p. 17 | Into the Byways by Henry F. Brown

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 7, 1916

“Into the Byways”

By Henry F. Brown

Recently, while on the steamer coming to my field of labor in Central America, the prophecy of the famine “not of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord,” came forcefully to my mind. Our vessel is the first that has come down the Pacific coast of Mexico for several weeks, and it carried considerable mail.

As we entered the harbor of Acapulco, Mexico, we found an American man-of-war in the harbor.

As soon as possible after the official visits were over, the launch from the war vessel came up alongside, in charge of a petty officer. He made known the nature of his visit at once. They had run out of envelopes on the war vessel, and had none to use in their correspondence with the home folks. While he was arranging with the purser about this matter, the seamen on the launch asked if there were no papers or reading matter of any kind that they could have.

Some of the crew hunted up a dozen or more magazines and a newspaper almost two weeks old. These were eagerly seized, and the pilot hurried them beneath his seat, explaining that if the officer got hold of them, they would not see them till he was through with them. The newspaper was the center of attraction, as it was the latest they had seen. The officer soon came back, bringing a big supply of old magazines and newspapers, which he carried with the care he would have given to official documents. As the launch left, he was sitting in the stern reading.

The officer who had supplied the literature explained that this was the way on every trip. He said that as he was gathering up the reading matter, the petty officer had asked what was the latest paper he had. On being told, he begged that he might take it with him. The emphasis that was placed in the “Much obliged to you, sir,” showed the appreciation. The boat was scoured for papers of every description, to furnish something to occupy the minds of three hundred sailors. How sorry I was that I did not have two hundred of our magazines to give them! But the opportunity is not yet past. These men will be just as hungry for literature next time they meet a boat.

So many of our people after reading our literature lay it away in the attic as too good to burn, but regard it as a nuisance about the place. In some of our homes there may be many papers that could be sent to needy places if a sufficient interest were aroused to wrap and mail them. These papers could be sent to the companies whose boats make long voyages, as they all have opportunity of disposing of reading matter advantageously. Or it might be sent directly to a war vessel whose whereabouts can be learned from the postmaster. Thus many who have not an active part in mission work can partake of its spirit and of its reward by mailing papers.

HENRY F. BROWN.