Earlier text: Visiting Foreign Mission CentersOn Reaching Home Again
By S. M. KONIGMACHER
WE were away just a year, including the time spent on the way and at Cholo and in the homeland. While crossing the North Atlantic, we met a missionary on his way to Liberia, Africa, who was taking some of our literature with him. There were three colored workers with him, and while the most of the passengers gathered for a dance, we sang hymns. On the Mediterranean Sea it was cold and uncomfortable. On the “Gascon” I met a Jamaican who was going to the Portuguese territory. He had bought a copy of “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation” from Brother Philip Giddings, in British Guiana. It is wonderful how the seeds of truth are scattered. We experienced some of that cold weather of southern Europe. Mt. Vesuvius was covered with snow, and a little ribbon of smoke was coming out at its top. Then as we pressed farther south through some of those barren parts and saw how man has pushed forward for this world’s goods into these remote places, I thought, “How much more ought we to consider it a privilege to do so in carrying the third angel’s message!” When we arrived at Cholo, one of my first errands was to go to see one of our teachers, who, on account of sickness, had to leave his work and return to his village near the mission till he becomes stronger. The rains were late, and at such times there is much sickness. When the rains came, they were very heavy, and damaged the mission, washing away our dam, and a small brick building was blown over. As soon as the rain ceased, I started out for a month’s trip in the hills to visit our schools. I took my lantern and slides with me. Many had never seen such a thing before. At Mlabvi, I found two of our boys very sick. I made two machillas, one of a sack and another of a piece of canvas I had wrapped around my bedding, and sent the boys on them to the hospital. When I arrived at our station here, I had a long walk, as the high water had taken the ferry off, and I feared to swim the donkey across, the river being filled with crocodiles; so I walked, and had the donkey come up when the ferry was repaired. I was also called to Mbanaga, as a native there had shot away the back of his hand. I dressed the hand, and then sent the man, on a board cut from a gate, to Blantyre, sixty miles away. This man was one that went to South Africa for the large wages obtainable there, but when I went into his hut to help him, he had scarcely sufficient cloth to clothe himself, and his wife was in rags. We try to discourage the boys from going farther south, and I use this experience to illustrate that as far as this world’s goods are concerned they are better off to stay at home and help us spread the message. Our people were glad to see me back home, and came with smiles and said, “Wabwera” (You have returned). As soon as I could get things ready, I sent for my family. My wife soon came with the two children in the machilla. The children did well on the trip, and when they reached Africa they were better than when we left home. We had a special service when all arrived. In our absence the congregation had doubled itself. Two hundred and three came, and the little church was so full I scarcely had room to stand. We had the Lord’s Supper and feet washing. The people brought their offerings. I examined some of the natives who had been in our Bible classes for two years and had kept the Sabbath, and as far as we knew were loyal. I found that twenty-one were ready for baptism, and I had the privilege of baptizing them before their friends and relatives who stood about. We tried to encourage these to enter the Bible classes and be ready at another time. The school work is going on quite well. There were two new schools started in my absence, and one moved to a better site. I opened one last week. I tried to place a school in that village years ago, but permission was not granted until this last year. The resident refused some other schools, as he thought I was not returning to my old station. I have a boy out now looking up a site where I have heard they are wishing a school. Moses, who looked after the work in my absence, did all that could be expected of a native. Brother Robinson visited the station three times. Last week we were called upon to pass through another sad experience. Little James, our five-months-old baby, who was born in the States while we were on furlough, fell asleep not to awake till that day when all righteous sleepers are awakened. He is lying beside his little brother Martin on the hillside, on the other side of the stream. It seemed hard to understand why we should have succeeded in bringing him all the way and just as we got home have him taken from us. He never looked better, and we had no idea that we should lose him; but the usual trouble of teething, with fever, came on, and he must have had a weak heart. His troubles are ended, and it remains for us to press onward and prove faithful, so we can have our children in that world where sickness will be no more. He died in the evening, and the boys went at once to dig the little missionary grave. When they came back and wanted to take him, we could not part with him, so laid him on the bed till morning. Then I carried him over myself, and one of my teachers placed him in his last little bed. God is with us, and we thank him for his blessings and for another opportunity to work for him. The Church’s Mission to the World
By Alexander Duff
THE chief end for which the church ought to exist — the chief end for which individual church members ought to live — is the evangelization or conversion of the world. — Alexander Duff. Making Environment Your Servant
