How and Why Books Are Delivered Under Difficulties
By W. W. E.
Perhaps there is no class of workers among us who meet with experiences more marked than our consecrated colporteurs as they engage in the sale of our truth-filled subscription books from house to house. Thinking the readers of the REVIEW might be interested in reading some of these experiences indicating the providence of God in this work, I am attempting to put into this article only a few gleanings from the correspondence from the field. Some portions of our territory in the North American Division were very much affected by the outbreak of the European war, especially those sections where cotton constitutes the chief money crop. For the past few years cotton has been bringing a good price, and this has naturally encouraged farmers to raise cotton more extensively than they otherwise would. In all cotton districts the best time for delivering our books is in the fall, when the product is marketed. When the present European war was declared, cotton dropped from twelve to five cents a pound. Our colporteurs had thousands of dollars' worth of books to be delivered. One worker writes of an experience in his field: "When I came to one person to deliver his book, I was told that although he had eight bales of cotton already gathered, the landlord, on account of the low price, would not permit it to be sold, and the tenant's family had been living on corn bread and water for two weeks, not being able to secure money with which to purchase anything." Another agent writes: "Men, with tears streaming from their eyes, say: ‘Times are hard. I do not know what we are going to do, but I want that book.’ Just yesterday we went to a man who said it would take all he could get out of his crop to pay his fertilizer bill, and he should have nothing with which to pay his grocery bill, or to get clothes for his wife and baby." Another sends this word: "We found there had been a disease among the cattle and horses that had killed most of them. Two thirds of the customers had lost their last horse or cow with the plague, and they lived from ten to sixteen miles from town, and cotton was selling at five cents." Another writes that the condition in his territory is such as to awaken sympathy. People who were happy and comfortable three months before, when he took the orders, are now in abject want, some even selling the furniture from the room to buy food to live on. Well may the reader wonder how our large subscription books can be delivered under such circumstances. Here are some experiences that show how the Lord helps in the work:— One worker gives the following experience in delivering: "The man looked at the book, pressed it to his heart, and said, ‘I would not take five dollars for that book if I had the money to get it.’" The colporteur suggested that he might be able to borrow the money from a neighbor. He was glad to try, and started off. "I told him I would go with him; but he said, ‘No, I will run; and if I get the money I will be back in ten minutes.’ He came back in a few minutes almost out of breath, with his face just beaming with joy." He had succeeded in borrowing the money, and was thus enabled to secure the book. Another writes of a man who, rather than spend the money he had saved for the book, had taken a load of wood and driven fourteen miles to sell it, in order to purchase flour for his family. In one of the Western States where the cattle disease had, in many instances, taken the last horse or cow, from fifty to seventy per cent of the orders taken by the colporteur were delivered. The following instances, as given by one of our field agents, will serve as an illustration of how God's special providences often help our evangelical canvassers. He says: "We stayed overnight with a Mr. E. In the evening he asked me from whom we had taken orders in that part of the country. After I had read the names to him, he remarked that it would take two days to deliver the books, for we had a terrible road to go over, and that if we needed his assistance he would go with us. I thought it over that night, and decided to take him. He was about sixty years of age, and was a deacon in the Baptist Church. He proved to be excellent help. He had bought one of the books himself, and liked it. The first place we came to he told them he liked his book, and that they might just as well get the money for theirs. They took the book. A preacher lived at the next place, and21Mr. E. had heard that because of prejudice he was not going to take his book. He told me on the way that he thought he could deliver it for me, so on arriving at the house he jumped out, and in a few minutes succeeded. The next place they did not have the money, so Mr. E. borrowed the money for them; and it went on that way all day. When we found the people did not have the money, Mr. E. would either pay for the book or make arrangements for them to get the money. That evening we came in with orders from different ones amounting to $25 on a Mr. W., the storekeeper. Mr. E. made arrangements with him, and we got the money without any trouble. We failed to deliver just one book that day." The worker adds, "I believe the Lord impressed that man to help me place the books in the homes of the people in that neighborhood;" and who would say he did not? We have been told that "humble, fervent prayer would do more in behalf of the circulation of our books than all human embellishments in the world." The following from one of our colored colporteurs in the Southland illustrates how prayer does sell our books: "The Lord is good to all, but it seems to me that he is especially kind to the colporteur. He goes to the dwellings of the people and prepares their hearts. One very striking example occurred this week. Thursday I was feeling uncertain about my work, but I fell on my knees before God. After going a few miles I came to a large plantation. Seventeen men were out in the field together, working near the road. The one nearest me was singing, ‘What is the soul of man?’ I walked up, smiling, and said, ‘All right, I will tell you.’ We all had a hearty handshake. I spoke of the work I was doing before I showed them the book. They were anxious to see it, and clustered around me while I showed the book ‘Daniel and the Revelation,’ and I got eight orders for the book. ‘I stopped overnight with one of these men, and he told me the following experience: ‘We have had a very wicked white man as overseer. He came into the field yesterday where we were, and cursed us shamefully, and while he was doing this I stepped aside and prayed for him. In a little while he went away in a rage, but soon returned, riding slowly. Some of the men said, “He is coming again, boys.” I said, “Yes, but he is coming differently this time;” for I knew the Lord had already answered my prayer. On coming up to us he asked which of the boys he had cursed. The boy answered. Then the boss said, “I have done wrong, boys, and if you will pray for me I will give you all an hour to go to church.” We all went to church for the one hour of prayer. It was so striking and very strange, but our overseer came to church also, and after a few earnest prayers he asked the pardon of those whom he had cursed. Many of us were moved to tears. Then he said we might have a meeting every day if we wished.’’ The colporteur adds: ‘I met the overseer the next morning, and he was quite pleasant. Had I come two days before this, probably I should not have been allowed to stop these men from work to show my book, but the Lord went before and prepared the way.’ Such work as these colporteurs are doing, is being carried on throughout the world, and the object and results are illustrated in the following paragraph taken from a letter of one who spent the past summer in evangelistic canvassing:—
‘As a result of the books sold, tracts distributed, readings given, and prayers offered, all of one family, except one daughter, are keeping the Sabbath. This sounds better to me than the rattle of silver; and if I do not get another dollar, I am well paid for my summer’s work.’ This is how and why it is done.