The Colporteur Work in Africa by W. W. Eastman

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 19, 1916

The Colporteur Work in Africa

By W. W. Eastman

Reports coming from South Africa indicate that the same success is accompanying the colporteurs there in the sale of our books as in other parts of the world.

From a recent letter received from Brother G. C. Jenks, field missionary secretary of the South African Union, we quote the following:—

“With but few exceptions, we find the people glad to read our literature, for it gives them far more light than they are able to receive from any other source. . . . You may judge for yourself how readily the people buy our books when I tell you that in the thirty-five hours I was actually with the men in the field our sales amounted to $580. But the thing that makes our hearts glad is to see the way the work is coming up from month to month. Every month during the past year has shown a decided increase over the corresponding month of the previous year, and now comes our July report, with twenty-five colporteurs in the field, their sales amounting to $2,863.90, the largest record made in Africa for over six years.”

A live interest is being taken in this work on the part of the students and faculty of the Claremont Union College, and a colporteurs’ band is being conducted, from which it is expected that a goodly number of the students will go into the field to sell our books at the close of the school.

The greatest difficulty now experienced by our brethren in Africa is to get the books as fast as they are needed to fill orders.

Brother Jenks speaks of the opposition on the part of some against our books, but instead of its proving a hindrance, it has served only to arouse the people’s interest and to increase the sales. Thus it is all over the world. The Lord of light is sending his compelling message into the highways and hedges, and none can stay his hand.

W. W. EASTMAN.