in the case of the heavily shaded engravings, which are
the fashion in England and America; and it is not easy
to say why, for most purposes, the outline is not just as
effective, and, one would think even more so, than the
laboured plate. But probably we shall be dependent for
many a day on copies of engravings, which have been
made for other purposes. These cliches can be made at a
trifling cost, by taking electrotype casts of the original
engravings, and the Home Tract Societies are very liberal
in affording aid of this kind: but if we are to bring the
enormous stores of other publishers into requisition, it is

!

obvious that we must be ready to bear at least the cost of copying. And it is a question, whether it would not be wise to spend a considerable amount of money in this way. For instance, a splendid selection of pictures for tract use might be made from the stock of Messrs. Cassell and Co.; they have offered to supply such at the rate of sixpence per square inch, and perhaps even better terms might be made with other firms.

But the new processes of engraving, which the last few years have introduced, lead us to think that this whole art is yet in its infancy. Already we have seen the large and costly cuts, which have taken the best artists of the London Illustrated News, and Graphic, weeks to engrave, copied in three or four hours from the newspaper itself, and printed in a foreign journal, in a style which no one but the initiated could distinguish from the original. So much power is there in the camera, and the gelatine plate; and that is only one of a multitude of new processes, which are being actively pushed by their inventors. When even the glazed card, and the stiff brush, can so closely simulate the work of the boxwood block, and the steel graver, it is pretty evident, that the work of book illustration will ere long be revolutionized. We must then be on the alert to press all these changes, and improvements, and new processes into the service of our Master.

system.

But further, when our tracts and books are ready, how are we to push their sale? Just here at present seems to be the lamest part of our work. We could print more cheaply if we could print larger editions, and especially if we could afford to stereotype our publications; but how are these larger sales to be secured? Our chief de- Disadvantage pendence heretofore in Northern India has been upon of colporteur colportage, and we can by no means afford to give up that agency, till some better one has been found to take its place. It has this great disadvantage, that it is so costly as compared with the amount of truth put into circulation, that it is difficult to find the means to extend it, so as to cover the whole land. Thousands would buy and read our books where hundreds now do, if they were brought to their notice. So long as colporteurs are employed by Societies, they must insist on reports and accounts; and this will make the work costly, and therefore limited. The pay is not too large, for, even as it is, the service is not much desired. Christian men of good character, of

Seek to utilise other agencies

private Christians,

Hindus and

sufficient energy to be good salesmen, and of sufficient education to keep the required accounts and daily journals, cannot be had without paying a pretty good salary, and of such salary their sales are usually but a small percentage.

A good deal might be done by private effort through a for selling; very inferior sort of men. Private employers could dispense with accounts and reports for the most part, and thus men of much less education could be employed. By making a man's salary to consist in great part of the books given him for sale, they could take away to a considerable extent all inducements to cheating and laziness; so that very little superintendence would be required. Mahomedans. Where Christians were not available, even Hindus and Mahomedans might be made useful in this way. There is many a private Christian, who with the help of the large discounts, which most Tract and Bible Societies give to those who buy in large quantities, could carry on a most valuable work, and trouble no one about it, and spend perhaps no more than 4 or 5 rupees a month. This plan is not mere theory, but has been tried with encouraging results.

Work through itinerant sellers.

agents.

A still better plan is, to encourage the sale of books and tracts by those, who for other purposes travel much among the people. One gentleman reached many persons otherwise inaccessible, by keeping the tray of a wandering sweetmeat seller supplied with a bundle of tracts; finding that the man was glad to add a little by their sale to his scanty livelihood. Much might be done with a little management and encouragement, and a Utilise more trifling expenditure of money, by Missionaries actively fully Mission enlisting their catechists and Scripture Readers in this work. These men have several advantages for it. They are men of a respectable position in the community, and of some education. Their work already requires them daily to go abroad among the people. They already receive a comfortable support, so that what they can gain in this way is clear profit. They have a great regard for these books and tracts, because they have seen great good accomplished by them: some of them have themselves by this means been brought to the knowledge of the truth. But in order to help them to enlist heartily in selling, we must do two things-help them to surmount the idea that book-selling is beneath the dignity of their calling, and do something to remove that natural inertia

which is so apt to assail the sons of Adam, when they are
in any way called upon to add to their toils.
But if we

can allow them to retain half the price of all that they
sell, we shall be doing much to remove both these diffi-
culties; in fact this course has, in more than one in-
stance, changed this unpopular service into a very po-
pular one.

