Relief Campaign Outlook

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 15, 1912

Relief Campaign Outlook

The last year of the three allotted to the Sanitarium Relief campaign gives some indication that a number of conferences may make up what they are behind in the amount of work that should have been done by this time in the campaign. Letters from some of the officers indicate regret for the recognized lack, and give promise of better results during the present year. Several conferences seem to have delayed their most active efforts until some other general lines of work were finished. The suggestion that the sale of a few copies of “Ministry of Healing” and Life and Health need not take long when once entered upon heartily is true enough, and the work can be quickly done if the full suggestion is carried out. We give below a few items of promise.

Best of Help

While we as a people desire to be unselfish, yet we are anxious in all our conference departments and in all our churches to have at all times the very best help possible.

In planning our future work at our recent conference session, this was carefully considered. We were glad to find that the Lord had not failed to give us definite instruction how to do this, for we read in “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VII, page 19: “The greatest help that can be given our people is to teach them to work for God. . . . Let them join his army of workers, and do faithful service for him.” In harmony with this instruction, the conference planned to make a definite campaign on the book “Ministry of Healing,” not a spasmodic rush lasting a day or week, but a definite work lasting until the Lord gives us something else, for the Lord gave us this book and outlined the plan for its circulation.

The territory of our union conference was divided appropriately so that the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the different sanitariums in the union. All these institutions are doing good work, and ought to be relieved of debt. This book, “Ministry of Healing,” was given for this purpose, and the plan is for all our people to circulate it, turning over the whole amount for the relief of these institutions.

I trust each conference president and executive committee will see that the churches and isolated members are supplied with these books, and that a regular Missionary Relief campaign is carried forward according to the above instruction from the Testimonies. This is the best help we can give our people.

Brethren in official position, when God has provided a means of giving our people the best of help, can we remain clear before God if we do not do all in our power to connect the people with the plan? I recommend all those who are not supplied with books to correspond with their tract societies, and arrange for securing a supply. Enter upon the work at once; and God, who can not lie nor disappoint the people, will richly bless your efforts.—Chas. Thompson, in Field Tidings.

Union Conference Action

We recommend, That an effort, be made to revive the interest in the book “Ministry of Healing,” and the work it was designed to do, at the various camp-meetings to be held in the union during the present year.

And, further, to launch the campaign more definitely,—

We recommend, That a general union workers’ meeting be held about the first of September, at which time instruction shall be given in the sale of “Ministry of Healing,” the active campaign to begin immediately following the general meeting, and continue during the remainder of the year.—North Pacific Union Conference Committee.

A Local Conference Promise

At our last elders’ meeting this matter was vigorously pushed, and we believe some results will be seen during the present year. We are going to make a very hard pull to get our quota sold by the end of this year, as we believe that we now have the cooperation of the leaders in several churches.—A conference secretary.

Results of a Trial Effort

I have long believed that “all of God’s biddings are enablings,” and was pleased to test this statement last week. The call came to canvass for “Ministry of Healing.” The time seemed unpropitious in some ways, for much work demanded attention, and the weather was very disagreeable both overhead and underfoot. But the time had come, and the command to “go forward” had been given. A true soldier loves to obey, so I gave all the time possible to soliciting for “Ministry of Healing.”

One afternoon in about three hours God gave me five orders for this wonderful book, one for “Steps to Christ,” and, if I mistake not, two new Bible readers. The woman who ordered “Steps to Christ” wanted it at once, and it was indeed a happy surprise to find that she was a Catholic woman with whom I had spent a very earnest hour last June in another part of the city.

Altogether, I spent about eight or nine hours canvassing for “Ministry of Healing,” and took ten orders for it, and about six for smaller books. Some asked, “How did you do it?” I did not do it; God did the work. I gave myself to him for service, and when he commands through his servants at the helm, “Work,” I work, remembering that “all his biddings are enablings.”

People say the book is hard to present to the people. I also thought so, and therefore studied it until its hidden treasure was revealed to me, and its sublime truths took hold on my heart. Now, since I see salvation for perishing souls and healing for worn-out bodies in almost every chapter, it affords me great joy to take it to the people.—H. C. Balsbaugh, in Southern Union Worker.

Another

Brother Minesinger, of Empire, Ohio, sold nineteen copies of “Ministry of Healing” in one week, besides collecting about six dollars in donations for missions.—Columbia Union Visitor.

Tri-City Sanitarium Workers

The day after our meeting I took a paper around among the helpers and took orders for one hundred copies of “Ministry of Healing.” These have all been paid for, although they are not all sold. I sold six of mine to patients and have four left, which I expect to sell as the opportunity offers. The nurses in the bath-room were especially successful in the sale of the book to their patients. Every one really seems glad to do something to please the nurses and help on the work of the sanitarium.

During the month of November, our nurses sold five hundred copies of Life and Health. Our nurses’ missionary society has sent a year’s subscription for Liberty to all the lawyers and ministers in Moline. They are now raising money to send Liberty and The Protestant Magazine to the lawyers and ministers of Rock Island and Davenport.—Estella G. Norman, M. D. L. A. H.