A Statement by the Two Laymen & Foreward to Volume 12

(About this series)

A STATEMENT BY THE TWO LAYMEN

Rev. A. C. Dixon, D. D., in the fall of 1909, while pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago, organized the Testimony Publishing Company. He also edited the first five volumes of “THE FUNDAMENTALS,” but upon being called to London early in the summer of 1911 to become pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, founded by the late Charles H. Spurgeon, he found it necessary to give up the editorial work on the books.

The next five books were taken in hand by the late Louis Meyer, a Christian Jew, who worked so strenuously in the securing and editing of matter for “THE FUNDAMENTALS” that his health failed. He departed to be with Christ July 11, 1913, in Monrovia, California. His widow and children are now residing in Pasadena, California.

Rev. R. A. Torrey, D. D., Dean of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, edited Volumes XI and XII, two articles, however, in Volume XI having been approved by Dr. Meyer and passed on to Dr. Torrey when he took up the work.

The following are the names of the original Committee to whom was committed full supervision of the movement: Rev. A. C. Dixon, D. D., Rev. R. A. Torrey, D. D., Rev. Louis Meyer, D. D. (deceased 1913), Mr. Henry P. Crowell, Mr. Thomas S. Smith, Mr. D. W. Potter, Rev. Elmore Harris, D. D. (deceased 1911).

The following names were added later to the foregoing: Prof. Joseph Kyle, D. D., LL. D., Prof. Charles R. Erdman, D. D., Mr. Delavan L. Pierson, Rev. L. W. Munhall, D. D., Rev. T. C. Horton, Rev. H. C. Mabie, D. D., Rev. John Balcorn Shaw, D. D.

To these men for their always efficient and painstaking service, rendered practically without any material remuneration whatever, are due the heartfelt thanks, not only of the Two Laymen, but of the thousands who have received the books. Every member of the Committee without exception has been faithful to his trust.

Mr. Giles Kellogg has been the Los Angeles trustee of the Testimony funds, and Mr. J. S. McGlashan the Chicago trustee. The Walton and Spencer Company of Chicago have been the printers. The faithful services rendered by all of these thoroughly merit this word of appreciation.

Mr. Thomas E. Stephens, editor of the “Moody Church Herald,” has been the Business Manager from the beginning, and the Moody Church and Moody Bible Institute have contributed in many ways to the success of the work.

The original plan was for twelve volumes to be issued one every two or three months, but owing to the difficulty of realizing on securities that had been put up for this work, the intervals between the later volumes have been greatly prolonged, but with the present volume the original plan is complete.

It may be of interest to state that over 2,500,000 copies of the twelve volumes have been published and circulated, and that the call for back volumes has been so insistent as to make necessary the reprinting of over a quarter of a million additional copies of the earlier issues, thus bringing the total output up to nearly 3,000,000 copies.

Approximately one-third of these 3,000,000 copies have gone to countries outside of the United States. About one- half of the latter have been sent to various parts of Great Britain, and the rest to other foreign countries. The great majority of Protestant missionary workers of the world have received them. The present mailing list comprises about 100,000 addresses of Christian workers, all of whom have asked for “THE FUNDAMENTALS.”

Since the movement began, some 200,000 letters have been received, including many requests for the continuance of this testimony in some form. In compliance with these requests it is planned to undertake its continuance through “The King’s Business,” which is published by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, and of which Dr. Torrey will be the editor-in-chief. Dr. Torrey was for many years the Superintendent of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, until he left that work to undertake his world-wide work as an evangelist. He is now Dean of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles.

The Testimony Publishing Company, from the very inception of its work of publishing “THE FUNDAMENTALS,” has been absolutely free from commercialism, and the continuance of this testimony through “The King’s Business” is also to be kept absolutely free from commercialism. Any profits arising from subscriptions to the magazine are to be used for free Scripture and tract distribution and missionary work.

It is purposed for “The King’s Business” not merely to give the best articles that can be secured along the line of testimony of the twelve volumes of “THE FUNDAMENTALS,” but also to make helps on the International Sunday School lessons a special feature of the magazine. We assume that in doing this a need will be supplied which will greatly increase the effectiveness of Sunday School teaching. In conclusion we would state that arrangements have been made to send the April number of “The King’s Business” to all the readers of “THE FUNDAMENTALS.”

