ONE of our missionaries in far-away India has recently sent us an encouraging letter telling of the way he and another brother are spreading the gospel through a newspaper at Simla, the summer capital of the nation. The letter is from Brother H. H. Votaw, and is as follows:—
“There are no dailies in Simla, but we have access to the columns of a weekly which is published here. When Brother Wellman and I first began the effort here, the manager told us that he would gladly publish a review of our sermons, and this, too, without our having asked for the favor. He offered us a column or a column and a half in each issue. Since we hold only two public services a week and devote the rest of our time to house-to-house work, you can see that it is possible to give a very fair outline of our talks in the space given us.
“Yesterday, the editor told me that he had received many requests for the paper, those writing saying that they wished to read the reports of the sermons. He showed me one post-card from a very well-known resident asking for another copy of the paper, as she wished to send the report of the lectures of June 28 and 29 to a friend in England.881
“The manager of the press told me that the chaplains of the established church seem to be boycotting him because of the favors he has shown us. He said he would continue to print what we supply him, even if the whole city refused to patronize him.”
The editor of this paper in India deserves to be praised for the position he has taken in spite of the feeling shown toward him by opponents of the truth. This letter ought to arouse our brethren in this and other countries to use the newspapers at every opportunity. There are, no doubt, many other editors who would open their columns for the printing of the gospel if the articles were supplied them.
It may be well to recall the fact that newspapers in Calcutta have printed articles dealing with our doctrines, which were written by our brethren in that large city, especially concerning the Eastern question.
An account of how anxious readers of newspapers are to learn more of the message now going to the world appeared in a very recent issue of the North Pacific Union Gleaner. The article was written by Josephine Hufford, and tells of her experience while selling magazines in the city of Spokane, Wash. A portion of the article follows:—
“One morning when about to enter an office, I heard loud and excited voices. I paused, thinking perhaps they were angry, but they were discussing the times we are living in, and asking if they had any meaning. They did not see me until I was in their midst and was saying: ‘Here is a copy of the Signs of the Times. It shows you the significance of the times in which we are now living. I am sure it will be well worth your time to read it. Only ten cents. Will you not take a copy?’ The men all looked at me as if to make sure I was not a spirit, and in the meantime three hands were stretched forth to take a magazine. They all said with one accord: ‘Who are you? What is that you have, and does it have anything to do with the Seventh-day Adventists?’ I said, ‘Yes, this is an Adventist publication.’ One said, ‘I saw an extract in the newspaper from a sermon by Elder Tait, preached at your camp-meeting. How much I should give to have heard him! He is a man who knows what he is talking about.’ I informed them that this same Elder Tait was the associate editor of this magazine. They bought three magazines and subscribed for the Signs for a year.”
This experience ought to be sufficient to inspire our workers with the thought that newspapers can be used to help make known more of the precious truth as given in our magazines and books. In other words, the reading of extracts of sermons in newspapers will lead honest hearts to inquire further into such doctrines.
W. L. BURGAN.
New Mexico Conference and Camp-Meeting
By Eugene Leland
THE third annual session of the New Mexico Conference was held in connection with the camp-meeting at Luna Park, in the suburbs of the beautiful city of Albuquerque, N. M., August 14-24. Although the New Mexico Conference is a new one, and a small one numerically considered, and although the camp-meeting was held in a part of the conference not easily accessible to a large part of the constituency, yet a goodly number were assembled from the first, the greater number of whom remained in the camp till the close of the meeting.
The conference business was conducted with the utmost harmony and despatch, most of its officers being re-elected. The finances of the conference are sound; and with a good corps of workers, it is expected to see a good work accomplished in the New Mexico Conference during the coming year.
I was especially impressed with the spirit of sacrifice which seemed to actuate the members of this new conference. One brother drove a team two hundred and seventy miles over desert roads to attend the camp-meeting, and he said, before starting back over the long road, that he felt well paid for the sacrifice he had made in coming. Many declared that it was the best camp-meeting they had ever attended. The services were conducted in two languages, the English and the Spanish. The Spanish people seemed especially to enjoy the meeting, and we are sure that it will be long remembered by all who had the privilege of attending it.
