Our Work: The Use of Missionary Eras

their being called to their fields of labor, be sent them; and at the same time they express as the reason for this request that they desire to make up the complete number in the volume in order to have it bound. This clearly indicates that some of our missionary brethren do not understand the purpose for which the Era is sent to them free. First of all the purpose in sending it to them is that they may be able to keep in touch with the spirit of the work of Mutual Improvement going on at home; and second that they may have a magazine which represents the trend of thought among the young people of the Church, to circulate among the people where they are traveling, that it may aid the missionary in his work of dispelling prejudice, and be the means of both advocating and defending the gospel. It was not thought that the Elders receiving these numbers should put them away carefully for binding, but that they would use them freely in loaning them in the neighborhood where they travel. The Elders, on their return home, will find abundance of opportunity to secure the complete volumes of the Era, as in publishing our magazine we have made ample provisions for supplying complete volumes and even separate numbers. So we ask our brethren to take no thought about saving their magazines for binding, but use them as missionaries for the spread of the gospel. Freely ye have received, as freely give; and use our magazine as a herald of the Faith as far as it is possible to do so.