More Experiences in Soul-Winning by E. R. P.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 2, 1912

More Experiences in Soul-Winning

By E. R. P.

ALL who have read the experiences of Sister Mamie Moore, “the lady colporteur of Memphis,” which were published recently in the REVIEW AND HERALD and in the Youth’s Instructor, will read with special interest the following extracts from a personal letter from Sister Moore, in which she tells of further blessings the Lord is showering upon her efforts:—

“I am glad to report that I am enjoying still deeper experiences in the things of God, and the Lord has given me some grand victories of late, and some fruit of my labor here.

“One can never tell what just a word will do sometimes. A sister who was recently baptized into our church here, had her attention first called to the truth by a program that was placed in her hands, telling her of our tent-meetings, and inviting her to attend. The conversation which followed showed that she was interested, so I arranged for a Bible worker to visit her, and she soon accepted the truth. She is now a colporteur herself, selling our books.

“One day I called on a woman who said she used to keep the Sabbath, but finally gave it up because of the opposition she had to meet. I had an earnest talk with her, and arranged for another member of the church to visit her also. She has now taken a new stand for the truth. Arrangements were also made for a Bible worker to hold readings with her daughter, who is a very intelligent young lady, a sister of a lawyer of this city. She opposed the truth at first. (She is the one I told you about who bought fifteen copies of ‘Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation’ to give to her friends. She told me recently that she thought that the grandest book in the world.) She was baptized into the church yesterday. Now if I had not been canvassing, both she and her mother would be out of the truth to-day, and those fifteen persons would be without ‘Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation.’

“Ten days ago I delivered a copy of ‘Bible Footlights’ to a woman for a birthday present for her father, who is eighty-five years old. She says he has a copy of ‘Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation,’ which her sister bought from me and gave him, and he values it more than any other book he has. He thinks it is the grandest book in the world. He has read it a dozen times.

“When I left the house, a woman across the street called to me. She was so anxious to read the book she had ordered that she came with the money in her hand, and requested me to give the book to her then, so she would not have to wait until the delivery. She had hesitated about ordering the book, as she was in close circumstances, but decided to trust the Lord for the money. His response to her faith came sooner than she had expected; and when handing me the money, she said, ‘The Lord helped me to earn this money myself.’

“The Lord certainly does lead us in our work when we permit him to do so. Last Friday I went to a street where I had not thought of going, and sold a copy of ‘Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation’ where I could not have sold one had I not gone that very day; for the woman who bought it lives in Arkansas, and was going home the next Monday morning. When I introduced my work, she said she could not buy any kind of book; but after showing it to her, she said: ‘I was just thinking what a help that would be to my minister. He is young, and is studying, and is not able to buy such things for himself.’ So, before I left the house, she paid me two dollars for one of the books for her minister. Who knows but that the Lord will use this book to bring to her pastor a knowledge of his coming? I believe the Lord sent me to that woman just at that time so she might be the means of carrying the truth to her minister.

“I sold another copy of ‘Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation’ to a woman who had wanted one for a long time. She said that when she was a child, her father was a wicked, cruel man, but he bought a copy of that book and read it, and he became a Christian and a good father, and she wanted to have a copy of the book that had done so much for her father. She has now accepted the truth.

“Here is another interesting case: I sold a copy of ‘Thoughts,’ half morocco, to a wealthy lady, who seemed to be in great haste for it; so I delivered it the next day. I also arranged for a Bible worker to visit her. Her fingers were loaded with diamonds, but amid all the glitter she wasn’t happy. She told me last week that she did not know what she would have done if I had not called on her. She was wretched and miserable, but had prayed more earnestly than ever before the morning I called to show her my book. She said she knew that the

Lord sent me to her in answer to prayer, and that these good things had brought her more peace and comfort than anything else that had ever come into her life. Now she has begun to work for others. She has arranged for the woman with whom she boards and for about a dozen other persons to take Bible readings every week. These two women and the son of the latter intend to be baptized soon, and the others who are taking the readings are accepting the truths taught, and are feasting upon these weekly studies.

“You doubtless remember my telling you about so many coming into the truth as the result of a copy of ‘Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation’ sold one rainy day, the last one being a woman who was a Christian Scientist. Since relating that experience to you, this woman’s daughter, a married woman, has accepted the truth. So that seed is still springing up and bearing fruit. O that many others might have a part in this seed-sowing! There is surely no time for delay. The perils of the last days are right upon us. The people are beginning to think. Just now, while people are wondering what these things mean, it is our duty to search them out and tell them. May the Lord continue his rich blessings upon this work.”

As we try to realize from these reports what a work Sister Moore is doing in her quiet, self-supporting way in the great city of Memphis, we greatly rejoice that there are hundreds of other colporteurs who are devoting their lives most earnestly to the sale of our good books, magazines, and papers, and are continually winning souls for the kingdom. O that there were many, many more such workers! “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings!” Our colporteurs are indeed “publishers” of the gospel.

Let us all thank God, and take courage. Let us pray that rich blessings may continue to fall upon the good seed being sown by Sister Moore and by all our other workers. Let us pray also that these experiences may stir the hearts of many and lead them to lay their lives a willing sacrifice upon the altar of this service. In the words of one of the most devoted lady missionaries of central China, “Life holds no privilege more precious than that of giving itself in service for the lost.” E. R. P.