A Canvassing Experience by Walter Harper

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 27, 1913

A Canvassing Experience

By Walter Harper

I am now at this place [Miami, Gila Co., Ariz.] on a new canvassing trip. In two weeks and one day here the Lord gave me over four hundred dollars’ worth of orders for books, helps, etc. A lot of these were for “Daniel and the Revelation.” I am glad to place this timely book. In addition to all this, I was blessed in getting over fifty orders for “Ministry of Healing.” I rejoice to sell this jewel casket of Heaven-sent truth.

Yesterday I secured an order for “Ministry of Healing” in each of the first three homes at which I called. I spent a good part of the day canvassing for this book, and the Master granted me ten orders for it. Up to about 4 P. M., I had not a single large-book order. An observer might say: “Well, you have just lost some thirty or forty dollars’ worth of your usual orders by devoting nearly this whole day to selling ‘Ministry of Healing.’ You have spoiled your day’s work.” It might appear so, but it does not necessarily follow that it is so. I felt that somehow the Lord would work for me even at that late hour. I had had such experiences many times before. I was interested to see how it would come out, or how the Lord would bring it about. A little before 8 P. M. I was favored with over forty-two dollars in orders for large books, helps, etc. This was in addition to the ten orders for “Ministry of Healing.” In one cabin in a few minutes, or almost as fast as I could write them down, I took six orders for “Home and Health” (“Salud y Hogar”) in Spanish, or eighteen dollars’ worth.

A devoted servant of God, an old tried soldier in the cause, has aptly said, “When we make God’s interests our interests, God makes our interests his interests.” I see many tokens of God’s love and care, and remarkable answers to prayer.

Recently a young Japanese, a head cook at a big mine boarding-house, bought a “Ministry of Healing.” Some days afterward he met me on the street, and in a rather grave, sober way he said he wanted another book. At first I feared he did not like it and wished to exchange it for something else; but, O, no! he wanted to get another copy of the same book, which I gladly supplied him.

On this trip, God willing, I plan to deliver over two hundred dollars’ worth of “Ministry of Healing” for Loma Linda College.

WALTER HARPER.