Report from England by S. N. Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 29, 1882

Report from England.

By S. N. Haskell

In company with Elder John Norton Loughborough, we have visited Taunton, Great Grimsby, and London. At Taunton we met Bro. Henry Veysey, a schoolteacher, who has embraced the Sabbath, by reading. He lives and holds his school in the castle where Bishop Horne wrote "Horne's Introduction" and held his meetings. The building is supposed to have been erected seven or eight centuries ago. Bro. V. has a wife and six children, all of whom love the truth. They kindly entertained us one day and two nights, and we became very much interested in them during our short stay. We had the pleasure of attending one of his scientific lectures, and also of listening to a few recitations in his school. He now thinks that if the providence of God so indicates, he shall go to America.

June 1st, we arrived at Great Grimsby. Here we met Brother and Sister John, Brother Drew, and Brother Molyneaux, also a sister who has recently commenced observing the Sabbath. We had a very pleasant, and I trust a profitable, interview.

Great Grimsby and Hull are two competing points at which the Scandinavians take trains for Liverpool. From Liverpool they sail to America, landing at Castle Garden, New York. In the dullest portion of the season not less than three or four thousand of them pass through each week, while the average number is about seven thousand per week. Vessels also sail from these ports to all parts of the world. Thus it will readily be seen that these are important points for our work. In fact, I do not think a more favorable place can be found to place our publications in the hands of Scandinavians settling in America, unless it be Liverpool.

No one could hear Brother Drew relate the eagerness manifested by these foreigners to obtain our publications without realizing that God is preparing the way before us. Men and women will purchase as long as their means will permit, and then beg for more. Shall we withhold the truth from these hungry souls, who are leaving home and friends for a far-off land? Many of them will carry the light of truth to those portions of the United States where it is most difficult for us to send laborers, and where it will be years before they will receive any influences to counteract the good seed sown. We could but feel that God was presenting open fields before us which his providence has already prepared, and of which we have had little conception. How great is his work! How numerous his openings! While small our ideas! How narrow our plans! Last month Bro. Drew sold over fifty dollars' worth of our publications.

The experience of Bro. John is equally interesting, though as his labors have been mostly upon land, he cannot report as great an eagerness. But judging from present appearances, far more can be accomplished here in bringing men and women into truth than in many other parts of England. There is not that distinction in grades of society that there is in many other places. The plan of going from house to house and leaving a small package of tracts with a copy of the SIGNS, then calling again and giving the people an opportunity to purchase, works well. About forty per cent. wish to buy the reading matter. It is now arranged that Bro. John shall have one hundred copies of the paper sent him direct from the SIGNS office, to use in this manner, while those who subscribe for the paper one or more quarters will receive it from Southampton. This plan being adopted at different places, will not only relieve those at the mission from the labor of procuring the addresses of so many persons to whom to send the paper, but will more permanently establish the interest in the Kingdom.

Sabbath, June 3rd, we spent at 15 Mill Yard, Goodman's Fields, London. This is the home of Elder Wm. M. Jones, editor of the Sabbath Memorial, with whom we had a very pleasant interview. He kindly showed us many principal points of interest. We visited Bull Stake Alley, where, in 1661, John James suffered such cruel martyrdom for his nonconformity, and his adherence to the Sabbath. At Pinner's Hall, Thomas Bamfield, a nonconformist, also preached the Sabbath. Here he was twice arrested, but clung to his Bible, carrying it before him. This act so enlisted the sympathy of the beholders that they exclaimed, "He goes like a martyr." He was finally placed in Newgate Prison, where he died in a short time. Brother Jones took us to other places where many had been beheaded, and some hung, for the very principles of liberty which are now cherished by the English people.

Sunday, the 4th, we returned to Southampton, where we are now stopping. S. N. HASKELL.

Southampton, Eng., June 5, 1882.

Since writing the above, a letter has been received from Bro. Drew, which speaks for itself. I inclose a copy, thinking the friends in America will like to hear from him. Such an interest has never been known there that eight dollars' worth of books have been sold in one day.

32 Charlotte St., Hull, June 4, 1882.

Dear Bro. Loughborough: This has been a hard day, from 4 A. M. till 11 P. M. I got up and prepared my V. M. work, and went out at 8 A. M., and talked and sold books from that hour till 6 P. M., when I came home tired, and ate a little, and then tramped down to the same dock, the Victoria, and sold 1,400 pages of bound books, until I sold for the mission in books, papers, and tracts 32s. ($8.00 nearly.) Never did God seem so near. Never had I such freedom in talking. I sold 700 pages of bound books, a good portion of them on board of Russian, Swedish, and Norwegian ships. They were eager for our English publications. It seemed almost impossible to get away from the Russian and other ships, and never did I receive a greater shake of the hands than I did from these Finland, Swedish, and Norwegian captains. They would almost beg for me to stop and talk to them. Had Bro. Haskell been here he would have thought this a young Liverpool. No, indeed, there was no mistake in coming here. I could have sold more if I had had Finland reading. Some could not read the Swedish. All this work was from one dock, the Victoria. Please to send six more each of "Thoughts on Revelation and Daniel," one dozen "Modern Spiritualism," one dozen "Spirit of God," one dozen "Age to Come," one dozen "Bible Sanctification," one dozen "Three Angels' Messages," one dozen "Ministration of Angels." Have you any "Good Health's" belonging to the mission? If so, please to send some. I hope to loan out 7,000 pages of books this week, but the prospect is not very flattering, there is so much to be done. Will you put some papers in the box so that I can give some to the hospitals, poorhouses, etc., here? I hope in a day or two to write to you and Bro. Haskell. I don't believe that there is another port in England where more can be done than here. More could be done by sending parcels to foreign lands, and we could do more of that here, if I had more time. By the grace of God we will hold the fort, or fall in the attempt. We thought and talked of, and prayed for you as you journeyed towards London. If you can come again, it will do us good by putting more of the missionary spirit into us. We need all that kind of spirit that we can get. I must conclude as I have to prepare for the emigrants early in the morning, and for the dock work. Please to forward the box at once. I am waiting for the Swedish volumes. My very kindest regards to all. Your brother in the blessed hope,

GEO. R. DREW.

P. S. There is quite a demand for Scandinavian Bibles. Send twenty-five more "Way of Life," and a good supply of temperance tracts.