“To act is to make environment your servant.” In the Country Gentleman, Marion Shenard tells how she failed as a cook. She was a college educated girl, who, after teaching a few years, married a cattle rancher and went to live in his home in a Montana valley fifty miles from the railroad. Their chief summer work was the putting up of fifteen hundred tons of hay. For help they obtained through employment agencies thirty “hay diggers,” “hobos,” who starved the rest of the year, but demanded plenty of “good grub” at haying time. Her cook demanding an extravagant raise in wages, she dismissed her in a fit of independence, determined to do her own cooking, since she had had three years of domestic science instruction and was considered by her husband the “best cook in the world.” So she exerted herself to please the hungry men; for they would leave if dissatisfied with the board. But in two weeks two men quit, complaining about the food. She redoubled her efforts, yet at the end of the month three more quit. And no more men could be obtained, for the ranch had gained the reputation of “putting up bad grub.” In consequence the year’s work was a failure. The board cost a thousand dollars more than on previous years, and for lack of help much of the hay was uncut, or was spoiled by the fall rains. The loss was so heavy that the ranch had to be mortgaged to meet it. Although her husband bore his loss nobly and treated her kindly, praising her efforts and telling her she was the best cook in the world, yet she knew she had failed, failed miserably. After the first passion of her grief had subsided, she resolved to find out the cause of her failure; and we shall let her tell the rest of the story in her own words:— “The day after the hay diggers left, I started out on horseback, determined to find out why I had failed. My nearest woman neighbor lived five miles away. She was a German from the old country, and I venture to state that she knew absolutely nothing about the ‘chemistry of cooking,’ of that ‘dainty touch,’ or the ‘well-balanced diet.’ But she had cooked for hay diggers for years and never had a single ‘kick.’ “‘Laws!’ she exclaimed, as I entered her cheerful kitchen where she was making cookies, ‘you looks all tribbled out. You ain’t been sick?’” “I sat down and went right to the heart of the matter, feeling sure that she would sympathize if not help. “When I had finished reciting my troubles, she looked up from her rolling-pin. ‘Why, you poor little pride! vat did you feed dem?’” “I enumerated, not forgetting the pies and salads, the roses on the table, and the other ‘dainty touches.’” “‘Didn’t you cook potatoes every meal?’” “‘Why, no, I gave them potatoes once a day; there were plenty of other fresh vegetables.’” “‘Vell, no vonder dey kicked! Didn’t you ever gife dem beans?’” “‘I gave them baked beans once or twice.’” “‘No vonder dey kicked! Did you hafe boiled dinners real often?’” “‘Why, no, but I gave them all kinds of nice green vegetables, and biscuit, and caramel cake every night for supper, and I certainly used the eggs and butter.’” “‘My! I’d of tought you’d broke your ole man.’” “‘Well, I did. But I had to give them good food and plenty of it.’” “‘Yes, my dear, all dat looks good to you, but it don’t look like anything to a bunch of vorkin’ men. You’ve got to feed rough men rough feeds. Beans, potatoes, cabbage—dem’s my stand-bys, and I generally feeds puddin’ for dinner.’” “A great light began to dawn on my dark failure. I realized that my idea of good food was very erroneous from the standpoint of the hay digger. I played my last defensive card:— “‘I was careful to give them a well-balanced diet.’” “The old woman looked puzzled for a moment. “‘Vell-palanced, is it? Vell, mit all dey eats, it’s likely to get palanced inside of dem some vays; I’m always afraid it’ll overpalance dey stomicks, and ve’ll have to get de doctor.’” “‘Well, I see now,’ I commented, and the great joy of knowing why came to me. “‘Yes, you vas tinking you vas feeding de Ladies’ Aid or a bunch of invalids, instead of just hard-vorking men.’” “So now I understand why I failed in the ranch kitchen. Next summer I shall try again, with the brightest chances for success; for I shall plan very differently, and shall add a goodly supply of potatoes, beans, and cabbage to my menu.” The Parent-Teacher Association of the Washington Missionary College met at the home of Mrs. Law, on the afternoon of July 16. After the opening exercises, which consisted of song and prayer, Mrs. Finn led in a profitable Bible study on faith. This seemed especially applicable; for who needs to exercise faith more than parents? First of all, we need faith in God, who has promised to be our wisdom and righteousness; then, faith in one another, for parents must stand loyal to each other if their united labors for their children are to be crowned with success. Faith in their children is also necessary; for nothing withers the aspirations of children and youth more than to feel that their parents have lost faith in them. Mrs. J. L. Shaw conducted an interesting study on discipline, after which the subject was thrown open for general discussion. There were grandparents as well as parents present. Many helpful thoughts were brought out. One point that was emphasized was the importance of beginning the work of training early in life. One conscientious mother with tears in her eyes asked, “What are you going to do with a strong-willed child before he is old enough to reason?” The answer was: “He reasons long before you think he can. And by regularity of the daily activities, such as eating, sleeping, and dressing, you can establish habits of obedience. By the laws of association the infant