EUGENE LELAND.
Spanish Honduras, Central America
By Isaac Baker
UTILA.—Just a few words about the little island of Utila. This is one of the Bay Islands farthest to the westward, and although about two thirds of it is mango swamp, its inhabitants seem to enjoy very good health, and some of them live to a great age. There is one man at this place, a Sabbath-keeper, eighty-two years of age, who is still quite strong and healthy. This island has only a few hundred inhabitants, and the percentage of white people is greater here than in any other island of the group.
The settlement is mostly along the seashore on the southwest side, where the best harbor for ships is found. I am sending a photograph of the harbor, showing the tops of a few dwelling-houses, and also a few coconut houses out over the water. The little sailboats seen in this picture are the missionaries' means of conveyance among the islands. If one has a desire to go in all directions at the same time, perhaps he will come as near to it on one of these little boats on a rough, choppy sea as on anything in the world.
There are only two denominations on the island that have church buildings; these are the Wesleyan Methodists and the Seventh-day Adventists. So far as I know the Methodists have been here nearly ever since the island has been civilized; in fact, they have been established here so long that some of them seem to think other denominations are intruding when they come in to hold a series of meetings. This is well illustrated by the author of the little book, “The History of Utila.” Speaking of the time when Elder Hutchins pitched his little tent here, he says: “We did all we could to oppose the views of the Adventist people, by preaching and visiting from house to house.”
But in spite of all the opposition, there was a goodly company raised up and a little chapel erected, eighteen by thirty feet, which was afterward lengthened to forty-five feet. A good work, both educational and ministerial, was carried on here for several years; but for some reason the teachers all left, and the ministers ceased to visit the place. Some moved away, some apostatized, and others became discouraged, until there were no services of any kind held here by our people. But we are glad to report a change for the better. Our last camp-meeting being appointed at this place, my wife and I spent two weeks here before that time, and quite an interest was awakened. As the camp-meeting followed this effort, a few began to observe the Sabbath, and as the result of labor since that time several more have taken their stand for the truth, making in all a goodly number to hold up the light of truth in Utila.
UTILA, SPANISH HONDURAS
There is still opposition to be met, but the Lord is working on the hearts of some, so that they are yielding to the truth. Remember the work in this field at the throne of grace.
ISAAC BAKER.
Japan
By H. TOKAYA
YOKOHAMA.—The Lord is so good to me! He knew me since before I was born. When I grew old enough to know right and wrong, the Lord put this spirit in my mind to help the poor. But I could not do anything, for I had no money, so I wished to go to the United States to get it. The Lord took me in his care so I could go there. I went to Loma Linda, Cal., seven years ago. I got no money, but the precious truth which can perfectly save us through Christ.
Last summer I left Loma Linda for Japan, to do some things for the Master. Soon I began to canvass. This I did till the school opened, and I joined the school work in Tokio. I am very thankful that the Lord gave me so much Christian experience in the school and canvassing.
After the school closed I came down to Yokohama, where Brother Herboltzheimer is working. He is a medical missionary882worker. This was the middle of March. Since that time I am helping Brother Herboltzheimer. We are just opening our work here. The Lord blessed our work and gave us thirteen patients, two foreigners and the others all Japanese. Two persons began to keep the Sabbath, and three others are studying the truth.
The Lord is very good to me. He saved me from idle custom and brought me into his marvelous light, and shows me how to help others in his name. I am having a living Christian experience every day. I often think how glad the angels in heaven will be when they see souls accept the truth.
We have women's meetings here, which Mrs. Herboltzheimer holds. She gives strong Bible study, and cooking demonstrations. Quite a good many people come, they have so much interest in cooking. But I earnestly pray God for them not only to see cooking demonstrations, but to find the light which comes from God. That is our hope and my prayer.
Pray for our work in Japan, also for me, that I may continually do his will and be faithful till the end.
