The Urgent Call to Canvass
DAVID T. JOHNSON and James McKay passed through Battle Creek, April 13, en route to Scotland. These brethren leave their friends and native home to enter the canvassing work in this foreign field. They were full of courage, and expressed a hearty appreciation to be counted worthy to go as messengers to a needy field. LET there be no hesitation now. Those who expect to enter the canvassing work sometime should not set the time too far ahead. The time limit is drawing near. The fulfillment of the decree, “There shall be delay no longer,” is seen in the turning of the minds of the people toward the truth. Calls for the truth are heard on every hand. Opportunities and openings are numerous. To-day is the time for our people to enter the field with our silent messengers. EVERY day letters are received at this Office from various parts of the globe, from those not of our faith, asking for an agency to sell our books. These letters are mostly written by apparently intelligent people, and they bear a spirit that impresses us with the conviction that God is turning the minds of those who make no profession to the importance of the books containing the message for this time, and that if our people do not speedily take up the work for the books, he will call for the work to be done by others, and we shall lose the blessing, and maybe our part in connection with the work of the message. If the stones would have cried out in fulfillment of prophecy upon the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem had the disciples failed in their high privilege, is it not possible that in this most important day and age, when the message is long overdue, and our people are failing to proclaim it, that others will be called to do the neglected work? THE call for this time is for our old canvassers to come back to their work, and for new volunteers, who will consecrate all their powers for the enlightenment of the world through God’s ordained plan of presenting the message through the printed page. Workmen are needed, and they will be provided. “There shall be delay no longer” is the promise for the present time, and the call, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” may be answered by the old canvassers and new volunteers from among the rank and file of our people; but they failing to respond, those from outside may answer, “Here am I; send me,” and “the call of the hour is answered by the coming of the man,” and imputed fitness for the work graciously bestowed. There is great danger at this time that others will take our crowns, and we fail to discern the golden moment. The message is due, and the world must hear the warning. If God’s own people will not give it, he will raise up hitherto stony-hearted men of the world, and send them forth as messengers to the honest in heart, that they may hear and be saved. THE special effort put forth to circulate the five new tracts has greatly revived the missionary spirit in the churches participating in the work. In many places a regular, systematic campaign was inaugurated, and is being faithfully executed. All have not followed the same plan in placing the tracts in the homes of the people, but each locality is being worked as the judgment of the workers suggests under the existing circumstances, and the Lord is giving success in all the ways. The twenty thousand of the first four tracts of the new series which the Battle Creek church has so far distributed has resulted in interesting many in the subjects treated in the tracts, opening the way for Bible readings, special meetings, the sale of many other tracts and books, and a continually increasing correspondence with interested persons on subjects pertaining to the various phases of the message. The church is now in the midst of the tract work, and all the members who have taken part in this work are spiritually revived and greatly encouraged. The last tract, “The Perpetuity of the Law of God,” by Spurgeon, is the best of the series for general circulation. The subject of this tract is no more important than the others, but the author of it being well known, it will have a welcome to the homes of the people that the other tracts will not receive, and as it is a tract that will not create prejudice,—an excellent treatise on the law, and effectually establishing the Sabbath,—it ought to be circulated by the hundreds of thousands. It is impossible to estimate the value of a tract of this kind freely circulated. Let all the people, and especially the canvassers and tract society workers, join in a vigorous campaign for the circulation of this tract.21 Resolution 1 was passed without discussion. The secretary read the second recommendation. Explanation was called for. W. A. Spicer: There has always been more or less discussion about the Sabbath-school donations for missions. Some have said that the Sabbath-school contributions should be used for local expenses; others, that, as the children give for missions, the contributions should not be used for local work, but for missions. In our council, Sister Graham, of Australia, explained the working of the plan which they have followed there, the same plan here recommended. It is to name one Sabbath in a quarter, or two, if necessary, and then specifically give for local expenses. Then it is understood that every penny given on other Sabbaths goes direct to the mission fields. Recommendation 3 was read and passed. J. N. Loughborough: When this was read, another thing was called to my mind. Not long ago I was in a church at a time when they were circulating their Quarterlies for the Sabbath-school. I held out a nickel, and said, “I should like a book, please;” but they said, “O, you needn’t pay for this; none of us pay for them; they are paid for out of the contributions.” Pointing to the line of print on the margin of the lesson pamphlet, I read, “The contributions this quarter are for the most needy fields;” and then I said, “I beg to state that I am not the ‘most needy field.’” L. R. Conradi: In Europe we have educated our people, poor though they are, to pay for their Lesson Quarterlies and Sabbath-school papers and helps and running expenses, and we let them understand that all the contributions go directly to missions. G. F. Haffner: I am in favor of these recommendations. I am always in favor of giving the money for the purpose for which it is donated. The question being called for, the secretary read the fourth recommendation. The question was called on this, whereupon the secretary read Recommendation 5. The question was called, and the sixth recommendation was ready. The question was likewise called on this. Recommendation 7 was read and question called for on it. The secretary then read No. 8. W. A. Spicer: We all expected to see great advantages in uniting the Sabbath-school organ with the educational organ, but in the working out of the plan have found that the schools really demand an organ that will put the department in closer touch with all the details of Sabbath-school work. The educational journal is necessarily conducted as rather a high-class educational organ in the lines of Christian education. It is desired to