Work Among the Colored People in Michigan by J. W. Owens

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 7, 1911

Work Among the Colored People in Michigan

By J. W. Owens

DETROIT.— It has been some time since we reported, and we believe that a few facts concerning the progress of the work here will be of interest. We began our work in Detroit in July, 1910, with a little tract called “The Family Bible Teacher.” This worked well in many cases; but while some read the tract with interest, others would lay it aside, and eventually forget it altogether. We soon found that another method was needed. We tried several; and at last we circulated an assortment of tracts, containing such subjects as “The Nature of Man;” “The Destruction of the Wicked,” “Who Changed the Sabbath?” “The Origin, Work, and Character of Satan,” etc. On each tract was written our name and address. This method worked well, and soon calls began to come in for Bible readings.

These tracts reached the leading colored ministers of the city, and several promised to meet me, to set me right; but when the time came, something occurred which caused them to postpone the engagement. This opened many more doors for us to give Bible readings than we were able to fill. Dec. 31, 1910, we organized a church of seventeen members. Since that time we have met difficulties of a serious nature, but God has been, and is, with us. The night is gone, and day breaks at last.

We are of strong courage in the Lord and in the power of his might. Surely the harvest is fully ripe in Detroit, but how few are the laborers! The field is too extensive, and the demands are too numerous, to be met by one man. Still, we keep hoping that God will move upon the heart of some one to join us in the fight. We need your prayers that a monument to the truth may be established here, from whose portals the truth of God may go to a neglected race.

J. W. OWENS.