EXTENDED CIRCULATION OF THE PAPER

About this time a new plan was adopted for giving the French paper a wider circulation. The addresses of many French-speaking people in different parts of Europe were obtained, to whom copies of the paper were mailed, according to the plan adopted by the missionary societies in America. A letter accompanied the first paper sent out, informing the reader that it was sent gratuitously, and inviting him to read it with attention. Another letter accompanied the fourth number sent to the same address, inviting the person to subscribe. In this work not only the papers recently published were used, but such numbers of the earlier volumes as had not been sent to regular subscribers. As the result of this kind of effort, many subcriptions were received from those who read the paper with interest. An interesting feature of this work was the extended territory over which these subscribers were scattered. For example, although there was no agency for the paper in France, nor any other means of obtaining subscriptions than through this method of sending the paper to such addresses as could be obtained, there were on the list of paying subscribers to Les Signes, names from more than fifty of the sixty-two departments of that country. In fact, the list of subscribers embraced nearly every country of Europe, and there was abundant evidence that the truths which were taught in this journal made a deep impression upon the minds of many of its readers. From the month of April, 1880, three thousand copies of Les Signes were published each month, instead of two thousand, which had been the regular edition until this date. In addition to the circulation of this number, which were now all mailed except those reserved for binding, two thousand of the old numbers were mailed each month, so that the papers were now sent to five thousand families each month. To the close of this year the expense of the additional thousand copies of the paper, with the postage on the copies mailed to addresses, was met by the brethren in Switzerland.HSFM 34.3

This largely increased distribution of the paper aroused decided opposition on the part of many of the religious journals, which demanded that special articles be written in reply. Although Bro. Andrews was very feeble, he continued each month to prepare articles specially adapted to meet this opposition, and to give the paper increasing interest.HSFM 34.4

The annual Conference for 1880 was held at Tramelan, Nov. 19-21. The brethren were encouraged by what had been accomplished through the increased circulation of the paper, and they seemed disposed to make greater effort for the advancement of the work.HSFM 34.5