Some First Steps in Church Missionary Work
By A. J. S. B.
I—Attend the October 22 Service
If possible, get the inspiration of the fourth-Sabbath missionary service, which will be held in your church on Sabbath, October 22. Listen attentively, and if invited, take an active part in the same. II—Secure Booklet of Instruction
Two interesting booklets containing instructions for home workers have recently been issued by the Review and Herald and the Pacific Press. These will be supplied free by your conference tract society. They contain descriptive lists of all supplies needed by our church workers, as follows:—- Home workers’ books.
- Dedicated books.
- Trade books.
- Pamphlets.
- Tracts.
- Periodicals.
- Ten-cent magazines.
Connected with these descriptions will be found selling points, brief canvasses, and appropriate hints as to best methods of approaching people with each class of literature. A separate canvass is also given for each of the ten-cent magazines. III—Systematic Tract Distribution
The promiscuous distribution of leaflets and tracts has been the means of converting many souls. May we not hope for the return of the old-time habit of filling our pockets and hand-bags with little truth-filled messengers, for distribution in public places as opportunity may afford? Missionary correspondence has proved to be the best vehicle for the systematic distribution of tracts through individual effort. In almost every church among us one or more members can be found who were converted through the reading of some of our tracts. Not long ago the writer made inquiry of over one thousand Seventh-day Adventists as to how they had accepted the message. Of the 1,080 replies received, forty-seven persons stated that they had become Seventh-day Adventists through reading of a tract. The tract “Elihu on the Sabbath,” had carried the light to six of these. “Scripture References,” “Which Day Do You Keep and Why?” “Heralds of His Coming,” “How the Sabbath Came to Me,” “Who Changed the Sabbath?” “Sunday Not the Sabbath,” etc., were mentioned as being directly responsible for the conversion of others. Thus our tracts led one out of every twenty-three of these 1,080 persons to become Seventh-day Adventists. Distribution of Packages.—Perhaps the most successful plan of distributing our tracts is for an entire church to unite in repeatedly visiting each home in the city or town with an envelope package. The plan followed is much the same as that used in the distribution of the “Family Bible Teacher” series of Bible readings, which has proved so successful in winning souls. Suitable envelopes have been prepared by our publishing houses, on the front of which is a neatly printed explanation, inviting careful attention to the contents. These envelopes, together with suggestive lists of tracts appropriate for each package, may be obtained from the tract society of each conference at an expense of not over fifty cents a hundred, post-paid. Arrangement of Packages.—For an effort covering seven consecutive visits to the homes of the people, we would suggest that the packages be prepared in harmony with the best method of presenting the truth. The first package might contain a tract on the inspiration of the Bible, another on conversion, a third on temperance, and perhaps two or more on other subjects not likely to arouse the prejudice of the prospective reader. Not less than three nor more than five tracts should be included in one package. In the packages which follow, the subjects of the second coming of Christ, the home of the saved, the signs of our times, the perpetuity of God’s law, and others of a general nature may be followed up by others discussing plainly the great questions of religious liberty, life and immortality, the great threefold message, the Sabbath of the Bible, etc., until our entire belief has been presented. Some succeed very well in selling these packages for five and ten cents each. For hygienic reasons it is not advisable to ask for the return of packages previously loaned. Sabbath afternoons and Sundays afford excellent opportunity to do this kind of missionary work. On Sundays especially those not of our belief are likely to have their thoughts directed to religious subjects, and, having more leisure, will be more inclined to read. Special rates are offered by your conference tract society to churches ordering tracts in large quantities. Study carefully the tract lists found in the booklets of instructions for home workers. In this way you can group your own packages as you may see fit. What One Little Tract Accomplished.—Some time ago a lady not of our faith became somewhat disturbed on the Sabbath question, and went to a prominent member of her church for help. The gentleman said that he did not then have the time to sit down and talk it over with her, but would send her something to read on the subject. Soon after, as he was passing through a railroad station,21he saw a reading-rack that our people had placed there. In it he saw a tract entitled “Seven Reasons for Sunday Keeping.” Thinking this was just what he had been wanting, he eagerly took it from the rack, and without waiting to read it himself, mailed it to the lady. The reading of this tract resulted in her becoming an active member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is but one of scores of similar cases in which one little tract has brought a soul into the truth. IV—A Club of Missionary Periodicals
The next logical step in missionary endeavor is the organizing and financing of a reasonably large club of missionary periodicals. All members desiring to subscribe for five or more copies of the Signs of the Times weekly or the Gospel Sentinel may receive the papers at their homes. Those unable to pay for as many as five copies of either of these periodicals may unite with the other members in ordering a large church club. In this case the papers are addressed to the church missionary secretary, who distributes them weekly to the members, according to the number each has pledged to pay for. Signs of the Times.—The full price of this paper is $1.75 a year for fifty numbers. To those taking five copies, and to members of the large church club, the price is only $1.25 a year, or 2½ cents a copy each week. That is to say, ten copies will cost 25 cents a week, or $1 for every month of four weeks. The Present Truth Series of twenty-five special numbers, to be issued beginning with November 1, affords a rare opportunity to present the whole third angel’s message to unsaved relatives, friends, and neighbors at a cost of only sixty-five cents for the entire series. For particulars, and chart showing the contents of each number, see page 22 of REVIEW of September 29, or apply to your church missionary secretary for full information. A careful examination of the large chart (prepared to be hung up in our church vestibules and other institutions), with its striking cartoon and complete list of articles, will amply repay one for the time spent in perusing the same. The Gospel Sentinel.—The regular subscription price of this weekly eight-page paper is seventy-five cents. To those taking five or more copies, the price is only thirty cents a year, or less than one cent a copy each week. The cost of one hundred copies for three months is only $9.50. Financing a Club.—Beginning with Jan. 1, 1910, the following financial policy (see pages 21, 22, Home Missionary Leaflet, No. 3) was recommended:—- That lay members pay cash for supplies.
