Missionary Letters by S. N. H.

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Feb 23, 1882

Missionary Letters.

By S. N. H.

WHAT follows is a copy of a private letter sent from a sister living alone doing missionary work. It breathes the true missionary spirit; we therefore take the liberty to send it for publication. S. N. H.

I feel new courage and strength in the missionary work as the new year comes. I find many interested readers of the Signs; perhaps it will cheer you to know about it, for I know your heart is in the work. After sending Signs and then a postal, one man replies: "VERY DEAR SISTER IN CHRIST: I write a few lines to thank you for your kindness in sending me the SIGNS. I have read with deep interest, and have been strengthened thereby. I have been searching to find what God says in his word, about the Sabbath. It is evident that Christ rose in the morning of the first day of the week, and met with the eleven in the evening of the same day as they met for prayer. Now my heart is fixed to keep every commandment. I want instruction in regard to the Sabbath. I feel that every commandment is binding on God's people. I want light on this one subject. Pray for me that I may find the light so much needed. Now I intend to subscribe for your valuable paper. Shall continue to pass them to those that will be glad to read them, of whom there is a goodly number in this place. And now my prayer is that God will bless you in your labor of love. Yours in the bonds of Christian love."

I sent him Sabbath and Sunday tracts, and wrote him a long letter. He writes again and says: "Your kind letter came, and I just thank you for those tracts you so kindly sent me; it is the true light taught in God's word. I am perfectly satisfied that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and will keep it to the best of my ability, God helping me. May I ask one question? God commands to keep the seventh day as the Sabbath; the law of the land says, keep the first day as the Sabbath. Since I examined those tracts, I have commenced to keep the Sabbath according to God's law; therefore I keep two days. Please give me advice on this point, and accept my heartfelt thanks for your kindness in sending those papers. I received rich instruction from them. I feel that you have been a great help to me. May God bless you in your labor of love, is my prayer. Your brother in Christ." This man lives in Illinois. A woman in Minnesota writes: "I have received your papers, and read them with interest. I think them very good; we are poor but will try and send you something for them. Have saved them, and will send them to my neighbors. I think it very kind and disinterested in you to send these papers to strangers. Thank you very much for them. We take only one small paper, and feel the need of good papers to read." Another says: "I received the papers and read them with pleasure. Thank you for your kindness in sending them. They suit my ideas better than anything I've seen. I see no reason why the fourth commandment should be left out; keep one, keep all." She sent me two names, and writes again, saying, "How can I thank you enough for those papers. My neighbors also are very much interested in them." Sent me two more names.

Last week I visited a man to whom I have sent the Signs a long time. I asked, "How about the paper, Mr. S?" He said, "Oh, that paper, I cannot tell you how much I think of it; the year is out, and I was afraid you would stop it." "Then you don't want me to stop sending it." "No! I cannot do without it! At first I wouldn't look at it! It came for months, and I was so prejudiced, thought I never would read it, but you kept sending it, and sending it, and sending it. Finally I thought I would look at it a little, and the moment I commenced to read, I became interested, and the more I read, the more interested I became, and now cannot spare it. I see they are missionary papers. Do they cost you anything?" I explained that my papers cost $15.00 and I braided hats for them, besides remailing. "Is it possible? Why do you do it! I cannot comprehend it." "I said, this is God's truth, I know it. He has given me precious light upon it. What shall I do with it, keep it to myself? hide it under a bushel? I cannot do it. So I am trying to show it to others. Oh, the heartfelt prayers that go out with these papers. They cannot help reaching the honest-hearted." He was deeply moved. I said "we think the end is very near. What do you think about it?" "I think everything indicates it. Now I want to help a little. Will pay for my paper, and one for a friend, but my wife must never know it. She wont object to its coming, but would, if she knew I paid for it, and this friend may never read it, and perhaps will curse it, but his mother and sisters will read it. You must send them as you do now, that no one may mistrust. I hand them to my neighbors; one woman said, 'tell Mrs. M. to send me the paper, I never saw such papers.'" I said, "How does Mrs. B. like it, (a neighbor of his). I have sent it since last summer." Well I don't know, he said, "but I can tell you who reads it: The minister that boards there. Keep on sending." So I thank the Lord and take courage.

I had almost felt that the ground here had been burnt over, and it was useless to try to overcome the bitter prejudice. But this is the Lord's work. Our business is to "sow the seed." He will take care of results. What an honor to have a place among the workers. What can give us an experience like this missionary work. I wish every Seventh-day Adventist would take hold of it, then there would be no necessity of our ministers going around among the churches to arouse them. May the Lord help us to awake.