H. TOKAYA.
Health Reform and Nurses' Training-Schools
By Belle Wood-Comstock
(Concluded)
Our nurses must be educators, or their training is in vain; they must not only be taught to be nurses, great as that work is, but they must be taught to be teachers. Not only to ease the suffering of sickness and disease must they go, but to teach, to educate the people everywhere to live so as to keep well, that they may have the greatest strength of body and the most efficiency in service.
By practical experience our nurses become skilled in the care of the sick; so by practical experience they must attain efficiency as teachers of these vital foundation truths. How can we give them this experience?
Our people need to be taught. Our nurses need experience in teaching. Happy combination! How easily accomplished! Take our nurses in training to our churches, and let them help teach the people. Then bring them back with new eyes rightly to represent this truth to our patients.
We have held schools of health for people of the world in which we have presented the principles of healthful living in a scientific, physiologic way. By careful teaching we have shown them that to properly care for their bodies so as to prevent disease is the only sane and safe thing to do, and that to do this may be made a delight. We have shown them scientific reasons worked out by scientific men why meat is not the best food, and that when we can get better food prepared in an appetizing way, how unwise, how foolish, it is to eat that which must, if we continue to indulge in it, lessen the strength and resistive power of our bodies. We have shown them the advantages, the privileges, the pleasing side of health reform, and it has appealed to them. And we find the people of the world everywhere glad and willing to receive these things. But our own people, untaught, fail to appreciate the foundation principles which might make it possible for them to get the most883efficient service, and insure them happiness in the life to come.
We have supposed our people knew all these things; but the most of them have seen only the restrictions, the burdens of so-called health reform, and we often, instead of teaching them even as much as we have taught outsiders, have criticized them for not living out the rules, which have often led to fanaticism, as an iron-clad rule will always do.
Health reform must needs include infinitely more than simply the question of eating, important as that may be. It must include sunshine, fresh air, proper clothing, exercise, rest; yes, even mental rest—freedom from worry—obtained by the confidence of a religious faith.
We must get our people to see that there is no sacrifice, there are no restrictions, in health reform. It is all a receiving of the bountiful goodness of God; a drinking in of his blessing, of his mercy; a willingness to receive his teaching because of our confidence in its bringing present happiness, and in its saving from future sorrow and distress.
So, with such a burden on our hearts, and with the hope that it might be to our nurses the thing they were needing, we who are at Glendale began last January to hold schools of health in our churches in and about Los Angeles, of which there are twenty-five. Seven of these schools were held, giving thirty of our nurses an experience in assisting. Each school lasted six days, and included thirteen meetings. The program follows:—
School of Health
Sabbath, 11 A. M.—Study: Gospel of Health.
Sabbath, 3 P. M.—Study: Including the following papers by nurses:—
1. Importance of Medical Missionary Work.
2. Opportunities of a Sanitarium Nurse While in Training.
3. Opportunities of a Sanitarium Nurse After Graduation.
4. How the Efficiency of the Bible Worker May Be Increased by the Nurses' Training.
Saturday evening.—Lecture and demonstration: Exercise and Fresh Air.
Sunday, 10 A. M.—Lecture and demonstration: Healthful Dress.
Sunday, 2 P. M.—Lecture: Is Hygienic Cooking Practical in the Home?
Sunday, 3-7 P. M.—Hygienic dinner served.
Sunday, 7:30 P. M.—Lecture: Dietetic Reforms and Why.
Monday, 8:30 P. M.—Lecture: Care of the Child.
Tuesday, 3 P. M.—Lecture: Simple Recipes.
Tuesday, 7:30 P. M.—Lecture and demonstration: Common Ailments and How to Treat Them.
Wednesday, 3 P. M.—Lecture: Hygiene and Sanitation in the Home.
Wednesday, 7:30 P. M.—Call for Workers.
Thursday, 3 P. M.—Lecture and demonstration: Simple Treatments, Accidents and Emergencies.
Thursday, 7:30 P. M.—Question Box.
Four physicians, the head nurse, sanitarium matron, and sanitarium chef had a part. Besides these, four nurses went each time and spent the week helping in the demonstrations and visiting the people. As they visited, they gave treatments, answered questions, helped with sewing and cooking, gave Bible readings, sold cook-books, etc.
