One Minister's Experience in Canvassing
By C. P. HASKELL
BUENA VISTA, VA., June 28, 1908. DEAR BRETHREN: It has been some time since I have sent you any report, but as my name will, no doubt, appear among the canvassers, I thought a short letter of explanation might be of interest. It has been about four years since I have labored in active ministerial work. Three years I was with my son, Dr. P. F. Haskell, in the sanitarium at Keene, Tex. Upon my return to Ohio, the conference wrote me that they had all the laborers they could pay, and other conferences seemed to be overstocked with ministers. I did not feel clear to engage in any business outside the cause, so I decided to canvass. My many friends know how I have always been handicapped in my work on account of my defective hearing, and I thought perhaps I could labor in this line with less embarrassment; the only way to find out was to try. While spending a few weeks with my daughter, Mrs. Charles Hayton, at Takoma Park, I joined a canvassers' class organized by Brother I. D. Richardson. After school closed, over twenty-five left for various States to spend the summer in canvassing, most of them to earn a scholarship. I started out with Brother Charles Stebbins. I left Washington Friday morning, June 5, and met Brother Zeidler, the State agent, at Lynchburg, Va., in the evening. Here we spent Sabbath and Sunday with the church, holding two services and visiting among the members. On Monday morning we came to this place, Buena Vista, where we found Brother Stebbins. After arranging about our boarding place, we went out to survey our surroundings, and I must confess these hills looked very formidable to me, and I realize now how much a good State agent can do to get the work started. Neither Brother Stebbins nor myself had ever canvassed before, and some of the different business enterprises were shut down and others were on half time, and no farming country was in sight. The outlook was anything but encouraging. But we were both willing to try, and to leave the results with Him, who said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” The first week we took about sixty-five dollars' worth of orders. The next week we did a little better, our field being the city and surrounding country, which looked like nothing but mountains; but there are little valleys shooting off here and there. One day I was in one of these valleys over the hills, and six miles away from our boarding place at six o'clock P. M. I had been so busy about my work I did not see the dark clouds over the tops of the mountains until I started for home. I was on a road I had never traveled, and there were only a few houses, and as I climbed the hills the lightning flashed among the trees. It got dark, and began to rain. I said, “Lord, it is all right,” and on I went as fast as I could walk, sometimes running, but humming to myself, “There is a blessed hope,” etc. The rain poured down. I saw a light ahead. It was the Friendly Inn. They took me in and fed me. I stayed all night, took their order for a book, and before I left I asked to have worship22with them. Then on I went for two miles, reaching home just as Brother Stebbins was through breakfast. I had walked sixteen miles and taken nine orders. Last week we had our first experience in going by ourselves. We were in one of the “has-been” towns with plenty of empty buildings and others with discouraged people in them, fine churches but no pastors, and about three or four hundred people in the vicinity. We felt a little lonely, and when noon found us with only one order, we wondered if we had made a mistake; but the word “discouraged” is not in our dictionary, so we kept at it, and when we came to figure up, we found we had taken $27.50 worth of orders. The cloud that seemed to hang so heavily had a glorious lining. The week before, I was asked twice by people if I would pray with them. It would make my letter too long to tell of each day's experience, so I will close by relating just one more. Last Wednesday we started up a little valley with a tributary. It was the warmest day of the year thus far. We had planned to take every other house, but we didn't know so much about the hills as we did at night. We were separated at once, but we would cross each other's track occasionally. About four o'clock I found Brother Stebbins was ahead of me and only two miles from the head of the valley. I knew he could finish it as the houses are often a half mile or more apart. I was informed that by crossing over a little range I would strike the tributary. For this I set out across the wheat and stubble and up the hills. The sun was very hot, and when I reached the summit, I did not know but I would have to stop. I lay down and rested a few minutes, and asked God for strength, and I received it. The first house was a little cabin, where a poor woman, with three dirty children, said they could not buy a book. I believed her, but I gave her the canvass. My way down was over a road in the bed of the little stream with an occasional foot-log. I felt so thankful for seeming renewed strength. I soon came to a house on a hill, and went to it and got an order. The clouds had gathered. I hurried to the next house. The lady declined, but the rain that came drove the man to the house, and I secured his order. Then in spite of their remonstrating about my continuing, I started, feeling assured I could reach the next house before much rain came. I got off my road and came to a house of children. I canvassed the oldest boy. He wished his father could see the book. I took his name, and started for my road (or rather path). It was nearly six o'clock and raining a little. I saw a vacant house, and a man sitting in the door as if waiting for me. I sat down beside him, and he gave me his order. He was the father of the boy mentioned above. Next I came to a colored man hoeing. The rain had stopped. I canvassed him, but he could not read. Next was a cabin, and as I entered a pitiful sight met my eyes, the most abject poverty—a board table, a fireplace and kettle, a scanty bed and two broken chairs were all I saw. I learned that the woman was a widow with a crippled daughter to support. I knew I would not sell a book. The clouds were black, and although I was six miles from the station and it was six o'clock, yet I felt that I must not pass without leaving something. So I told them of my work, but said, “I see you can not buy a book, but you can have Jesus' arm to lean upon.” I told them of Christ's soon coming, and how if she was faithful she could exchange her poverty for a mansion above. I quoted a few promises, and through her tears she said she would like to have me pray for them, and in a short prayer I commended them to the care of Him who hears the ravens' cry. I set out on a little run, met two men going home, took their orders and hurried on, although they asked me to return and stay all night. A little farther on I met another man and took his order; then down, down, and up. I hastened along till I came to the main valley and a house we passed on our way up. I took an order there. It was now twenty minutes of seven, the sky was black and I was four miles from the station where we were to take the train for home. On I went, listening to the singing stream which had widened to about thirty feet or more. As I neared the station, I passed a house where the day before a woman and daughter wished a book, but the man was away. I saw he was there this time, so I stopped and secured his order. It was now 8:30 and our train was to pass at 9:05. I was disappointed not to meet Brother Stebbins, so I had to come on alone, arriving at our room at ten o'clock. Then I found I was tired, but my heart was full of praise for God's keeping power and sustaining grace. After a good night's rest, I was ready to repeat the work if necessary. I had traveled some eighteen miles and sold $16.50 worth of books. During the past week I have taken sixty-three dollars' worth of orders, Brother Stebbins has taken about the same, and we have put the truth into over two hundred homes. This, we feel, is very good for two inexperienced canvassers. No one believes in prayer more than we do, but we also know it takes something besides prayer to sell books these hard times. It takes some good pushing, muscular Christianity, and a determination to win. While hoeing we have to pray between the rows. We were both afraid we would not be able to stand climbing these hills. Brother Stebbins is not strong, but three weeks of it makes us both better than when we started. During the past week we have averaged over eleven miles a day. We want to keep where we can recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit who is always near. Our greatest anxiety is about our food. Hot biscuit and grease are not the best diet for a man to sell books on, but we are letting the Lord take care of that. In all my twenty years as a minister I have had no pleasanter experiences than some of the past three weeks. We have taken during this time about three hundred dollars' worth of orders, and believe that He who helped us get them will also help us deliver them. I always have felt I would rather do anything than canvass, but I am thankful I do not feel so now. Praying for our fellow workers in the field, and asking an interest in their prayers, I am, Yours in the work,
C. P. HASKELL.