I follow the plan of using a circulating library, comprising about two dozen twenty-five-cent books on various points of present truth. In securing my present working library, the conference supplied twelve books, and I bought the others. These books last one to two years. I have at least two books on the second coming of Christ, two each on the state of the dead, the Sabbath, the judgment, the sanctuary, etc., and several copies of "Steps to Christ." Everyone with whom I read gets this book.
Usually I lend only one book at a time, keeping a record of the book, the person to whom it is lent, and the date. In that way I know exactly what each of my readers has had. Each reader may keep a book until she finishes it; then I give her another. When she has completed one, I ask how she liked it, and say, "I have another little book for you today." Sometimes she asks, "What book am I going to have next?" "Do you have one on this subject we are studying?" I find that people take a great interest in this plan of lending books, and I have lost very few.
I rarely lend our larger books. Aside from their cost and the question of damage, my chief reason is that the larger books will rarely be read through. Then, too, I prefer the small books because they are confined to a single subject, and thus I can better supervise the reading done. I would rather my readers would not get some things before they have had preliminary studies, and I know of no better way to have them read what I wish than to follow the plan of lending them the small books. However, when a person insists on reading widely, I give him a list of our publications, that he may order what he wishes.
