Indiana by H. S. Browning

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 4, 1904

Indiana

By H. S. Browning

INDIANAPOLIS.— Now that all the deliveries are made for the holidays, I thought I would write a few lines about the canvassing work in this city during the past year, and especially for the December delivery, which included 5 family Bibles, 18 hand Bibles, 1 “Home Hand-Book,” 1 lib., 35 “Desire of Ages,” 20 “Patriarchs and Prophets,” 21 “Great Controversy,” 25 “Daniel and the Revelation,” 19 “Bible Readings,” 9 “Best Stories,” 4 “Christ Our Saviour,” 2 “Cats and Dogs,” 6 “Making Home Happy,” 2 “Christ’s Object Lessons,” 23 “Inspired History of Nations,” 8 “Gospel Primer,” 3 “Christ in Song,” 9 “Ladies’ Guide,” 3 Signs, and 1 Good Health. Orders amounted to five hundred and eighty dollars for Christmas, and out of these, all were delivered except 1 family Bible, 1 “Daniel and the Revelation,” 1 “Bible Dictionary,” 5 “Science in Kitchen,” 1 “Steps to Christ,” and 1 “Gospel Reader.”

One copy of “Christ’s Object Lessons” was sent to Washington on the Pacific coast, 4 “Primers” were sent to Porto Rico by the Englewood Christian church for missionary work, 1 “Ladies’ Guide” was sent to Columbus, Ohio, 1 “Bible Readings” to Reading, Pa., 1 “Desire of Ages” to a Mr. Arthur, the play writer of Pelham Manor, N. Y. Thus our publications go to every point of the compass. In speaking of this, my desire is not to make a showing of the total work done, but to show how many new homes have been entered in the past year.

The following represents 6,187 exhibitions, and shows the work done in one year: “Desire of Ages,” 37; “Ladies’ Guide,” 26; “Home Hand-Book,” 5; “Bible Readings,” 75; “Patriarchs and Prophets,” 44; “Daniel and the Revelation,” 54; “Great Controversy,” 28; “Heralds of the Morning,” 1; “Christ’s Object Lessons,” 60; Bibles, 65; miscellaneous, 75.

Many hundred pages of tracts were given away, many papers were sold or given away, one hundred of the special Signs were sold, fourteen Sunday night sermons were preached, meetings were also held for nine months in the Covenant Congregational church, lectures and Bible studies upon some point of present truth being given until the Sabbath question was reached. That subject was thoroughly discussed, and one hundred dollars’ worth of our books was sold among members of that congregation. Bible readings were given four or five evenings each week, besides those which I gave from door to door. Had there been from ten to twenty persons at work in this city, which has a church of one hundred and fifty or two hundred members, the results might have been ten or twenty times greater. Offerings to the amount of sixteen dollars have been turned over to the conference secretary, and seventeen persons have begun

the observance of the Sabbath during the last year.

These results have been secured by untiring perseverance day and night, in health and sickness, in rain and shine, in cold and heat, with many a long, lonesome trip to encourage and instruct some individual, but the Lord has added his blessing, and it is for him and for souls that I work. To carry on the work successfully in large cities one must be prompt, and must sell on easy payments.

I have been in the field for almost three years, and have often seen times when I did not know where food for my wife and two little children was coming from, but our necessities have been supplied. I thank the Lord for these experiences. Never fear, my dear brother or sister, however faint of heart you may be. The birds seldom gather a meal in one place; they have to hunt for it. Man never gained the top of a mountain without a long, tiresome effort. Never Try or Can’t remains at the bottom, while Try is seen at the top. But think, dear one, if some precious soul is led into the truth through your effort, how glad you will be that you tried; and I do pray the Master that in 1904 many more may be added to our ranks.

As a final word of caution let me say, if you go out and don’t see books by the ten dollars’ worth a day, or even a week, don’t conclude that you can not succeed. God is only trying you, and it may be that you will soon get your reward. The Lord has promised to be with you, and so just believe Rom. 8: 28.

H. S. BROWNING, Colporteur for Indianapolis.