The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-12

szgznanznzzzHzszzazrnzzz evinced a lively interest in the location of
 the depository and raised a fund to pay
 tie rent of the storeroom for the first year.
 We opened the depository in october, l50G, with complete stock, duplicating
 in variety, but not in quantity, the stock carried at Richmond. Our investment In the branch on March 31, 19O7 was as fol- lows: Stock of books, S9984 32 Accounts, $l79S.91. Fixtures SlS11.60. This invest ment will probably have to be increased as we are called upon to extend larger line of credit to our patrons in the south
 west. The citizens of Texarkana have given the Branch a generous patronage and many of our pastors and Sabbath
 schools are giving the new enterprise a
 cordial support.
 High Glass Weekly.
 We are pleased to report that arrange
 ments have been perfected with the board
 of publication of the United Presbyterian
 church of Pittsburg, Pa, by which we shall be able to furnish the Sabbath
 schools and families of our such a high
 class Illustrated eight-page weekly paper
 at 50 cents per year.
 We expect to issue the first number of
 the new paper on July 1, 19O7 under the
 name Onward" Rev. D. K. Walthall, Ph.D., one of the most scholarly of our young ministers. has been added to our editoriol staff and will have immediate
 charge of the new paper. We assume
 large financial risk in attempting to tur-
 nish such paper at 50 cents per year, as
 it will doubtless reduce the circulation
 of the "Children's Friend" our four-page
 paper, and 1t will require a paid subscrip-
 ton list of 25,000 subscribers to put On ward" on a safe financial basis. Talented
 writers, skilled artists and expert printers will contribute their best efforts to make Onward one of the best papers of it's class.
 The last assembly granted our commit tee further time to investigate the ques- l ton of the preparation of a new hymn book for use in Sabbath schools, prayer
 meetings, eyangehstic services and in the home, and we report that a book has been
 prepared which approaches the ideal for 1 the combined purposes named The total number of pages printed, in | cluding our periodicals, exceeded eighty
 five million, an increase over last year of about ten million pages.
 The high character of our Sabbath school periodicals bear testimony of the l efficiency and faithful effort of our edi- l torial stan and it is only necessary to l say that the commentators of their wofis l nave Detn or an unSudlly oiutf 1 during the rast year.
 We have pleasure in announcing two 1 new additions to the editorial staff this
 year. Rev. w. M. McPheeters, D. D., l ILL. D., of Columbia Theological semi. l nary, who is furnishing the critical notes
 on the lessons in the Old Testament for
 1907, and Rev. D. K. Wathall, Ph. D., of
 Richmond, who/ will have the editorial 1 direction of our new paper Onward, ' | 1 1 1907
 l We are glad to report an increase in the 1 number of periodicals printed and the
 loyal support given us by about 9S per
 cent of our Sabbath schools is very grat- i flying to our committee
 | The total number of copies printed was 1 77Sl, ,204 and the increase in single copies 1 over last year was 15S, 91O. Our circula-
 ton has now reached the point where the l increase will be measured by the natural | growth and development of the Sabbath l school work of the church. The Sabbath 1 school enrolment should always equal If not exceed the church membership, and | if we are to believe the assembly reports
 we are about 60, GOO short of this standard 1 If accurate reports could be had from | all our schools this showing would be | greatly improved. but the fact remains | that there "remaineth much land to be | possessed"
 Statement of Business Department. l In our sales department we are pleased
 to report a substantial gain over previous year. We increased the volume of busi- | ness at Richmond despite the fact that | the patronage of four southwestern states
 was turned over to the new depository. The sales for the year ending March 3l, | 1907, were as follows:
 | Sales in book department Qncluding de- 1 pository), S62 036 97; sales in periodical de- partment dncl0ing depository, S66'96o. .96. | Total sales for the year, SIPS OO1 .S3 h. crease over sales of previous year, s12,- | 047.07.
 l As shown in the statement explaining | our benevolent work, we donated 2,66O | of profits earned this year to supplement | the offerings made by the churches and l Sabbath schools which were totally .n- | adequate to meet the large demands made | upon us for help.
 Benevolent Work. | Under this head we report two lines of work which are seemingly distinct. but 1 in reality they are so closely related that | their direction by one agency of the as- | sembly is entirely natural and logical. We | publish and distribute annually by means | of donations, millions of pages of re- | ligious literature in the form of books. | Bibles, tracts, leaflets, and Sabbath school periodicals. The ultimate outcome of the | distribution of futnese silent messages or vital truth etsfhity alone will reveal During the past year we have used | twelve field workers, seven giving their entire time and five a portion of the year l to the work. That they have rendered