Can Old People Sell Books?
By H. H. HALL
GLADLY do we welcome the young man or woman who asks for admittance into the circle of house-to-house workers for the Master. Neither do we forget, to welcome those who are older, who have passed through the experiences of youth and middle age; for we have learned that they, too, have an honored place among these workers. The following record for a single week's work with “Desire of Ages” was just sent to me by one of our missionary secretaries: “Hours’ work, 46; No. orders, 12; value helps sold, $20; value orders taken, $40.75; total value, $60.75.” The brother who made this record is seventy-five years of age, and has canvassed constantly during the whole summer. At the close of the secretary’s letter accompanying this report was this significant statement: “By the way, he is a Christian, and has a hold on God.” As I read this, I thought of this paragraph on page 37 of “Ministry of Healing,”—
“In choosing men and women for his service, God does not ask whether they possess worldly wealth, learning, or eloquence. He asks, ‘Do they walk in such humility that I can teach them my way? Can I put my words into their lips? Will they represent me?’” Ah, there is the secret. The child, the youth, the middle aged, the very aged,—all may become gleaners if they will learn to “walk in such humility that I can teach them my way;” if I can “put my words into their lips,” says the Chief Harvester. “But,” you may say, “this is a special record. All can not do so well. Many men and women of that age are unable to put in all their time, or any considerable portion of it.” “It may be so, but there are our forty-per-cent books,—“Steps to Christ,” “Education,” “Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing,” and others,—designed particularly for those who can put in only a few days or weeks, as the case may be.” O, yes, there are opportunities for all! The question is, Shall we each lay hold of them?