p. 10 | How Are the Masses to Be Reached? by S. N. HASKELL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 16, 1907

How Are the Masses to Be Reached?

By S. N. HASKELL

S. N. HASKELL

In America there are thirty-six cities with over one hundred thousand inhabitants, and four with over one million inhabitants. How is the truth to reach these congested cities, so that every one will have sufficient light to decide intelligently?

To give one an idea of these cities, we will state that a tent-meeting could be held every night in the year for four years in Chicago, with an audience of over one thousand every night, with an entirely new audience each night during the four years. In Greater New York with its millions, one could have an audience of one thousand every night in the year for over nine years without the same person ever attending twice. One can readily see from these figures that when an effort is made in a tent or a hall, for a few weeks, with an audience of a few hundred, it is only one drop in the great ocean of souls to be reached.

Some will attend courses of lectures, and read books sold by agents, but the mass of people in our cities will do neither. How can they be reached? Watch them day by day, and see how they are reached. Stand on the street corner as the stores and offices are closing

some evening, and see what takes place as the people pour out into the streets to take the street-cars. Watch the swarm of newspaper sellers, young boys, old men and women, all as busy as bees selling papers. Watch the crowds after they fill the cars; those fortunate enough to get a seat are busy reading the papers just purchased, and from the pockets of those standing protrudes the daily paper, which will be read when they reach home.

There are thousands and thousands who would never attend a course of lectures or read a large book, who will buy a paper containing the truth, and read it. The paper work is the work to reach the masses in the great cities. Our brethren in Great Britain and Australia are aware of this, and have been flooding their cities with papers filled with the truth for several years; but in America we have neglected our cities.

The Lord has put it in the hearts of some to sell large quantities of papers in the cities, and God will bless the seed sown; but not a tithe has been done of what should be done in this kind of work. There should be hundreds in all our large cities selling the Signs of the Times, Watchman, Bible Training School, Life and Health, and Liberty.

The one who will work faithfully, can earn good wages. There is nothing lost in delivering, for the papers are sold for cash. We have workers selling the Bible Training School who have made as high as sixteen dollars a day in clear profits. Any one can sell the papers, both young and old, and any one who has a love for souls and longs to do something for the Master can sell papers. God will water the seed sown, if the work is done for his dear sake. One of our paper sellers in her first day's work felt very timid; she called at many of the business offices late in the afternoon, and just finished selling her papers as the offices were closing. "I fear those men will throw the papers in the waste-paper baskets," she thought as she started home weary and worn. Just then she noticed a blue Bible Training School peeping out of the coat pocket of a gentleman passing by. She then began to watch for the blue paper in the pockets of the passers-by, and came home feeling quite happy, confident that God would watch over the seed she had sown. But even if the papers are cast aside, it may be to reach some one who could be reached in no other way. While we were laboring in Oakland, one of the workers was surprised to have a woman where he called for the first time, bring out a soiled copy of the Bible Training School. The woman said she had picked it up in the streets one night some months before. She had read it and loaned it to a friend, and they were both anxious to subscribe for a year.

We need intelligent men and women to sell papers containing the truth, in all our large cities; workers who will be ready always to give to every man that asketh them a reason of their hope, with meekness and fear; men and women of good address, who will command respect as they mingle among the people. Paper sellers working in the business portions of the large cities, come in contact with intelligent, thinking people, the very cream of the cities. To meet this class of people, we need God-fearing men and women, those whose love for souls overcomes all false pride. No work is small that wins souls. The consecrated paper seller in our crowded cities is sowing seed broadcast, which will bear an abundant harvest of souls in the great gathering day.

There are scores of our sisters, both young and old, staying in their homes week after week, who could go out and sell thousands of papers, if they would step out by faith, and let the Lord help them. The disciple who ventured to walk out upon the water, felt the Saviour's hand holding him securely as he walked by the side of his Master upon the billows. Peter, by venturing out upon the water, gained an experience that those who remained in the boat never dreamed of. Those who will make an effort to scatter rays of light, and are willing to do any work, however small it may seem, will be blessed of the Lord.

South Lancaster, Mass.