Colporteur Ministry

Foreword

Responding to a divine commission, Seventh-day Adventists have entered enthusiastically upon the work of heralding through the printed page the truths of the Sabbath and the second advent. In the more than a century of our evangelistic activity the publishing work has been a powerful agency for the spreading of the third angel's message the world around. CM v.1

Through the years, guidance in publishing and circulating our literature has been given through the pen of Ellen G. White. In these counsels the selling of our truth-filled books and papers is elevated to a work comparable to that of the gospel ministry. The seller of books is seen as a colporteur evangelist. CM v.2

In 1902 a number of statements from the pen of Mrs. White relating to our colporteur ministry were assembled and published in Manual for Canvassers. Subsequent Ellen G. White counsels on our literature ministry led to an enlargement of this work, and in 1920 the much loved Colporteur Evangelist appeared. This little work has been published in many languages and has been widely circulated. CM v.3

The desire to eliminate repetition of subject matter, to place the counsels in a well-organized topical arrangement, and to include a few additional choice statements from the Ellen G. White books, periodical articles, and manuscript files has led to this present compilation, which has been prepared in harmony with the provision established by Mrs. White for the posthumous publication of her writings. Reference is given for each quotation, and the year of writing or of first publication is noted. CM v.4

Sideheads, supplied by the compilers, serve as an aid to the reader in finding desired statements. Bold-faced type is used to introduce each excerpt, while italics are used for a heading within the statement itself. Except for a few statements, repetitious in character, the full content of Colporteur Evangelist is included in this new volume. All references are to original sources and not to Colporteur Evangelist, as it, too, was compiled after Mrs. White's death. CM v.5

The reader will frequently find throughout the book such terms as “canvassers,” “Tract and Missionary Society,” and “canvassing agents.” These were the terms used in the times of Ellen G. White, and they will be readily understood by the reader. CM vi.1

That the counsels concerning literature evangelism, rearranged in this enlarged form, may guide and inspire colporteur evangelists to a richer and more effective ministry for the master, is the sincere wish of the Publishers and of— CM vi.2

The Trustees of the

Ellen G. White Publications.