A Work for Our Sisters by IZA E. CLEMENT

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 13, 1910

A Work for Our Sisters

By IZA E. CLEMENT

IZA E. CLEMENT

In places where there is a large church, and the community has been well warned, there seems little or nothing that our sisters who can not get far from home can do. Again, there are those who have home duties, or poor health, and who can not engage in active missionary work outside of their own homes. But there is a work that even these can do,—a work that will lift the load from many a weary worker’s heart, and send rays of light to many a darkened soul, and at the same time be a blessing to those who engage in it, by providing them with an opportunity to have a part in giving the last message of mercy to a dying world. This work used to be followed in all our missionary societies and a good many homes; but of late it seems to have lost its prestige—never its power—as a means of advancing the truth.

There was a time when the members of all our churches subscribed for several copies of our missionary papers. Then the missionary society spent one evening of the week in wrapping and addressing them. The people at home considered every copy of their papers too sacred for common use. After reading them, they were sent to some worker mentioned in the “Publications Wanted” list of the REVIEW. Reports were received from these workers, which were read in the missionary meeting. Why is it not so now? In olden days we workers went to the delivery department of the post-office to receive packages, or to the freight office to get boxes, of papers sent by our loyal helpers in the North. How different now!

A year ago I requested papers in the REVIEW, and received four copies of the Signs, and two of the REVIEW in answer to my call. I advertised again several weeks ago, and thus far have received seven copies of the Signs. What is the matter? The Testimonies tell us that “our literature should be scattered as the autumn leaves.” How is it to be done? We are in the field; but our salaries are not large enough to enable

us to provide the necessary free literature to carry on the work. Will you not return to this good old-time custom, and help us? We shall be more than glad to scatter this literature if you will only furnish it.

Perhaps some may think that the more recent work of selling papers fills this want; but it does not. There is need of free literature, especially in the South, where the people are not only poor but prejudiced; and it takes a free copy of some of our papers to convince them of the merits of our literature and work, before they will listen to us or buy from us. Any one, even an invalid, can do this work, and it is as necessary, as great in its results, and as sure of its reward as the going of the greatest missionary to the farthest foreign field. My dear sisters, will you send us your papers?

Griffin, Ga.