can be taught to expect certain events at stated intervals.” “The work of the mother begins with the babe in her arms. She should subdue the will and temper of her child, and bring it into subjection, and teach it to obey.” Mrs. Shaw’s study on discipline will appear in this department later. A similar meeting was held by the ladies of the Takoma Park church, July 22. The principal topics at this meeting were: “Vegetable Canning,” by Mrs. A. J. S. Bourdeau, and “How to Spend Sabbath Afternoon With Our Children,” led by Mrs. E. R. Palmer. Mrs. Bourdeau said any one could obtain a bulletin giving full instructions regarding vegetable canning by addressing the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., and asking for Farmers’ Bulletin No. 203. “How to Spend Sabbath Afternoon With Our Children” was presented in a practical manner, and called forth a very interesting and profitable discussion. Amid the cares of life and the pressure of business, parents spend too little time with their children. There is a growing carelessness among all classes in regard to the sacred hours of the Sabbath, and we need to have our minds often stirred up by way of remembrance. This study will also appear in this department at an early date. THIS world's a pretty good sort of world,
Taking it altogether,
In spite of the grief and sorrow we meet,
In spite of the gloomy weather.
There are friends to love, and hopes to cheer,
And plenty of compensation
For every ache, for those who make
The best of the situation. There are quiet nooks for lovers of books,
With nature in happy union;
There are cool retreats from the noontide heats,
Where souls may have sweet communion;
And if there's a spot where the sun shines not,
There's always a lamp to light it;
And if there's a wrong, we know erelong
That Heaven above will right it. So it's not for us to make a fuss
Because of life's sad mischances,
Nor to wear ourselves out to bring about
A change in our circumstances;
For the world's a pretty good sort of world,
And He to whom we are debtor
Appoints our place and supplies the grace
To help us make it better.
—Selected. Home Life Department
By Mrs. C. C. Lewis
Conducted by Mrs. C. C. Lewis, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. Through the columns of this department, hints will be given on all matters pertaining to the home life. Short articles and letters are solicited from home makers, telling of their everyday experiences,—their joys and sorrows, their failures and successes. True Motherhood
By MRS. C. M. SNOW
HAPPY the lot of the child who finds perfect confidence and enjoyable companionship in mother's society. And happy the lot and prospect of the mother who brings about such a blessed relationship. Her example and teaching will, more than any other influence, mold the character of the one so dear to her. There is no stronger force than love, and example is that force in action. By beholding we become changed. See 2 Cor. 3:18. The story is told that in the market place of an Italian city a beautiful statue once stood. It was the statue of a Greek slave girl, representing the slave as tidy and well-dressed. A ragged, uncombed little street child, while at play one day, discovered the statue. She stopped and gazed in admiration. She was captivated by its beauty, and looked long and lovingly. Moved by a sudden impulse, she went home and washed her face and combed her hair. Another day she sought out the statue, and stood before it in admiring silence. A new idea came to her. Her own tattered garments were washed and carefully mended next day. Each time she looked at the statue she found in its beautiful purity something to admire and to copy. And thus she became a transformed child. You have heard of the peasant boy whose cottage door faced the mountain side on which a face was outlined on the granite wall in majestic proportions. The legend had come down the ages that some day a ruler would come to them with features like the face upon the mountain side. The gentle-minded youth sat often upon the doorsill, gazing in quiet thought upon the face. Day after day, for years, he sat thus. Then, lo, his own face had grown into a likeness of that graven in the rock! The lesson is plain. The mother must be what she wants her child to be. No pretensions will count. The child is quick to detect the false from the true, and many a child has learned deception from his mother's unconscious example. The mother must possess in truth and actuality the qualities which she wishes to develop in her children. Memory turns backward to youth-time days. A hallowed presence graced our home. Even in youth's thoughtless days, she was prized as the greatest gift that a kind Father could have bestowed on us. Early left a widow, when the land was darkened with the thunder clouds of war, it was no easy task for our mother to support her large family of children. Herself frail, she had, unaided, cared for her husband during his long illness, for her oldest son and her son-in-law were in their country's service. Yet never once did a murmur escape her lips. She had the happiness of a contented spirit. She possessed the calm rapture of being able to accept life's crosses without bitterness, greeting each new day with cheer, believing in the Father's house at the end of the road, and in his rewarding smile. This was our mother's beatitude. She gained her strength at the Saviour's feet, and in the many comforting, beautiful texts repeated at our twilight devotions, and the inspiring hymns that were our lullabies. Can we forget them? Did we not recognize in our infancy that they were no mere form, but her life, her love? “O sweet, calm face that seemed to wear
The look of sins forgiven!