If, however, we can only create a genuine enthusiasm on this subject of the circulation of Divine truth, other plans to the same end will easily suggest themselves. The will finds the way, the world over. Let us first settle it well with ourselves, that the object is one of vital importance, one worth labouring and planning for, one worth praying over, and spending money for, and a great impetus to it could soon be given. Think, for instance, what a point would be gained, if we could induce many of those keepers of vernacular bookshops, to be found in most cities, and bazars, and melas, to keep our publications on sale. Perhaps we could hardly expect this, in the case of our more dogmatic and controversial tracts, but those might easily be selected for such a purpose, which are mild in statement, unaggressive, and attractive, such as stories, illustrated books, and the like, and when prejudice was once disarmed, the love of gain might be trusted to do the rest. As the supposition is, that such men are taking our books solely because they hope to make something by the sale of them, it is evident that exceptionally heavy discounts must be allowed them, and that they ought not to be vexed by any interference with the rates at which they choose to sell them. They may fear at first that the appearance of Christian books in their stalls, will damage them in the estimation of their countrymen, and injure their sales; but seeing that, in every other way, men will help Christian work for money-will teach the Bible in Mission schools, will write Christian hymns, will help to translate sharp attacks on their ancestral faith, it would probably be found possible to enlist many of them to this extent in our service, just as for salary's sake they will serve an alien Government. Our books are better printed, more easily read, and, prejudice apart, more attractive in appearance than their own, and they are often cheaper, and if a man found it was worth his while pecuniarily, he might be willing to bear a few frowns for the sake of selling them. These considerations devolve on the whole Missionary

Seek to develop enthusiasm

on the

subject.

body a most important duty, that of seeing this work properly supported. They must obtain the station subscriptions, which are its life-blood, and they must see to it that, when the tracts are printed, their sale is properly pushed. Is it not a humiliating fact, that while each of the great divisions of India has its Tract Society, each of these can only obtain from all the Christian people of this land about the salary of one Missionary yearly to work such an agency as this! Is this working the Press, or playing with it?

But, in some way or other, this truth must be circulated. It is the truth of God. It hath the promise of the life to come. It is the light which shall enlighten the nations; and blessed are they who are allowed of God to be its lamp-bearers. Great responsibilities are thrown upon us, and if we would deserve well of our generation, we must bear them aright. There is much encouragement to those who are giving time, and effort, and thought to this work. How often has it happened, that a man finds in some little unpretending book or tract, the water of life his soul has long been thirsting for, and finding gains a Saviour. And by what arithmetic shall we estimate the value of the help that has thus been afforded him? Let it be enough for us that He can estimate it, whose service is our delight, and whose smile is our crown.

THE REV. C. BENNETT, A. B. M., Rangoon, said:-As I look at the programme of this Decennial Missionary Conference, I see that the Committee have built a pyramid, with the Mission Press as a base, and like the Temple built in Jerusalem, the stone that was neglected found its proper place at the top; so here we have the preaching of the Gospel at the head of our deliberations -and from that down to the base, we find Sunday Schools, Education, Woman's Work, Native Work, and the Press as a Missionary agency aiding all of the above in the evangelization of a heathen Power of the world. There was wisdom in this procedure. The Press is a mighty power for good, or for evil. Its true value has rarely, if ever, been properly estimated as a Missionary agency. The theme given me, is Tract distribution, which includes the Scriptures in parts, as well as the preparation and printing-and tract eirculation also includes the distributers.

press.

Fifty years

ago.

When we arrived in Calcutta on our way to Burmah, 53 years ago last October, there were then Carey at Serampore, Judson in Burmah, Milne at Malacca, and Morrison at Macao. These with a few others, in Madras, Bombay, &c, were all that then were in all India, Burmah, Siam, China and Japan, that were tract dis