circulate the magazine among teachers of the world, and use it as a missionary organ, to some extent. Therefore it would not seem best to put into the Advocate the class of detail and personal matter which the Sabbath-schools seem to demand. So, while the plan of a united organ seemed an ideal one, we have found it unsatisfactory. Recommendation 2 was called for, and was again read. H. Shultz: Our German Sabbath-schools throughout the United States, so far as I know, have never taken out one penny; everything was given to missions, excepting two Sabbaths for the Orphans’ Home. And now, when they get this thing, they will say that is the ruling, and consequently they will take out one Sabbath’s donations every quarter. I don’t like the recommendation. I like to give all to missions, and pay our running expenses out of our own pockets afterward. We educate our children to donate to the mission work, and consequently they learn to love it. This money ought to go to fields where the people are in darkness. The men in those fields where Christianity is not known can not “cut their own fodder,” as we say. They must be helped, and I don’t like to take this money out of the contributions. N. P. Nelson: When we first started Sabbath-schools, all the donations were for local use. Now let us not drift over to the other side, and lose sight of home altogether. I believe it will do children good to educate them to contribute also for home needs, for blackboards, maps, or other helps, as well as to give to missions. I believe the plan will work well. G. A. Irwin: The outworking of this plan in Australia has been to increase the Sabbath-school donations. We have not found the difficulties that seem to arise in Brother Shultz’s mind. The resolution itself, or series of resolutions, is endeavoring to inspire the missionary spirit in the minds of our schools. That is the one thought that I see in the resolution. But rather than bind any school by a hard and fast recommendation, it was thought best to give liberty. There might be circumstances where it would be necessary for more than one Sabbath in a quarter to be devoted to this. C. McReynolds: It seems to me that it might be an easy matter to educate our schools to the point where they would make a sufficient contribution on one Sabbath to cover the needs of the home schools, and if this could be done without oppression of any school, it seems to me it would be a very good idea. An amendment to this effect was moved. R. A. Underwood: Now if we make a rigid law, it seems to me we would make a mistake. I believe that more will come into the school if we leave the plan as recommended by the committee, and educate our brethren to come up to the plan just as far as possible. There will be occasions when more will need to be used in starting new schools. I think there are conditions when we should use a little leniency, or have a little freedom, and if our good brethren in any church or conference can bring all the churches up to that point, I say, Amen. M. C. Wilcox: I hope, brethren, we shall not try to pass any hard and fast laws in regard to this matter. I am sure a suggestion on this question, worked out by a competent, faithful secretary, will do a great deal more than any hard and fast regulations that we may pass here. I am sure that the home work of the Sabbath-schools is not altogether outside of missionary operations. Home Sabbath-schools are doing missionary work when they are furnishing papers for the poor. I believe that advantages will come from the original recommendation in the very fact that we make a difference between the two donations. We have not often specifically mentioned this in the past. Now when it is said, This donation will be used for our supplies; we want a good, liberal donation; we want so many Little Friends, so many Instructors, they will respond liberally. And when we say the next Sabbath that we want a good donation for the mission field, and that it all goes there, you will find a more liberal donation still. H. W. Cottrell: I would like to hear again the reading of the resolution referring to the removing of the headquarters of the Sabbath-school Department East, to connect with the General Conference headquarters. Recommendation 7 was read. H. W. Cottrell: I suppose the committee has quite thoroughly considered it; nevertheless I question whether it would be wise to do that, as, if I understand it, it would necessitate a change in the present secretaryship, a change we would all regret. I could not let the vote pass without mentioning it, and stating that I am not altogether clear that that would be the best thing to do. Mrs. L. Flora Plummer: It is with some embarrassment that I speak to you upon that point, but, as Brother Cottrell has introduced the question, I feel that it would only be right for me to say a few words upon the matter, that you may understand something of the situation that has brought about this recommendation. As has been stated, the office of the corresponding secretary has been located in Minneapolis. It was located there because I live there, and I was appointed to the work. I have been in Minneapolis; the active members of our Sabbath-school Committee have been in Battle Creek; the organ of the Sabbath-school Department has been in Berrien Springs; and the separation of these Sabbath-school interests has worked materially against the advancement of the work. I do not feel that we ought to consider this upon a personal basis at all, but we should consider the advisability of so centering our Sabbath-school interests that the plans are workable. I have not had the privilege of frequent personal counsel with members of the Sabbath-school Committee. I have been separated from the Sabbath-school organ, so that I have not felt that the Sabbath-school Department could use that organ to advantage, under the circumstances. The headquarters of the Sabbath-school Department really belong with the General Conference. It is a department of the General Conference; it works the same field; the reports come from all parts of the field; and if the resolution concerning the establishment of the Sabbath-school organ should be passed, every advantage would be gained by associating the Sabbath-school interests closely together. It is not a question of the location of any one worker. It seems to me that the department should have all the advantages of a permanent location, and then associate with it a working force of the members forming the Sabbath-school Department, and connect with it a Sabbath-school organ, if you expect the Sabbath-school Department to do effective work. R. C. Porter: I would like to say that it was with much mental reservation on the point that Elder Cottrell raised that we passed the recommendation in our council. We decided to bring it in, however, for this body to consider. C. H. Jones: We all recognize the fact that the Sabbath-school work among us is a very important work; and in order for that work to succeed, it must have close attention. It seems to me that the Executive Committee, the corresponding secretary, and the Sabbath-school organ should be located where workers could have counsel together.