They told their own personal experiences, and came very near to the hearts of the people. Each time they returned with a deeper Christian experience, a renewed consecration, and with their eyes opened to the importance of health reform and medical missionary work, and with a firm resolution to be loyal to all the truths of the third angel's message, to be true representatives of sanitarium principles, to live out the principles of health reform, using them as the entering wedge for which they were intended, both in their sanitarium experience and after their connection with the training-school was ended.
This work has changed the atmosphere of our training-school; it has brought in a spirit of consecration and solemnity never felt before. Our patients have felt it; and never before have we had so many patients inquiring into our work and our message.
These people as they come to us for treatment are seeing lived out before them in a sincere, heartfelt way, such as has not been seen before, the great principles which, if followed intelligently, will lead to health and happiness; and it is influencing them more and more to wonder what sort of religion it is that we have.
Our nurses are enjoying their work, and putting their whole heart in it as never before. Somewhere, somehow, a converting power has come into their lives, some of whom had become to a great extent indifferent to their spiritual welfare; and we are forced to admit that it was their getting hold of real health reform principles that accomplished this improvement.
The nurses who continue in this way will not be tempted as others to drift after they have been graduated. They will have an object, a purpose, in view that will hold them. They will realize why they have taken their course: that they are to go out as representatives of our sanitarium system; that they are to take sanitarium principles with them wherever they go; that they are to be a small sanitarium with all its possibilities to all they meet; that wherever they go they go as Christ's representatives, as medical missionaries, approximating more closely his work for the people than any other worker can ever do. And they realize that to be disloyal to sanitarium principles is to be indifferent to the whole third angel's message; that if any one was ever thoroughly prepared to give the people, wherever she may find them, a complete education in all lines of truth, it is a sanitarium nurse.
This it has done for our training-school. Much might be said of our success in our work for the people. We have found them everywhere appreciative; we have everywhere heard testimonials to the fact that they see the importance of health reform as never before; that they are going to live it out more carefully in a sensible, intelligent way. We have seen prejudice against our sanitarium work broken down. We have felt the Spirit of the Lord come very near as we have heard the people express their desire to make their homes small sanitariums, to live out these principles and give them to their neighbors, and to work as they never have before to hold up the hands of our sanitarium leaders, that this branch of our work may go forward, being indeed to the message as the right arm to the body.
This work must continue. We have gone too far, felt too much of the Lord's blessing, to go back or even to stand still. We feel that we have reached a new era in our work, and with the Lord's help we will go forward, being to our nurses, our people, and the world the light we should long ago have been.
Our work is educational. If we forget that, and simply treat the bodies of men and women as they come, giving them nothing more, we fall short. We may have wondered why we have been bound down by debt, why we have been hampered in our progress. The Lord has not dared to prosper us until we got a vision of the work intended for us to do. Without this vision, prosperity would have meant commercialism and spiritual failure. With it there is no limit to our ability to achieve success in every way, financially as well as otherwise.
We are to educate, educate, educate the people. Then with our lamps burning, the Gentiles will come to our light and kings to the brightness of our rising, and the message will go speedily to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people; and then the end will come.
BELLE WOOD-COMSTOCK, M. D.
Garhwal (India) Industrial School
By Charles C. Belgrave
We arrived in Calcutta January 9, after spending over two months on the sea, from the time we left our home in British Guiana. We arrived in Lucknow the fourteenth, and left the same evening for Najibabad, where we stayed about two months.
It was then decided that we should take charge of the industrial school at Garhwal. Accordingly, we arrived here February 25. The location of the school is a good one. There are mountains all around, and two hundred miles away the snow-capped peaks of the grand and lofty Himalayas may be seen on a clear day.
The Garhwal school is composed of fourteen high-caste Hindu boys, Brahmans, and Rajputs. They are bright and well-behaved. Their zeal in acquiring knowledge is inspiring, and they show an encouraging interest in Bible studies. It is gratifying to hear these heathen boys repeat texts of Scripture in the English language, and then translate them into their own with such ease as to make the heart glad.
