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Harvest Ingathering for Missions

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 30, 1909

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 52.

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Harvest Ingathering for Missions

By A. J. S. Bourdeau

“Thy people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy power, in holy array.” Ps. 110:3, A. R. V.
SISTER ETHEL HALFRICH, of Ohio, mailed eight of her ten copies of the REVIEW. The first two replies from her friends brought one dollar each. She writes: “I am glad to have a small part in this work.”
On Tuesday, December 21, we received orders for five hundred twenty-five copies of the Missions REVIEW. Among the orders was a telegram from Elder C. A. Burman, of Alberta, Canada, calling for three hundred copies. A number of the workers are still actively engaged in the campaign.
Brother D. K. Royer, secretary of the New Jersey Conference, is receiving some excellent reports from various workers who engaged in the campaign work. He writes: “This morning I received from Sister C. M. Crane, an aged, isolated Sabbath-keeper, a good letter in which she returns her solicitor’s card, and a check for $18.35. She received this amount from the distribution of twenty-four copies of the Missions REVIEW, her collections averaging seventy-seven cents a copy.”
It often occurs that people not of our faith are deeply interested in the work being carried on by our denomination. For instance, a gentleman living in the city of Pittsburg, Pa., sends ten dollars for our foreign missions. In his letter he says: “I am not a member of your denomination; but I have taken the REVIEW for the past fifteen years, and the Signs of the Times for the last thirty years. I enjoy reading both of them. I recently received ten copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW. Enclosed you will find ten dollars for your foreign missions.” It is gratifying to note how many there are who, though not Seventh-day Adventists, are regular readers of our various periodicals.
Thousands of intelligent men and women have read with interest the Missions number of the REVIEW. In it they have learned of the various enterprises carried on by our people. They have also learned for the first time, perhaps, concerning our distinctive beliefs. The reading of this paper will doubtless induce hundreds of earnest Christians to investigate further the truths of the message. It has been truly said that he that reads himself into the third angel’s message rarely surrenders the truth. Reading makes the stanchest believers. How important, therefore, the mission of the printed page of truth which leads men and women to deliberately change their belief in perfect calmness of spirit.
Elder H. W. Carr, president of the Western New York Conference, writes that he is much encouraged over the prospects for a large harvest ingathering in that conference. He says: “Our German Bible worker in Buffalo has already collected over twenty dollars through the distribution of the REVIEW, and expects to use a number of the German papers. An agent called at our office the other day, and in less than one minute Miss D. M. Landon, secretary of our Missionary Volunteer Department, had given him a copy of the Missions REVIEW, and secured his donation. A lady physician called at our office, and while waiting for her train, Mrs. Carr presented her with the REVIEW, and received one dollar in return.” We mention these incidents not as being out of the ordinary, but simply to show how even busy people can do successful missionary work in odd moments.
Mrs. Luke Roth, of California, is one of the many busy housewives whose home duties almost compel them to remain at home all the time. Like many others, however, she could not rest without doing something. Among some of her experiences she mentions the following: “We are having stormy weather here at present. I received $2.50 yesterday, and would have secured more had it not rained. With my home duties (besides teaching my children four hours each day), I find it rather difficult to get out, but by the help of the Lord I shall try again. In my canvass I met a Catholic who gave me a yearly subscription for the REVIEW, besides fifty cents. I find that in addition to receiving funds for the cause, one receives rich blessings in meeting the people and having talks with them.” Truly the chief requisite for acceptable service is “a willing mind.”
As the result of her visits from door to door, one of our sisters in Salamanca, N. Y., has already secured eleven dollars for missions.
A young brother in the State of New York took some copies of the REVIEW with him while calling on a number of friends in a business college. Nearly every student gave him fifty cents.
Elder C. B. Stephenson, president of the Georgia Conference, says: “We are having some good experiences here. One of our sisters took twenty copies of the REVIEW with her to Ft. Scriven, a soldiers’ camp, and returned the same day with $5.30. We hear of good reports all around, and pray that a bountiful sum may be gathered in. We shall do our best.”
Brother S. Rogers, of Michigan, is one of those who received the ten extra copies of the Missions REVIEW. From their distribution he secured the sum of $2.13 for foreign missions,—an average of over twenty-one cents a copy. If every copy of the large edition of the Missions REVIEW yields returns equal to this, our collection will amount to nearly one hundred fifty thousand dollars.
Sister M. E. French, of Ohio, an isolated Sabbath-keeper living twelve miles from one of our churches, sends one dollar as the result of her efforts with the Missions number of the REVIEW. She writes: “I am past eighty-three, and can not walk very far, but I tried to sell the ten papers that were sent me. I sold only nine. When we do the best we can, the Lord will take care of his own. I have been in the truth ever since 1896, and it grows brighter and brighter.”
Brother C. D. Terwilleger, secretary of the Ontario Conference, took a personal part in the campaign work. He says: “We think that the right thing was done in sending out those ten copies of the REVIEW, to this place, at least. We used them all. Last Thursday six young ladies drove over to one of the neighboring towns with Mrs. Terwilleger and myself. We solicited funds, and all came home much encouraged. I collected $2.66, and the least that any of us received was seventy cents. In all, we distributed sixty copies of the REVIEW, and we felt well repaid for our effort.”
Mrs. Henry Perry, of Vermont, is a subscriber to the REVIEW. She consequently received those ten extra copies of the Missions REVIEW. As soon as they arrived, she went to work with them. Her letter says: “Please find enclosed post-office money-order for $1.63 for the ten papers sent me. I am glad that I can do a little to help carry the message to those who do not know the truth. The people in my neighborhood are not Sabbath-keepers, but it did not make any difference to me. I presented the papers to them and told them what they contained, and they all gave a few pennies apiece.”
A. J. S. BOURDEAU.