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Missionary Work of the Highest Order

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 2, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 11.

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Missionary Work of the Highest Order

By W. W. Eastman

A Blessed Experience

“THE canvassing work, properly conducted, is missionary work of the highest order, and it is as good and successful a method as can be employed for placing before the people the important truths for this time.”
“As canvassers go forth into the field with humble hearts, full of earnest activity, they will find many opportunities to speak a word in season to souls ready to die in discouragement. . . . God will give a most wonderful experience to those who will say, ‘I believe thy promise; I will not fail nor be discouraged.’”
The following is a portion of a letter written by a brother who recently went out to sell our books in California, and it so beautifully illustrates the fulfilment of the preceding words that we pass it on, believing it will prove an encouragement and inspiration to all who read it:—
“I have had a very blessed experience canvassing for ‘The Great Controversy.’ I traveled altogether about sixty or seventy-five miles on foot. I took the home workers’ prospectus, also Missions Signs, temperance papers, Signs of the Times Magazine, tracts, and some copies of ‘The Shadow of the Bottle’ and of ‘Christ’s Object Lessons.’”
“Oh, surely angels of God accompanied me on that trip! I obtained an order for ‘The Great Controversy’ at every third or fourth house the greater part of the way. Where I should spend Christmas Eve and that Sabbath, I knew not; but the angel of the Lord certainly led me, for I spent that Friday evening at a nice, cultured German family’s home,—new homesteaders here in America (could not speak and read English perfectly yet). This family of four were hungering for companionable association with others of Christian belief who would encourage them in their custom of having daily family prayer, and in their desire to live upright, Christian lives in the community.”
“Needless to say, I considered that house worthy to let my peace rest upon, as I understand Jesus’ instructions, and I accepted their very cordial invitation to spend the Sabbath with them. They were Sunday keepers, and had not learned of the truth about God’s Sabbath.”
“I never had a more enjoyable visit in an entirely strange family. They had not had a Bible in the house for quite a long time—since their house, with all it contained, burned to the ground, in Washington, some years ago. However, they had a Testament, I believe. They were of steadfast faith in God, and daily went to him in private prayer, and I believe God is guiding them to his kingdom. They have not a relative in America, but have many relatives in the army of the fatherland, and any mail may bring word of the death of one or more.”
“I took the Bible from my grip, and for hours we studied the precious promises and prophecies of God’s Word. How they did enjoy it, especially the father and the younger of the two bright boys. The father said to me, ‘I want to tell you just how that appears to my mind.’ Then he told, in his whole-souled, honest way, how his mother, years ago, when he was young, had been shown in a revival meeting, in a direct way (like a vision), that before the end of the world young people, young men especially, who had had no special schooling (ministerial training, etc.), would go everywhere, teaching the Scriptures with a clearness and a simple, convincing power never before known. ‘Now,’ he said, ‘you are fulfilling that prediction exactly as my mother said there in the gospel meeting.’”
“Our hearts rejoiced as we felt the holy love and fellowship of heaven abiding with us. Next day, they all kept the Sabbath with me, and we had a blessed time together. I could scarcely get away by Sunday noon. As for books, they wanted first a good German Bible, German ‘Great Controversy,’ and then almost everything else I mentioned,—‘Early Writings,’ Signs of the Times, etc.,—but I felt they could afford only the Bible and ‘The Great Controversy’ then. I trust we shall meet them in heaven; also a Swedish old lady, a true Christian, whom I found on this trip.”
Surely this is “missionary work of the highest order,” and brings “a blessed experience” to those who engage in it.
W. W. EASTMAN.