Some of the boys are interested in Christianity, and have expressed the desire to become Christians. For a Hindu to become a Christian is a great undertaking. It means that he must be ostracised from home and friends, and not even a drink of water would be given him should he desire to quench his thirst. Thus it devolves on those whose religion he has accepted to teach him not to become a parasite, but to earn his bread by learning how to use his hands in manual labor, as well as to use his brain in acquiring knowledge. This, then, is the great problem our school must solve, and we trust by the grace of God we shall be able to solve it.
KOREAN PONY USED BY BROTHER AND SISTER SMITH IN THEIR MISSION WORK
Undoubtedly it seems an excellent thing to have such a school in such a place. There are many villages scattered round about, some far, some near. The inhabitants are sitting in darkness and there are many who have not even heard the name of Christ. We are convinced that it is the purpose of God that light should shine forth from this place, and that the glory of God should be seen throughout the length and breadth of hilly Garhwal.
We trust, by the grace of God, that sometime in the near future it will be our pleasure to witness some of these boys going forth to spread the truth of the last great message among the people of these hills.
CHARLES C. BELGRAVE.
In the Philippines
By E. M. Adams
We must have about sixty new Sabbath-keepers in the different efforts now being held. Last Sabbath we had a blessed meeting in Manila. Sabbath-school had closed, and we were just ready to begin the after-meeting, when a sister whispered something to my interpreter. She was reminding him of a request for prayer from a sick sister. I took up the matter of prayer for the sick, showing that if there is sin in our hearts we must confess it or we cannot expect God to hear us, and called attention to the fact that the sin of Achan caused the defeat of the armies of Israel. I then said we would have prayer for the sick sister, but if there were any confessions to be made, they should be made first. A hymn was announced, thus giving a chance for personal confessions.
There had been some trouble between the believers. This day the Spirit was at work. Soon after beginning to sing, a young sister went to the one who had stood out the boldest, and began to make confession. That sister also broke down, and soon she was making her way to those to whom she owed confession. After these confessions were made,—about four, some of them being made publicly,—we had our season of prayer. How wonderfully the Lord worked for us! The sick sister was much relieved by the prayer; but this was only a small part of the good accomplished. We thank God for the victories gained that day.
E. M. ADAMS.
Chosen
By W. R. Smith
WONSAN.—During the first three or four years we were in Korea, there were hundreds who professed to be Adventists, but apparently in many of their lives there was little or no change. This was a source of no little anxiety to us.
We came to Wonsan alone, that is, without any native help, and through the grace of God a little company took hold of the truth. About sixty have been baptized. Of this number three have developed into workers and are helping give the message. I know of only one who has given up the truth. Two have moved away, and it has been some time since we heard from them. The people here seem to have a desire for light, and a willingness to live up to all that comes to them. I feel that I can safely say that there are those here who are as faithful in regard to tithes and health reform as can be found anywhere in the world.
One week ago my wife and I returned from a sixteen-day trip with horse and wagon among the believers. We traveled three hundred and eighty-four miles, and visited three places. Six persons were baptized at one place. At the rate the Japanese are building roads, it will not be long until we can go almost anywhere in a wagon. They make easy grades over the mountains, but such short turns that we must sometimes lift the back end of the wagon around before we can make the turn. Our courage is good. W. R. SMITH.
Medical Missionary Department
W. A. RUBLE, M. D. — — General Secretary
L. A. HANSEN — — Assistant Secretary
H. W. MÜLLER, M. D. — — N. Am. Div. Secretary
Church Missionary Work
The Fourth Sabbath Home Missionary Service, Sept. 27, 1913
Suggestive Program
OPENING SONG: “Christ in Song,” No. 192.
PRAYER.
BIBLE STUDY: “Bible Principles of Missionary Work.”
SONG: “Christ in Song,” No. 310.
READING: “The Lord’s Working Force.”
READING: “How to Use Present Opportunities.”
