Missionary Spirit by Dudley Marvin Canright

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Dec 3, 1874

Missionary Spirit.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

SAYS the Christian Union:

More missionaries like the Misses Ely, now at Bittis, Turkey, would doubtless be welcomed by the American Board. These ladies, daughters of a minister living in Erie Co., N. Y., some six years ago became so interested in the degraded condition of the Turkish women that they offered to go out and work among them at their own expense, if the Board would give them its protection. They finally went on the Board's proviso that it should pay them the salary of one; but since their arrival at their chosen field they have spent more than this sum in making additions to school-houses or mission buildings, and in books and apparatus to aid them in their work. One way in which they reach the native women is by calling them in to listen to their piano music and singing, in which accomplishment they are proficient. Such labor of love cannot but be effective. It appears that Vermont has the privilege of making up the salary for these ladies this year.

"The Moravian church has one out of every fifty of its communicants engaged in the mission service, and, for every member at home, nearly three members in the mission field."

THE following is from a recent number of the Boston Transcript:

"Private letters from Jeddo confirm the devotion of Bishop Williams of China and Japan. The Bishop was recently found in a Japanese boarding-house in Jeddo, in a room nine feet square, without any furniture except a pail with ashes and a few coals in the centre of the room. In one corner were two blankets, with one of which the Bishop wrapped himself, while he slept upon the other. There the Bishop was found, sitting upon the floor, engaged in the work of translation."

How such facts ought to reprove us. Claiming to have the most solemn message that the world ever heard, yet others are working harder and sacrificing more than we are! California, with its dozen churches and five hundred members, has not a missionary in the field at home or abroad. Shall we make the shameful confession that it is for a lack of talent? We do not believe this to be the fact. The spirit to work is what is needed. D. M. C.