- That church tract societies and companies settle monthly for all supplies.
- That agents for periodicals accompany their orders with cash.
- That conference tract societies settle monthly for supplies secured from the publishing houses.
- That publishing houses settle accounts among themselves monthly.
It will be seen that upon the cash payment by each individual depends the entire system, as recommended by the General Conference Committee and members of the Missionary and Publishing Department. For the church-member to fail to pay promptly, means that the church tract society must also fail to settle with the conference tract society monthly, which society, in turn, is thereby prevented from making its monthly settlement with the publishing houses. In view of this arrangement, it is advised that all periodical clubs be paid for by the members in advance. Once formed, the habit of paying in advance is much more satisfactory than the opposite one. If the money is on hand, the missionary secretary may order the club for three months, and collect every fourth week from the members, a very satisfactory method. Or, the club may be ordered one month at a time. It is astonishing to note how small an effort on the part of each member is required to finance a large church club of any of our missionary periodicals. We have seen a small church of one hundred fifty members subscribe quickly for eight hundred copies of the Signs of the Times. One brother in the audience arose, and said he would esteem it a privilege to invest $1 a week in the church club during the six months in which the special articles were to appear. He thus became responsible for forty copies. Several then pledged for twenty copies each, more still for fifteen, and a larger number for ten or five copies. At the club rate of thirty cents a year, it is easy to see that a large number of the Gospel Sentinel can also be paid for by those who are willing to invest only a small portion of their earnings in this kind of missionary work. In another church the Missionary Volunteers ordered a club of nearly six hundred Signs, the adults taking in addition five hundred copies,—a total of over one thousand copies for the entire church. In case of unavoidable delays on the part of members who are unable to pay promptly, and to supply the needy poor with missionary papers, the church missionary secretary may properly draw upon the funds received from the fourth-Sabbath church missionary service collection. Care should be taken, however, to conserve as much of these funds as possible for use in advance missionary work of a progressive character, such as special campaigns, etc. Soul-Saving Periodicals.—Following are some brief extracts from letters recently received, showing in a measure the blessed work accomplished each week by our soul-winning periodicals:— From a brother in Colorado:—
“The Lord is wonderfully blessing the work in this place. Three more are now keeping the Sabbath as a result of reading the Signs. This morning another woman expressed a desire to have Bible readings. Already ten persons have accepted the truth as a result of reading the Home Bible Study Series of the Signs. I give God all the glory.” From a member of the—Church:—
“I began reading your valuable paper about one year ago, and must say that it is by far the best paper for the home I have ever seen. You teach the Bible just as it is, in a simple, attractive way. I am at present a member of the—Church, but can not agree, however, with all its teachings. I am thoroughly convinced that the Adventists teach the truth according to the Scriptures, and therefore are the remnant church spoken of in prophecy. My intention is to do what God wants me to do during my short stay here; and now as I have some of the Lord’s talents, the first-fruits of my increase for the month, I do not think I could do better with it than to subscribe for the Signs of the Times to the following persons. [Here followed the names and addresses of six persons to whom he wished to have the Signs sent.] Please mail it to them for a period of six months. Enclosed find post-office money-order for same.” From a successful conference missionary secretary:—
“Regarding the Signs of the Times, I am intensely interested in this proposition. I might state that it was a Bible worker who first introduced the message to our home in Canada through the Signs of the Times some thirteen years ago. My mother and the rest of us thought it a wonderful paper. Trust that the Lord will bless this effort with the Present Truth Series, and feel confident that he will.” Another wonderful experience:—
Moving from his ranch in the Soledad Mountains, Monterey County, Cal., a Seventh-day Adventist left a bundle of the Signs of the Times at a neighbor’s, with whom he had labored in vain for years. Returning unexpectedly a few days later, he found the papers had been utilized by his former neighbor as wall-paper. The family apologized to him, saying the paper helped to keep the house warm. Our brother was quite put out, and with difficulty concealed the fact. Years later he heard that the family of three had become Seventh-day Adventists. The young rancher read the wall-paper Signs, while waiting for his mother to prepare his meals. He read the walls carefully, also the ceiling. He next ordered tracts from the Pacific Press, and soon accepted the truth. His mother bitterly opposed him. Sabbaths he would take his Bible to the woods to study, while his mother put out a big washing. This kept up for some time. But one Sabbath the young man looked in vain for his mother’s washing on the line. The line was bare. She also had accepted the truth. And her daughter soon made a surrender. Thus the printed page speaks its message, no matter where it is placed. The writer has ascertained, through personal correspondence, that of 1,080 converts to Seventh-day Adventism, 230 persons accepted the truth through reading our publications; and fifty-four of these, or one out of every twenty of the 1,080, were convinced through reading the Signs of the Times,—enough persons to constitute a good-sized church. As church-members, let us put forth every effort possible to place these truth-filled missionary papers in the homes of every honest-hearted individual within our reach.