PUBLISHERS’ NOTICE

Particular attention is hereby called to the following points:

All English-speaking Protestant pastors, evangelists, missionaries, theological professors, theological students, Y. M. C. A. secretaries, Y. W. C. A. secretaries, Sunday School superintendents, religious lay workers, and editors of religious publications throughout the earth, who so desire, are entitled to a free copy of each volume of “THE FUNDAMENTALS.” Any person, belonging to one of these classes, who has not received the earlier volumes, may obtain such as may not be out of print upon application to the undersigned. State plainly which volumes are wanted, and state also the line of Christian work engaged in and the denominational affiliation. After an order is sent in, allow at least two weeks (and more if from a distance) for filling it.

Changes of address should be promptly reported. Write plainly both the old and the new addresses in full.

In case any person receives two or more copies of any one volume, kindly notify us. These books are too valuable and the demand for them too great to permit waste through duplication. However, where extra copies have been received, they need not be returned, but may be loaned or otherwise placed in circulation.

To meet the demand on the part of the laity each volume is being furnished postpaid at a cost of fifteen cents per copy, eight copies for one dollar, or one hundred copies for ten dollars. (In Great Britain, 8d; 4s 2d; and £2 1s 1d, respectively.)

Do not send currency or personal checks. Remit by post office money order, or by bank draft on Chicago, New York, or London, making the same payable to the Testimony Publishing Company.

Foreign correspondents should be careful to prepay card and letter postage in full. Otherwise we are compelled to pay double the amount of the deficiency.

Pay no attention to the post card request in the “Foreword” of Volume IX. The blank card referred to therein no longer accompanies that volume.

In conclusion, we would emphasize once more the great importance of writing plainly and briefly, and always giving full address—street (or rural route) number, post office, state, and (if outside of the United States) country.

Much time and delay will be saved by carefully reading and complying with the foregoing directions.

TESTIMONY PUBLISHING COMPANY, 808 North La Salle Street Chicago, Ill, U. S. A.

After May 1, 1915, the address of the Testimony Publishing Company will be 536-558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles, California.

FOREWORD TO VOLUME XII

It was the original plan of the Two Laymen who gave the money for the work that there should be twelve volumes of “THE FUNDAMENTALS.” The present volume, therefore, completes the plan as originally mapped out.

Such a wide desire has been manifested that this testimony . be continued in some way after the issue of the present volume that the Two Laymen, yielding to these pleas, have decided upon a plan for the continuance of the testimony, which they themselves have stated on the preceding pages of the present book.

We have been greatly cheered by the letters that have poured in upon us from ministers, missionaries, editors, Sunday School Superintendents and others since the publication of Volume XI. Of course, there has been some criticism, but in very few instances has this criticism been of an unkindly character.

The present volume will be sent to about one hundred thousand English-speaking Protestant pastors, evangelists, missionaries, theological professors, theological students, Y. M. C. A. secretaries, Y. W. C. A. secretaries, Sunday School superintendents, religious editors and lay workers throughout the earth. May we ask the prayers of every reader that it may be as abundantly blessed as its predecessors have been unto the strengthening of the faith of Christians, unto the defence of the truth against the various forms of error so prevalent at the present day, and, above all, in stirring up Christians everywhere to more active effort and more earnest prayer for the conversion of a great number of the unsaved.

By a vote of the Committee having the publication in charge, it was decided that this closing volume should be largely devoted to evangelism at home and abroad. Every one invited to write on some phase of this work has accepted our invitation with the exception of Dr. Andrew Murray. He seemed to be the logical person to write the article on “The Place of Prayer in Evangelism.” He wrote us expressing his earnest desire to do this work, but declining to do it because of his increasing age and the multiplicity of duties that were pressing upon him.

There is a large circle of prayer of men and women in all parts of the earth who know God, who are upholding before Him the work of “THE FUNDAMENTALS.” We earnestly request other men and women who believe in prayer and who know how to pray to join this circle of prayer, that in answer to believing and united prayer the truth may have new power and that a world-wide revival of religion may result.

All editorial correspondence in connection with “The Fundamentals” should be addressed to the Executive Secretary of The Fundamentals, 1945 La France Avenue, South Pasadena, California. As this is the closing volume of the series, of course no other manuscripts should be submitted by anybody. If any one has submitted a manuscript which has not been returned, we shall be glad to return it, if stamps are sent for that purpose and if it is in our hands.

All business correspondence should be addressed to The Testimony Publishing Company, 8o8 North La Salle Street, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A. (After May 1, 1915, to 536-558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles, Calif.)