O voice of prayer that seemed to bear
Our own needs up to heaven! “How reverent in our midst she stood,
Or knelt in grateful praise!
What grace of Christian womanhood
Was in her household ways! “For still her holy living meant
No duty left undone;
The heavenly and the human blent
Their kindred loves in one. “And if her life small leisure found
For feasting ear and eye,
And Pleasure, on her daily round,
She passed unpausing by, “Yet with her went a secret sense
Of all things sweet and fair,
And Beauty's gracious providence
Refreshed her unaware. “She kept her line of rectitude
With love's unconscious ease;
Her kindly instincts understood
All gentle courtesies. “An inborn charm of graciousness
Made sweet her smile and tone,
And glorified her farm-wife dress
With beauty not its own. “The dear Lord's best interpreters
Are humble human souls; The gospel of a life like hers
Is more than books or scrolls. “From scheme and creed the light goes out,
The saintly fact survives;
The blessed Master none can doubt
Revealed in holy lives.” The Funny Page
By MRS. D. A. FITCH
Many a child in many a family, and in some Seventh-day Adventist families, is being irreparably injured in his morals by attention to the “funny page” of certain papers. Too much well-directed effort cannot be put forth to discourage this practice. One mother told me that she foregoes the privilege of reading the newspapers because her little daughter is so fond of the “funny paper.” Wise mother! But who can say it would not be wiser to insist on immediately burning this one page, rather than to permit the child to rule the household to this degree? The caretaker of a boy objected to his studying this piece of falderal. Insistence on his part necessitated an appeal to his mother, who decided thus: “Not if you have to buy it; otherwise you may read it.” A youth of high school age, a member of the church, whose mother is sure her boy has no love for such trash, may be seen in the public library intently studying this emanation from the depths. Parents, one and all, let us do all in our power to furnish our children with that which will be a blessing, rather than a curse; for very soon we must meet them in the judgment. Shall we be willing then to meet their accusations against us? Shall we not see to it that the past is forgiven, our steps retraced, and a work wrought in our homes that shall insure to us and our children a residence where naught but purity reigns? “When parents and children meet at the final reckoning, what a scene will be presented! Thousands of children who have been slaves to appetite and debasing vice, whose lives are moral wrecks, will stand face to face with the parents who have made them what they are. Who but the parents must bear this fearful responsibility? “Did the Lord make these youth corrupt? O, no! Who, then, has done this fearful work? Were not the sins of the parents transmitted to the children in perverted appetites and passions? and was not the work completed by those who neglected to train them according to the pattern which God has given? Just as surely as they exist, all these parents will pass in review before God.”—“Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene,” page 76. Housekeeping and Home Making
SOME women are so busy housekeeping they have no time for home making. The Alberta Camp Meeting and Conference
By O. A. Olsen
THIS meeting was held at Red Deer, June 18-28, near the place where this conference was first organized eight years ago. Since then the work has grown from six churches, with a membership of 182, to eighteen churches, with a membership of 607. Besides these they report 418 believers who have not as yet united with a church in the province, a very encouraging growth indeed. Forty-five family tents, four meeting tents, two dining tents, and a book tent, fifty-two in all, composed the camp, with three hundred of our people in attendance. Meetings were conducted in four different languages, in English, German, Scandinavian, and Russian. Two churches were added to the conference, — one Scandinavian, with a membership of ten, the other with nineteen members, composed of Germans, Poles, Esthonians, Russians, and Norwegians — a polyglot church, indeed. We find many nationalities represented in the Canadian provinces, and we are glad to see the knowledge of the truth spreading among them. However, we found urgent calls for laborers in various tongues. An excellent interest was manifested in all the various branches of work in the conference. The business proceedings were most cordial and harmonious. The different speakers enjoyed much freedom, and there was a hearty response to the word spoken. A change was made in the presidency of the conference. Elder C. A. Burman has occupied this position since the conference was organized, and the work has prospered under his careful administration; but he felt that the time had come when a change would be for the best, and Elder H. Humann was unanimously elected. Elder Burman has had several calls from other conferences, and will, no doubt, accept one of these in the near future. The last Sabbath of the meeting was a refreshing season. The Spirit of the Lord was present in a marked degree in all the meetings. A goodly number