QUARTET OR SONG: “Christ in Song,” No. 512.
READING: “Home Workers’ Books.”
PLANS FOR WORK: A few weeks’ campaign with home workers’ books.
REPORTS of missionary work by members.
REPORT of work, by church missionary secretary, for month just closed.
COLLECTION of report blanks filled out by members.
THE most successful way to labor is to meet people where they are. We should therefore be wide-awake to the matters that interest the public generally, and make use of them to accomplish our work.
In three months from the time this service is held, the festival of Christmas will be here. This is a time to which many people in the world attach much importance. Then they gather their families together, and in order to make them happy, give them presents. It is a time when hearts are warm and more liberal than at other times.
What can we do to turn this interest to the benefit of the work of the Lord, and so also help the people themselves? We can make use of this custom of giving presents to place many of our good books in the homes of the people. A special line of books has been prepared for this purpose, called “home workers’ books.” A prospectus has been prepared for these books, which is so attractive in appearance that it takes little more than showing the prospectus in many places to sell the books.
The books included in this prospectus are “New Testament Primer,” “Gospel Primer,” and “Little Folks’ Bible Nature,” for the little ones; “Best Stories From the Best Book,” “House We Live In,” “Bible Child Life,” “Uncle Ben’s Cobblestones,” “Elo the Eagle,” for the older children; “Story of Pitcairn,” “Advance Guard of Missions,” “Making Home Happy,” “Making Home Peaceful,” “Steps to Christ,” “Mount of Blessing,” “Christ Our Saviour,” “Our Paradise Home,” and “His Glorious Appearing,” for the youth and older members of the family.
This is a reading age. Almost every one, old and young, reads something, and the large majority read mainly that which is harmful. In many cases this is because they have ready access to little else. It is said that an alarmingly large per cent of the children and youth in this country, notwithstanding its boasted privileges and enlightenment, have access only to fiction. The bookstores are loaded with it, the library shelves are filled with it. Statistics and reports show that the increase of criminality among the youth is due in a large degree to harmful reading.
This being so, is it not our duty as a people to place in the hands of the parents of the country and the world such books as would be helpful to their children? It is encouraging to know that many parents realize the danger of these harmful books, and welcome any opportunity to provide good literature.
The books contained in this list are beyond anything the world produces, and are recognized by the people of the world as what they want for their children.
Last spring one lady called at the California Tract Society office to look at children’s books. She said she had been unable to find in the bookstores anything suitable to give to her children at Christmas-time, and had at last sent to New York, but even then did not get what she wanted. Similar instances could be multiplied many times.
That this work pays financially has been abundantly proved. One sister in twenty-five hours sold $23.75 worth of books; another in twelve hours sold to the value of $17.30; another in one morning—from nine to half past eleven—took eight orders, amounting to $3.75.
As forty per cent discount is given on some of these books, and fifty per cent on others, it will readily be seen that these sisters made good wages for the time they worked.
But the financial success is a small part of the matter, except as it gives us more money to give to the cause of God. The great thing is to get the good books into the hands of the people, that they may do their appointed work.
We have our own children, and long to see them saved. Should we not also feel a heavy burden for other children and youth, that they may be led to the Lord? Recently we learned of a lad who had a fine library of about fifty books, many of them our books. He was given a copy of “Best Stories” when seven years of age, and that had so molded his taste for reading that the excellent collection of books he possessed at the age of fourteen was the result. How different this would have been had his first book been some exciting pirate story or something similar.
In view of these facts, may we not expect that as many of our people as possible will take up the sale of these home workers’ books between now and Christmas? One successful worker with them says: “The main thing is to get out early, before others occupy the field. The books will sell themselves at sight with very little talking.”
All necessary instruction and supplies can be obtained from the tract society office, through the church missionary secretary. Thousands of these good books should be sold in the next few weeks. Who will come up to the help of the Lord in this work?
