Canvassing in the West Indies
By R. V. A. Batson
If there is anything that my soul delights in, it is the canvassing work. After accepting the third angel’s message, I read, in one of our papers, a call for young men to volunteer to carry the truth to others, and I said, “Lord, here am I, send me;” and from that time I have had the opportunity of being a coworker with God. It is a number of years since I accepted the third angel’s message, and not once since that time have I ever regretted casting my lot on the Lord’s side and among the remnant people of God. In the Lord’s strength I entered the canvassing work, first in my native land, and then by the hand of providence the way was opened for me to go to another field. In faith I started out for St. Kitts, in company with three others. We all had a wonderful experience, which could not have been obtained in any other way, and which fitted me for another field, Antigua, where our labors were again successful. From Antigua I returned to my native land, leaving behind in the two places eighty-seven copies of “Patriarchs and Prophets” and over three hundred small books. I next went to Grenada with one of the white canvassers from the United States. Having heard that Grenada was a Catholic community, I had no faith with our going, but I found that I had made a great mistake. The Lord opened the way, and success was the result. I delivered one hundred and forty copies of “Coming King” and over two hundred small books. On my second trip I sold forty-eight copies of “Coming King,” forty of “Patriarchs and Prophets,” over one hundred and five Bibles and Testaments, and two hundred small books. During my third visit, I sold almost two hundred small books, one hundred and five Bibles and Testaments, fourteen copies of “Bible Readings,” one “Home Hand Book,” seventeen “Coming King,” one “Prophecies of Jesus,” sixty-four “Christ Our Saviour,” and three “Great Controversy.” Just at the time of my delivery I was taken sick, and had to return home for a short time. Before I could get out again, the smallpox broke out, and so I am again working at home. There is a desire to read, which I believe will give an impetus to the canvassing work. I am full of courage in the Lord, and am doing all I can by the help of God to give the message, hoping thus to hasten the coming of the Lord. Souls are stirred as never before. Canvassers ought to take courage. Success is ahead. Then let us consecrate ourselves afresh to the Lord and be courageous, doing faithful service for the Master in behalf of those for whom he died. Let us lift; for lifting makes the burden lighter. Then let us, by God’s help, sow the seed beside all waters, so that a mighty work will be done in a short time, and so hasten the coming of the King, who is even now at the door.