ADVENTIST COLPORTEUR HERITAGE

In its infancy, Adventist colporteurs around the world competed with other colporteurs from various Christian publishing houses.  Only the Adventist colporteur remains, a testament to God's leading.

PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE OF CANVASSING 
[C. Eldridge, 1889 GC Session, Battle Creek, MI]

"When we look upon the canvassing work in its present flourishing condition, and contemplate its gradual rise until it has assumed such magnificent proportions that it commands the admiration of our own people, and favorable comment from other publishers, we are apt to accord too much credit to those who are closely connected with it at the present time, without giving due thought and credit to the pioneers of this branch of the work.
Years ago, George A. King engaged in the canvassing work.  At that time we had no books especially adapted to the purpose; yet he believed that books could be sold by solicitation, and had courage to carry out his convictions.  The commission he received did not provide him with the necessities of life; and when his clothing wore out, and he could no longer make a presentable appearance, he left his book business to enter the harvest field, where he might earn money enough to enable him to again resume his work. Brother King suggested that the Daniel & Revelation be bound together and sold by subscription,bringing more people into the truth than any other subscription book.
The Great Controversy was brought out and the Judgement alone will reveal the good that this book has accomplished.  Others became interested and our leading laborers took it up and by voice and pen proclaimed the practicability of selling books to the world by subscription, and making it self- supporting missionary work.  Elders Butler, Haskell, White and others have aided in the good work.
Book sales were largely increased, and reached its maximum in the year 1884, and then it began to fall off. What was the matter? Flattered by the success attending a few agents in an entirely new field, the early canvassers did not foresee the confusion which must necessarily follow when their numbers increased and the territory was burned over, without any record of what had been or was being occupied.  The canvasser could not receive the guarantee of protection, or feel assured that the field assigned had not been worked or burned over by some other agent. 
Wherever a State Agent has employed to give his whole time to this branch of the work, success has attended his efforts, and we no longer hear the remark, "Our State is too poor to employ a State Agent."  The zeal manifested in the different Conferences to procure the services of a State Agent, plainly indicates that they are too poor not to employ one.
Publications have been sold during the past year, through the efforts of the sacrificing, and not wholly appreciated canvasser.  This vast amount of money comes from people outside of our ranks, which not only supports the laborers directly engaged in the work, but leaves a large margin to aid in other branches, thus solving the vexed question of capital and labor - the canvasser furnishing the labor, and those purchasing the books the capital, giving perfect satisfaction to all concerned.  We have undertaken a great work, actually accomplishing that which has never been accomplished by any other denomination on the face of the earth - the selling of our denominational literature to representatives of every denomination within the limits of our labors.  A work of such vast importance demands most careful study.  In laying plans for the future, we must take into consideration what must be for the best interest of the general cause.  We should watch carefully that we do not become stereotyped in our ways, and fail to keep abreast with the times.  We must seek for original ideas, encourage contributions from others, and be ever on the alert for improvement.  It is not necessary for me to tell you what the work will be in the future.  A careful examination of the present in comparison with the past will give you some idea of what we may expect.