took their first decided stand for the service of God, and all were greatly blessed and encouraged. In the afternoon, after some remarks had been made on the high calling and the responsibility of the Christian ministry, Brother L. Halsvick, a Scandinavian, who has labored for some time in the conference, was ordained to the gospel ministry. It was a precious season. After this thirteen persons followed their Lord in the ordinance of baptism, while as many others will be baptized in their home churches. Thus ended this blessed Sabbath. The laborers participating in the camp meeting aside from those belonging to the union were, Elder J. Riffel, Profs. M. S. Reppe and E. C. Kellogg, and the writer. On our way to this meeting we stopped overnight at the Alberta Industrial Academy at Lacombe. This was our first visit to the academy. From all that we could learn, the school is very prosperous and is doing good work. The Lord has greatly blessed Professor Beardsley and those associated with him in the building up of this school. Alberta is a promising field. With the blessing of God and with faithful labor, it must become a strong conference; the situation as a whole is most favorable. Now is the time to push the work with all energy. May the blessing of the Lord continue with the work in this field in a very marked manner till all is finished. Massachusetts
By H. C. HARTWELL
THE Massachusetts Conference stands for what was known for many years as the New England Conference. In a pamphlet dated 1871, in the possession of the writer, there is given a report of the organization of the New England Conference in the year 1870. At that time the conference had “two ministers, one licentiate, fourteen churches comprising two hundred and eighty-two members,” and “Systematic Benevolent pledges” for the year amounted to $2,052.80. Elder S. N. Haskell was elected the first president of the conference; and its territory in the early days consisted of the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and of Long Island and New York City. Since then it has been divided, and its different States have been organized into separate conferences, so that now the territory which contains the original headquarters at South Lancaster is the conference comprising the State of Massachusetts only. The last division of territory occurred in 1909, when New Hampshire was set off, leaving the membership of the Massachusetts Conference 1,019. Four years later, in 1913, its membership had increased to 1,282. The tithe for the State in 1909 was $17,282. Four years and later, the year ending the thirty-first of last December, the tithe was $28,101, which shows an increase of $10,819 in the annual tithe within the space of four years, or about sixty-two per cent. From sixty to seventy-five per cent of its nearly 3,500,000 population are foreigners, and it is probably under a greater degree of Catholic domination and influence than almost any other State in so-called Protestant America. Its politics and newspapers evidently are controlled by Catholics to a large extent. It has a Catholic governor; Boston has a Catholic mayor, and this is true of many of the larger cities. Such conditions, which are continually becoming more and more marked, make the work of spreading the truth more difficult and perplexing. We have felt a burden for the various foreign nationalities, and at the present time, in addition to the English work, we are laboring in behalf of the Swedish, German, French, Portuguese, and Hebrew nationalities. Last month the writer buried five candidates in baptism, all of them Portuguese in the city of Taunton. There are now fourteen Portuguese believers in this city, and so far as we know this is the first work that has been done for this people in the United States. The work among these different languages goes slower than among the English-speaking people, but we find that those who do take hold of the truth make faithful, loyal Sabbath keepers, paying good tithes and offerings. Our annual camp meeting, which ended recently, was held in Boston, and was one of the largest of any in our history. It was beautifully and centrally located on Commonwealth Avenue within a mile or so of the Boston library. Profs. J. L. Shaw and M. E. Kern, of Washington, the Atlantic Union Conference ministers, and other visiting brethren contributed toward making the meeting especially interesting and profitable. Twenty-seven were baptized the last Sunday of the meeting. Seven tent companies are now in the field,—two in Greater Boston, one of which is being conducted by Elder F. C. Gilbert in Cambridge, the other by Elder A. V. Cotton in Malden; one in Lowell by Elder J. K. Jones; one in Westboro by Elder W. R. Uchtmann; one in Holyoke by Brother W. W. Rice; one in Worcester for the Swedish people by Elder C. Meleen; and one in Lawrence for the Germans by Elder J. G. Hanhardt. We regret the falling off in our mission offerings throughout the country, and are making definite plans for bringing our offerings from this field up to the standard. Our people generally are characterized by the old New England loyalty to the message, and the outlook for the work in Massachusetts in all departments is encouraging. West Philadelphia
