A MISSIONARY WORKER by Editor

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, January 22, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 4

A MISSIONARY WORKER.

By Editor

THE following is a portion of a letter written by a brother in St. Helena, Cal., to Eld. S. N. Haskell. Although a private letter, Eld. H. takes the liberty to offer it for publication, thinking it worthy of being made public as an inspiration to other workers, and to show what can be done when the heart is in the work. We concur in this opinion, and are happy to present for the consideration of the reader the following narrative. This brother puts in six days’ work in a week at his regular business, and does his missionary work outside of that. His letter shows what he has done, and hence what others, unless more unfavorably situated, can do likewise. After thanking Eld. H. for an encouraging letter received from him, the brother says:—

“During the past year I have sent away upwards of 2,700 Signs, having put every dollar that I could get hold of into the work. We have just ordered our new club, but I was only able to take twelve copies to begin with. It seems impossible for me to be reconciled to this small number, unless it is shown that we are not living in the last days, and that cannot be done. I have a field of missionary work opened before me for the coming year in which I could use more than 150 Signs. I have also a large, interested correspondence in Great Britain (including Ireland, Wales, and Scotland), Australia, and Egypt; and I cannot, nay, I dare not, think but that God will open the way for me. This work has become dearer to me than my life. I often retire to plead with God for wisdom, strength, and missionary matter, that I may work in his cause for the salvation of precious souls for whom Christ died; and not a night passes that I do not get up, and on bended knees pour out the desires of a burdened heart that I may so live that God can accept me as a co-worker with Jesus. I am anxious to have a daily connection with him, that when the silent messengers are sent out, the Spirit of God may go before them to prepare the way for his truth.

“I cannot understand why we as a people are not more enthusiastic over the missionary work. Why do we stand idle all the day long, telling our dear Lord that no man hath hired us, overlooking the fact that he has told us to go and labor in his vineyard, and by-and-by he will pay us? I am more than charmed with this blessed work; and it seems to me

that even eternity will not be long enough to fathom the depth of Jesus’ love in permitting one so unworthy to engage in it. I only ask him to make me one of his hired servants. Satan knows his time is short, that He whose right it is to reign is soon coming, and that God will give him the kingdom. Our adversary also knows that the time of his destruction is near; but many of God’s people will be taken unawares because they knew not the time of their visitation. For myself, I can say, Once I was extremely blind, but now I see, because old things are passed away, and all things are become new. I spent twenty years of my life at sea, and rose to be chief officer in the service. I came to San Francisco, and heard Bro. Loughborough preach; and the last nine years have been the very happiest of my life, and the past year excels them all. If I possessed ten thousand lives, I would use them all in the missionary cause, and in other work connected with the third angel’s message. May God grant that the slumbering Laodiceans may awake and realize the awful realities of the Judgment. I believe that this solemn tribunal must close very soon, because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

“It seems to me every day that the burden of missionary work is rolling upon me. I have sent 150 Signs at times to Egypt, and I expect to hear from Bro. Ribton every week with more names. I am also assisting Bro. Sanborn in his mission, and have lately sent twenty-five Signs to England to be used in jails and penitentiaries. I have also sent to England for a list of the English men of war, so that I can send our reading matter to them. I long to see the time when I shall be able to give three or four full days to the missionary cause each week. All the pay I ask for is something to eat and wear, and plenty of reading matter to send out to the people. I pray God to make me a missionary in thought and deed. Like good old Jacob, I shall keep on praying to the Lord, till he gives me all the Signs and other reading matter that I can use in his cause. On Christmas day I sent away 243 Signs, 70 Annuals, and 104 letters, which it took me two weeks to get ready. I would get up at three or four o’clock in the morning and devote two and a half hours to this work, and an hour and a half at night. I have done this repeatedly, during the year, and then done a hard day’s work besides; and to-day I feel as well as ever, though some of the brethren say I do not look quite so healthy.

“The result of my efforts this year has been very good. Some who received the Signs and never wrote to me, are now subscribers. We praise God, take new courage, and press on in the work. There is a minister in Adelaide, South Australia, who is interested, with whom I am corresponding.

“Our church is to be dedicated on the second Sabbath of the new year. It is admitted to be the best church in St. Helena. Its size is 28 by 48 feet. It will be dedicated free of debt, and we hope that God will accept it. Our people are all of good courage.

“This quarter I have sent to various parts of the world 1,464 Signs, 500 letters, 700 Annuals, 900 pages of tracts; and have done almost all of this work early in the morning and in the evening. I hope that I shall see 350 Signs coming here next year instead of 200. I earnestly desire your prayers that God will remember me. I can work as cheap as any one, and I will try to do all the good I can. I hope that we as a people will be as earnest to advance the truth as our opponents are to advance error. Since I commenced writing this letter, I have received three missionary letters, one of which is from Edinburgh, Scotland. As I read it, my heart leaped for joy, and I exclaimed, ‘The Lord must open the way. O Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Increase my faith.’ So I must pray on.

“We hope, by the blessing of God, to see you among us again soon, that we may catch more of the missionary spirit.”