A Question by Mary L. Hanley

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 12, 1910

A Question

By Mary L. Hanley

MARY L. HANLEY

“Why is it that a returned missionary can think of, talk of, and plan for, little else than his mission field?” was the question asked me recently by a brother whom I was trying to interest in the needy fields of Mexico, our sister republic.

Why? The reason is very simple. The Lord says the harvest is great, and the laborers few, but we can not fully realize what that means in this land where every one may possess a Bible, and is free to study and worship as he pleases. But go to a foreign field where the Word of God is strictly forbidden; see the ignorance, depravity, and sin which hold dominion over the people; teach them of the lowly Jesus, of his love and mercy toward them, and of his soon coming; and mark the transformation wrought in their lives when they accept this same Jesus,—then you will understand why we love our mission fields, and why they fill our minds to the exclusion of almost everything else.

Thousands upon thousands of people are waiting to be told of the power of God to save them from their sins. And we—we who have the light—are the ones to do this; but how many are asleep!

Here in our own loved States our church-members listen calmly to an appeal from a foreign missionary, and remark rather petulantly: “Of course I believe in foreign missions. Why, I gave a dollar last year!” View the beautiful homes provided with every modern convenience and luxury, acres added to acres, and hear the echo—“A dollar last year!”

It is easy to sit comfortably at home and read the reports of the faithful workers, but how many are trying conscientiously to help them?

After we have once seen the soul sickness and longing after a better life, an impression is made upon our hearts which we can not soon forget. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” And that is the reason we think of, talk about, and plan for our work.

A thousand dollars a day is necessary to carry on the work in our foreign fields; besides many are engaged in self-supporting missionary work.

When I see money being freely spent for adornment and useless articles, a thought like this always flashes through my mind: “O, if we only had that much to finish paying for our little schoolhouse, and to buy our tracts and periodicals for the coming month, and the many other articles needed to carry on our humble work for the Master!”

Argo, Kan.