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City Work in California

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 25, 1910

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 87, No. 34.

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City Work in California

By Stephen N. Haskell

THE cities have ever been Satan’s stronghold, where he has held more absolute sway than in any other portion of the earth. He has multiplied cities, and through this means has greatly strengthened his power. If time should continue, Satan would join city to city until the whole earth would be covered with cities; but God will destroy him, and he will never “fill the face of the world with cities.” Isa. 14:12-21.
The cities in our conference are not the largest in the world, but I think we can truthfully say that San Francisco will rank first in crime and wickedness. It has been my privilege to labor in some of the largest cities in the world; but I can truthfully say that I do not think there is any city where Satan has a greater variety of exciting amusements of all grades, to destroy souls, than in San Francisco. Since the earthquake, vice has increased at a tremendous rate. On special holidays Market Street, the main street in the city is cleared at ten o’clock at night for a dance floor, and the masses join in dancing in the street until a late hour.
It has been quite a problem to know how to reach the people of San Francisco. It is needless to try to draw the people to the truth by attractions and display; for it is impossible to compete with the devil in these lines.
Two years ago we put some of our best speakers in San Francisco, and they conducted several tent efforts; but while some were reached, the results were not what we had hoped. This year we had no ministers of long experience who were available for the work in San Francisco, so we concluded to try a different plan. We have thought that the lesson given to Elijah applies to our work in these wicked cities, where the devil seems to rule almost supreme. The Lord was not in the wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire; but in the “still small voice.” The people in these cities are accustomed to noise and excitement; but the “still small voice,” as manifested in quiet Christian workers, will arrest their attention.
Two of our young ministers, one lately ordained and the other only a licentiate, with a brother and a sister, began working with tracts in the Sunset District of San Francisco. They loaned a package of tracts for one week, and then exchanged it for a second package, continuing the work for several weeks. They also canvassed the same territory for several of our magazines and books, going over and over the territory until they found interested readers. Then they rented a new store building in the center of the neighborhood, and began a series of meetings, using charts and stereopticon to illustrate the subjects. In a few weeks eight or nine began to keep the Sabbath, and others were greatly interested; but after the Sabbath was presented, the audience diminished. They continued a few meetings weekly with the interested ones, but began working with the tract packages in a section only twelve blocks from where their first meetings were held; and as soon as they had done house-to-house work enough to find interested readers, they rented another commodious storeroom, and began another series of meetings, at the same time continuing to do faithful house-to-house work. The brother and sister who were helping remained and gave the most of their attention to the first district worked, and the two young ministers worked the district between the first and second halls. They have now more interested families than all four of them can attend to, and a good, attentive audience every night in the hall. The second hall is near enough so those who remained interested throughout the first series of meetings, but did not decide to obey, can attend the second series of meetings. These young ministers are trying Paul’s plan of daily in the temple, and in every house, ceasing not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
When a minister will teach daily in every house, as well as preach in the temple, souls will be gathered now as in Paul’s time. We have not used tents this year in San Francisco; for, on account of the prevailing winds, the tents have to be protected by strong windbreaks. This makes them expensive; and owing to the rough element, the tent can never be left alone at any time, day or night. We find that by renting a storeroom which is in good condition, we can make it look more attractive inside than a tent, and the show windows afford a fine place for advertising subjects, and also giving a display of our books and magazines. The hall can be locked during the day, leaving all the company free to engage in house-to-house work.
In the western division of the city, a few miles from the Sunset District, two young ministers and their wives have begun work. This district is mostly Catholic, with a large foreign element. They began working with packages of tracts, and selling papers, the same as the other company; and after a few weeks of faithful house-to-house work, secured a commodious storeroom and began meetings. They are having a good interest. The sisters are conducting children’s meetings, and in both companies they have conducted a cooking-school in the afternoon, and also held health and temperance meetings.
Another of our licentiate ministers has been working in the vicinity of the church in San Francisco. He is a faithful house-to-house worker, and has had a good attendance at the Sunday evening meetings held in the church. We are hoping to be able to place other companies of workers in San Francisco after our general camp-meeting. We believe that if we only had sufficient workers, who were willing to work as Christ and the apostles worked, we could soon search for jewels in every house in that city.
We have also tried to do what we could to encourage the sale of our different ten-cent magazines in all the cities in our conference. During the first six months of this year 94,935 copies of our magazines, at a retail value of $9,413.30, have been sold in the cities; but this is only a tithe of what should be done.
About two years ago we opened a school for the Japanese. In order toreach the better class of Japanese, we rented a house in a respectable part of Oakland, and advertised the school, charging $2.50 a month tuition. Classes are conducted afternoons and evenings. Our teachers were new in the work, and the students strong Buddhists, and for a time we did not see much fruit. But the Lord never fails to reward faithful, unselfish labor, and we now have two fine, intelligent young Japanese laboring for their own people. They are selling literature and holding Bible readings. Another young man has begun to keep the Sabbath, and expects to be baptized soon; while a fourth has made up his mind to enter one of our schools this winter, and fit himself for the work. All four of these young men are intelligent Japanese, who, if fully consecrated, will make valuable workers.
Our Japanese school is well known among the Japanese of Oakland, and has a good reputation. While teaching the Japanese to read English, God-fearing teachers teach them of God and his Word. Many of the young men have become interested in the Bible, who knew nothing of God before attending the school.
If we only had teachers of mature years who would enter this work, several such schools could be conducted in the Bay cities.
When we see the vast amount of work to be done, and so few who realize the importance of hastening the work, we long to do much more than we are able to. It is a wonderful privilege to have a part in this closing work, and I thank God for the opportunity of working for him.
S. N. HASKELL.