ENCOURAGING TO SHIP MISSIONARIES.
THE following extract from a letter received at this Office from Bro. Ings, Southampton, Eng., will be of interest to the readers of the REVIEW:— “I meet with some encouraging incidents in my ship labor, and as that which is encouraging to us may be interesting to you, I will mention some items. Publications, consisting of tracts and a liberal supply of Signs, were placed upon the ship Gold Hunter by Bro. Partridge in San Francisco, Cal., and by some means they were transferred to a ship loaded with wheat for this port. The captain and all on board became very much interested in reading these publications,—in fact, the former is fully convinced on the Sabbath question, and makes it known to all with whom he comes in contact. He is very much pleased with Sr. White’s articles, and inquires of all with whom he converses if they ever heard of Mrs. E. G. White, and tells them of her writings. He intends to return to San Francisco, and wishes to hear her speak. I have informed our friends in California of these circumstances, and, on his return, they will find in him a warm friend. “He says that we are the only people who advocate the truths of the Bible. He purchased the three volumes of ‘Spirit of Prophecy,’ also, ‘History of the Sabbath,’ ‘Plain Facts,’ and some pamphlets. He is very familiar with the names of Elds. White, Bates, Smith, and others of our people. Should he become fully converted, he would make a useful man in spreading the truth. His wife is a Baptist and bitterly opposed, otherwise he would have subscribed for the Signs.” “I became acquainted with another captain, and sold him several copies of the Signs. In a few days I called upon him again, and he was so much interested in these papers that he bought about $6.00 worth of books. I still visit the German steamers. Last Tuesday I sold all the German tracts we had on hand. The week before, I sold the last Stimme, but a few came in time for yesterday’s boat. I usually sell about twenty on each boat. “I have also canvassed some in a place called Romsey, eight miles from Southampton, where some interest is aroused on the second advent. Have sold more tracts there than in any other place in the same length of time. The Sabbath question has not yet been mentioned. Thus we are trying to do something to spread the truth both by sea and by land.