By J. S. WASHBURN
WE began our tent meetings in West Philadelphia, Sunday, July 19, with the largest attendance for the opening night and with the best interest I have ever known in all my experience since I began holding tent meetings in Iowa thirty years ago. Our large tent was packed, and a great number stood on the outside. The interest manifested was really remarkable. We are situated in the heart of West Philadelphia, in one of the best and most accessible sections of middle-class people I have ever seen in any large city in this country or in England. We have the help in this campaign of a large choir of thirty voices from the West Philadelphia church, which enables us to hold quite an excellent song service. This has been a great help in attracting and holding the attention of the people. The Monday night service was also a remarkable one for attendance and interest, the largest Monday night attendance I think I ever remember. Our tent is brilliantly lighted with electric lights, and the street car facilities15 for reaching the tent are good. The cordial and sympathetic support of the West Philadelphia church is very encouraging. It would seem that a new era is opening for the work in this great city, the second of the large cities of the East, and one specially mentioned by the spirit of prophecy as among those to which the work of God should return in power when the time should come in the providence of God for the message to turn again to the East. I believe that an abundance of appropriate music is an important part of our work, that the singing of real advent hymns with the spirit and understanding, and short, pointed sermons, will attract and hold the attention of the people. Brother Harvey G. Gauker, of Mount Vernon, Ohio, renders efficient assistance in the tent work. Sister Laura Poch is having an excellent interest in the Bible work. We are of good courage, and hope to see greater results this summer in our work in Philadelphia than we have seen in any previous experience. The outlook in this conference is very encouraging for the giving of the message. The Spirit of God has gone out to the homes of the people, and they are inquiring for the truth that will save their souls. The canvassing work has made advancement, and as the faithful colporteurs have gone from door to door leaving the printed page, the hearts of the people have been stirred as they have read the books; and then they desire a minister to come and teach them from the pulpit. Thus calls are being received from all parts of the conference for meetings to be held; but as our working force is small, we are compelled to let many of them wait. It seems cruel to put them off for months when they say, “Can’t you spare one minister for this needy place?” Our work is progressing in the city of Louisville, where Elder R. S. Lindsay has charge of the work among the white people, and Elder J. H. Lawrence oversight of that among the colored people. Both churches are growing rapidly. Thirty persons have been baptized during the past five months. We have two tent meetings in progress at present, with attendance running from three hundred and fifty to seven hundred each night at both tents. Truly God is moving upon the hearts of men to hear the truth for this time. We have also opened up work in Covington, where Brethren W. H. White and O. A. Dow are holding a tent effort. Several in that city have decided to obey the truth. Our work has also spread out to the hills and mountains of Kentucky. We now have believers located in all parts of the section where the outlaws have been operating. I made a trip recently on mule back and on foot across five counties where there are no railroads. On this trip, I found the people anxious to hear the truth. Brother and Sister Dow had been laboring in this section, and at one place we organized a church of nineteen members. These people love the truth, and will sacrifice to help forward the message; but they are very poor, and it is a common thing for their children to go barefooted all winter. So we can expect only a small amount of help from them, as there is no way for them to earn money. There are many thousands of this class, yet we feel that their souls are precious in God’s sight. We have companies of believers where other denominations have tried to build up work and have failed. They ask how we are able to hold our companies together. The only answer is, The truth holds them. I was indeed glad to be able to add twenty-nine persons to the church on my trip through the hills. People would come for miles to attend the meetings we held. From all over the hill country the cry is coming, “Send some one to teach us.” Only the Lord knows how we are to reach all these people with a limited amount of means and few men; yet we are thankful that he does go before us, and that during the past five months ninety-five have accepted the truth; and of this number, seventy-five have been added to the church. Twenty are awaiting baptism at this writing. We have a large field for missionary effort. Many of our brethren could do self-supporting work in this part of the State by selling our message-filled books, and thus hasten the finishing of God’s work. An Interesting Experience
By I. A. FORD.
