future usage of the books. She was willing to accept more books. Mr. Congdon estimates that the 3,000 books are checked out of public libraries on the average of once a month. That’s a light schedule for some preachers, but good for these specialized evangelists. Preaching Print is not limited to the placing of evangelical books in public libraries. It also places evan gelical articles and stories in secu lar magazines ánd local newspapers. “A Crucified Man Risen and Seen” took the form of a paid news story around Easter time one year. Here are some excerpts from it: “Jerusalem, April 30, Year 33. At least 15 persons reported that they saw Jesus of Nazareth on Sunday, April 22. He'1died on Friday, April 20, after six hours of crucifixion. A Roman soldier, after taking note
Were they willing to contact the libraries in their towns? Would they check to see if the librarian would accept, as a gift, evangelical books? If the answers were yes, would the pastors publicize the books? Would they also urge the people in their churches and communities to read them? If so, Preaching Print would supply the books with no cost to the pastors. More than 300 pastors have re sponded enthusiastically during the past ten years. A missionary in Alaska wrote that the only public library in his area was in the U.S. Penitentiary. If Preaching Print would send some books, he guaran teed they would have a “captive” au dience. One of the books sent was Unshackled. Other pastors did not have a ready-made audience. They had to publicize the books. Bruce Collins, a young pastor in the upper Middle West, went about it this way: He received the list of available books in the mail on a Tuesday morning. He and the l i b r a r i a n checked the list together. They chose Billy Graham’s Peace with God and Foxe’s Book of Martyrs for adults and two adventure stories for children. The request fpr the books left in the afternoon mail. By the time the books arrived, Mr. Collins had contacted the local news paper for a possible picture and story. He and a press photographer met with the librarian at her desk where Mr. Collins presented the books. The photographer took a few pictures, wrote down some brief notes and then left. The story was in the next paper. It was brief, just a picture and a cap tion. But it stated that Bruce Col lins, pastor of the First Baptist Church, had donated four new books to the library. The books were named. That was all. But Mr. Collins did not stop there. When the books were acces sioned and ready to be checked out, he placed announcements in the church’s Sunday bulletins. He also urged people whom he met in his vis itation to read the books. A few months later he received a survey sheet from Preaching Print. He checked at the library to see how often the books had been taken out. He asked the librarian for her comments on the present and
lives too.” Dr. Congdon has found that the greatest reader response is letters to the editor in the local newspapers. These letters are tied in with local issues and include the Gospel mes sage, clearly and simply. The overwhelming r e s pon s e to Preaching Print led Dr. Congdon to incorporate it into three boards. First is the board of trustees, a local committee with up to nine membets that shares the responsi bility of the work. Books are approved by a commit tee of three, comprised of Dr. Ver non McGee of Los Angeles, Califor nia, Dr. Clarence E. Mason, Jr., of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Dr. John F. Walvoord, of Dallas, Texas. It is important that pastors can know that Preaching Print is a reputable, evangelical organization. The board of reference is made up of men who are well-known and who have consented to give their support to the organization. These men are Dr. Roy L. Aldrich, Detroit, Michigan; Dr. David Otis Fuller, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Dr. Harry J. Hager, Chicago, Illinois; Dr. Albert G. Johnson, Portland, Ore.; Dr. John Mitchell, Portland, Oregon; Dr. Ernest G. Malyon, Port land, Oregon; Dr. Bob Pierce, Arca dia, Ca l i f o r n i a ; Dr. Wilbur M. Smith, Pasadena, California and Dr. Walter L. Wilson, Kansas City, Mo. Preaching Print works with an annual budget of about $1,000. Dr. Congdon has sent out as many as 90 books a month. Preaching Print is not supported by an organization, but by individuals who want to give. The books are bought at a discount, and all are given free. Three thousand preachers, each with its own unique message, but the main theme is Jesus Christ and Him crucified! Some tell of missions, the Christian life, the Christian’s hopes; and some are anti-communistic, ex positionary, doctrinal and historical. Their purpose is to tell the un saved of Christ and to bulwark the Christian in his witness. But 3,000 isn’t very many. There should be many more. Pastors who would like to co-oper ate in this ministry and place evan gelical books in their local public library without cost to themselves, should contact Preaching Print, Inc., 8435 N.E. Glisan Street, Portland, Oregon 97220.
Dr. Congdon, president of Preaching Print that he was dead, drove a spear deep into the side of the body. The first time he was seen was early on Sun day morning . . . “Thomas refused to believe. He said, ‘I will not believe unless I see the nail-prints in his hands and thrust my hand into his side.’ “Yesterday, Sunday, April 29, Thomas met with the other ten of Jesus’ disciples. Sudden ly Jesus stood in the midst. At once Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Behold my hands; put your finger into my side. Be not faithless, but believing.’ “Those who have seen Him say that He will guide their future lives. This is their future. He came to be our Saviour. After accepting salva tion, He will be the Lord of our
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