The Boston Mission by S. L. Edwards; E. W. Snyder; C. W. Priest

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 9, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 35.

The Boston Mission.

By S. L. Edwards; E. W. Snyder; C. W. Priest

As no report has been sent from this place for a long time we thought it might be of interest to the friends of the cause to know what is being done in Boston and neighboring towns.

At the general meeting held at Lancaster last winter it was decided to abandon the Boston mission and send workers to re-enforce other missions. So from the first of February to the first of June there was but one worker left in this place, and he specially to attend to the ship work.

The first of February three canvassers were sent to Lynn, a city of about 50,000 inhabitants, ten miles from Boston. They remained there until about the middle of April. Good success attended their efforts to sell our publications. They paid to the tract society $346 for publications, and as the result of Bible readings held and the reading of our publications, eight or ten are keeping the Sabbath, while many others are interested and some are already convinced of the truth. Through the kindness and liberality of the brethren and sisters at Danvers, the Conference was relieved of the expense of the workers in Lynn.

At the general meeting held at the close of the school term in May it was decided to separate the canvassing from the colporteur and Bible-reading work; and two of those who were employed by the Conference were permitted to work on commission and select their own territory. Inasmuch as the mission rooms at Boston were unoccupied they decided to make this their head-quarters. About June 1st they were joined by Bro. C. W. Priest who has been engaged with them in the canvassing work since that time. Owing to the hot weather and the fact that many of the people were away, they have extended their work into neighboring towns, where they have introduced our publications. The blessing of the Lord has seemed to attend their efforts in a remarkable manner. They have taken orders for our publications to the amount of about $800, most of which have already been delivered. This, with the amount taken in Lynn, together with Brother Priest's sales while engaged in ship work, would make a total of about $1,200 worth of orders since February 1.

It is a little over two years since the mission was established in Boston, and while we have not seen that measure of success desirable, we have been permitted to see some good results from the efforts put forth. Quite a number have embraced the truth and are faithfully living it out, while many others are investigating. One of the most important results of the establishment of this mission has been in the encouragement and building up of the church.

One important item of improvement is in the increase of tithes paid. The last quarter the treasurer received more tithes than was paid for the whole year previous to the establishment of the mission.

We are of good courage and hope the time will soon come that this mission will be re-enforced with a strong corps of workers.

S. L. EDWARDS. E. W. SNYDER. C. W. PRIEST.