The following interesting experience was related by one of our brethren at the Allentown, Pa., camp meeting, illustrating the influence of our publications:— One of our brethren living in east Pennsylvania had been sending the Liberty magazine to the prosecuting attorney at his place for a year or more. One day his neighbor, who had become incensed because our brother persisted in working on his farm on Sunday, went to the prosecuting attorney to make complaint and secure his arrest. The attorney listened to him respectfully until he had finished, when the following conversation, in substance, took place:— Attorney: “Does this man do other bad things besides working on Sunday?” Neighbor: “No, I do not know of anything else that he does that is bad.” Attorney: “Do you consider him an honest man?” Neighbor: “O, yes; I think he is.” Attorney: “Is he a good neighbor?” Neighbor: “Yes, very good.” Attorney: “Then working on his farm on Sunday is the only bad thing that you know of that he does?” Neighbor: “Yes, as far as I know, that is the only thing.” Attorney: “Is he a Christian?” Attorney: “Are you a Christian?” Neighbor: (Some hesitation) “Yes, I am a member of the — church.” Attorney: “Well, if this man is honest, a good neighbor, and a Christian, and you are a Christian, why do you wish to have him arrested?” Neighbor: “Because he is breaking the Sabbath, and the law says that he should observe it.” Attorney: “Do you know of any others who are working on Sunday?” Neighbor: “Well, I haven’t thought much about that.” Attorney: “Do you know the milk condensery plant runs every Sunday?” Attorney: “Do you carry your milk to the condensery on Sunday morning?” Attorney: “Well, wouldn’t you like to have me arrest you for working on Sunday?” Attorney: “Does a man have to work all day on Sunday in order to break the law?” Attorney: “Now, Mr. —, I think you are in poor business trying to get an honest man, a Christian, arrested for doing honest labor on his farm, and if you would go and do likewise instead of trying to get him arrested, you would be a better Christian. I do not believe in the old blue laws which you are trying to enforce, and I shall not have this man arrested for doing honest work.” The neighbor went home somewhat chagrined, having been taught a good lesson by an attorney who made no profession of Christianity, but who had become enlightened regarding the principles of true religious and civil liberty through reading the Liberty magazine. Evidently the neighbor profited by this interview, for when our brother called on him last fall with the Harvest Ingathering REVIEW, and explained our plan of raising funds for missions, he gave him one dollar. Doubtless others might profit from this experience by sending the Liberty magazine to their county officials, thus giving them an opportunity of becoming familiar with this most important subject. Kuala Lumpur, Malay States
By A. R. DUCKWORTH
It is a little over two years since the third angel’s message was heralded here in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the Federated Malay States. Progress has been slow, but sure. This is necessarily so for several reasons. With only one or two exceptions, there is no work obtainable where one is exempt from working on the Sabbath. Believers of the message seek employment elsewhere; if unsuccessful, their only alternative is to return to their native country. Last year two were baptized by Elder Detamore, and three are awaiting baptism on his return from America. There are evidences of the Spirit’s working upon the hearts of others, who I hope will surrender before the end of the year. Tracts, papers, books, etc., silent messengers of mercy and love, have found their way to many homes and are doing their work. They are not only read here, but are forwarded from state to state, and even to distant countries. We have need of workers in the several languages spoken, Chinese, Tamil, Malay, etc. “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.” Baptisms at Plateria Indian Mission
SEVENTY-ONE Indians were recently baptized at our Indian Mission at Plateria, making the membership there nearly one hundred and eighty. Many more were desirous of being baptized, and as far as we know were quite prepared, but were unable to be present at the baptismal service. There are one hundred and seventy-five members in the Lake Titicaca mission.