Angus T. Wright, the newly arrived mission president of the New Zealand Mission, 1923, instituted some changes in the practice of tracting when he wrote his introductory letter to his missionaries. (I laughed at the reference to “the usual bugaboo.”)

I suggest and really wish you to change from your past and indiscriminate method of simply leaving tracts and in most cases never returning to learn the results, to what I believe will prove a more effective system. I suggest and want you to try this method. – Having gained attention at the door of a home proceed about as follows: ‘Good day, sir, or madam, I have a small pamphlet here of value to you and me, which I desire to leave with you for your perusal. I will call for it in one week, at which time I shall be pleased to have your opinion of its contents. Good day.’

Unless they detain you I would suggest that you leave them at this time. You have secured their attention and aroused their curiosity, and they will, almost without fail, read your tract. But now comes the important part, and that is to keep your word and return for your tract as promised, otherwise the whole scheme fails.

By the perusal of your tract they have learned who you are in a gentle way, without having been shocked by the usual bugaboo as they know us, and will have some questions to ask, and you will at least be there to answer them, and your tracting will not have been in vain, as I fear has too often been the case under the old one-call system of tracting.