p. 500 | The Missionary by S. N. Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 10, 1881

The Missionary.

By S. N. Haskell

CANVASSING AND THE MINISTRY.

WHEN the multitude flocked to the Saviour to hear his gracious words, he sent out seventy, two and two, before his face, and he said unto his disciples, 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. Matt. 9:37, 38; Luke 10:1, 2. That which was true at the time of the first advent of our Lord is emphatically true just preceding the second advent, when God sends “a famine in the land, not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” Not that there will be any lack for teachers, for in the last days there will be heaps of them. 2 Tim. 4:3. “After their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears.” Quite a contrast with this are our Saviour’s words to pray for “laborers.” It is laborers that are wanted, men and women who can reach the hearts of the people and can build up the cause of God.

Intellectual culture and personal appearance will please the people, and when devotion and the spirit of God are combined with them they will serve as a successful avenue to hearts. But what is needed to-day in the work of God are laborers, men of experience who know how to adapt themselves to the work so as to instruct and edify. Men may preach and yet not edify. The ear may be pleased and the character not molded. Says the prophet: “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them.” Again he says, “And lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument, for they hear thy words, but they do them not.”

There are hundreds of young men among us who could become successful workers in the cause of Christ, had they the proper experience, a practical education, one which is not received from books merely. There are hundreds of men who walk our streets, who have a good education, but are mere clogs in society, drifting with the current, without any definite object before them, and without any knowledge how, or even a desire, to put their education to a useful end.

We need drilled men, those who have gained a knowledge by experience, and there is no better school for this than colportage or canvassing. There are many individuals in our midst who could take our works and sell them and become successful canvassers. Our Association should have a subscription department where men could be employed to canvass for such works as are not denominational, and thus partly or wholly pay their way. While doing this, a successful missionary work might accompany their labors. We want health missionaries. The “Home Hand-Book” can be handled by some to advantage, while others can use smaller works. We have a canvasser for this work in the East who leaves in her track more light than some ministers. Some have embraced the truth, and a good impression is made wherever she goes. The people like her, and when their ears are once gained their hearts are easily reached, and denominational works are read with interest. A brother was employed as a nurse; he recommended simple hygienic remedies with which he happened to be acquainted, and his kindness and attention to the sick enlisted their interest. The family embraced the truth, others became interested, nearly all signed the teetotal pledge, a missionary society was formed and a church of twenty-three raised up, while an extensive interest has been awakened in the surrounding country. There is also a prospect that if this brother keeps humble he may become a useful minister. He now has a ministerial license.

Another brother in canvassing for the “Home Hand-Book” obtained over one hundred subscribers within two months, and during the same time and an additional month, over two hundred subscribers were obtained for Good Health, besides distributing a large amount of our health literature and denominational tracts. By becoming successful canvassers they learn how to reach and mold the people. Colportage and canvassing are looked upon in a wrong light. If the object be to enlighten the people, and the publications used be such as will enlighten and elevate the morals of the people, then the calling is an honorable one and God’s blessing can be as earnestly sought and expected as by him who enters the sacred desk. Conscientious, God-fearing young men and women are wanted to enter this work; and cities and villages all over the country should be thus entered. It not only scatters rays of light everywhere, but it educates those who enter upon this work in a manner that they can be trusted with God’s work to build up and take charge of churches and Conferences. This work in no wise should be belittled. It is as important in its particular relation to the cause of God as the work of the minister. Those entering this work should not be the floating, irresponsible portion of society, but men and women of mind and intellectual culture, those of refinement who love the cause of their Divine Lord. Our field is the world and there is room for thousands of such persons. They should seek first to have their lips touched with a live coal from the altar, and their iniquity purged. Shall we not see scores preparing themselves to enlist their whole souls in this cause? We call for volunteers, and our prayer is that God will raise up laborers for the great work before us.

S. N. HASKELL.