E. M. GRAHAM.
Home Workers' Books
By F. H. Hall
It was nearly ten years ago that our home missionary leaders began to see the necessity of organizing a second division of our army of house-to-house workers with the printed page. While a glorious work was being done with large books by regular agents, but little thought had been given to what might be done by thousands of our people among their friends and neighbors with what we now know as home workers' books. In the providence of God, a vision of what might be done was given to these men, and by faith they sounded the following call:—
“We invite conference officers, and particularly missionary secretaries and State agents, to unite with us in earnest efforts to train our church-members everywhere to circulate small literature.”
— Minutes General Conference Publishing Department, March, 1904.
The Development of These Books
Since that time the books used by these workers have been greatly strengthened in number, languages, and contents. “Steps to Christ” has been newly illustrated, fully indexed, and editions in several languages added. A section has been added to “Christ Our Saviour,” on the second advent of our Saviour, instead of closing with his ascension, as in the old edition. “Glorious Appearing” has been thoroughly revised and newly illustrated, and German, Danish, Swedish, Spanish, and Japanese editions added. “Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing” has been newly illustrated. German, Danish, and Swedish editions have been added to “Best Stories.” “New Testament Primer,” a beautiful book for little folks, has been issued in English, German, Danish, Swedish, and Spanish; and another very attractive book for children, “Gospel Primer No. 2,” is now out. These, with the eight or ten books previously issued, round up the finest group of publications for childhood, youth, and age ever presented to the public. When we consider the further fact that each of them contains some phase of present truth, their importance cannot be overestimated.
Improvements in Handling
Continued improvement in the facilities for handling these books has also been made, until now we have report blanks, order blanks, and guarantee books, with the names of these home workers' books printed in. We also have a booklet containing canvasses for each,885and general information for those engaging in their sale. And best of all, we have a complete prospectus, containing sample cover and sixteen selected pages from each of the eighteen “home workers' books.” This prospectus is in the form of a loose-leaf binder, which permits any desired arrangement of samples, or even the elimination of any book or books that the worker does not care to carry. It folds up compactly, weighs but two and one-half pounds, and looks like an ordinary school note-book. Its price is only one dollar, post-paid, which is about half its cost.
Results Are Being Seen
With such books as these, and such facilities for their circulation as are being provided, and with the training our bookmen are now giving those who are selling them, results must follow, and they are following. The North Pacific Union Conference sold $7,000 worth last year, and from a letter just received from one of their leading men, we learn that they expect greatly to increase this amount this year. During November and December of last year, Southern California's thirty home workers placed copies of these books in nearly two thousand homes. Brother Morlan, their field agent, tried the new prospectus himself for thirty-five hours, during which time he sold as many as six copies in a single home, sold two books to a Baptist minister, and sold one “Steps to Christ” to a lady who later told him that it had done her boy more good than anything she had ever given him. His sales for the thirty-five hours amounted to $45.25.
A brother in western Washington sold a Sunday-school superintendent thirty-six copies of “Gospel Primer;” and Brother H. E. Loop, field agent of Upper Columbia, put in twenty-five hours with these books, his sales totaling $75.25.
Space will not permit our telling the details of how two brothers in one church became interested in the home workers' prospectus, and sold over one hundred dollars' worth each; nor of a woman, who, after buying two copies of the small books, inquired about a book with pictures of beasts, stating she had been searching for it a long time, and how eagerly she purchased and is now reading “Daniel and the Revelation;” of a Catholic woman who bought “Paradise Home,” and then asked for reading-matter to be sent to her family, hoping by this means to reduce their prejudice against Protestantism; of a young Baptist couple who purchased three small books from a lady agent, became interested, and have just accepted the truth as a whole; of a busy sister who became impressed with the opportunities of work which this class of books presented, and who placed two hundred and fifty copies in a single town; of a whole church of another denomination, which has accepted the ordinance of humility through the influence of reading “Christ Our Saviour.”
Brethren and sisters, these small books are having their influence, the same precious influence as has been exerted by “Great Controversy,” “Daniel and the Revelation,” and “Patriarchs and Prophets.” Shall we not do our part toward extending that influence by placing them in the homes of our friends and neighbors between now and the holidays, when people will be particularly interested in them? F. H. HALL.
