p. 17 | Colporteur Work in the Regions Beyond

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 26, 1911

Colporteur Work in the Regions Beyond

By R. A. Caldwell

WHEN the call came to go to the far East, the Lord gave me a heart to respond. At this time the same inducements were presented by relatives not in the faith as when I first heeded the call to go “unto a land that I will show thee.” The question was asked, “Who will take care of you in case of sickness?” I can say that the Lord has wonderfully preserved me in this respect, so that no serious sickness has overtaken me. On the other hand, some of those who remained at home have had serious and fatal sicknesses. I would rather be in the Lord’s work abroad, than be at home out of the service.

It was with varied feelings that I began work in the strange city of Singapore. But the first lesson the bookman learns is to ignore his feelings, especially if they are tinted blue. The first day I took several orders for “Desire of Ages,” and then I had proper cause to know that I had “feelings,” and that it is right to recognize them. Several months served to finish the Malay Peninsula, with a few weeks in Bankok, and the book was placed in the homes of various nationalities.

Altogether, I had spent about four years working with “Desire of Ages,” and I felt loath to part with it; but as my expenses were heavy, and the medical books are good pioneers, I entered Manila with “Home Hand Book.” Though alone and ignorant of conditions, I was kept in good health; yet I greatly missed the home comforts of the Singapore workers. I spent about two years with this book, visiting most of the large cities of China and Japan, and selling many books to the rich Chinese and other Orientals.

The cold winter of Shanghai and the hot summer of north China reduced me in flesh a little, but I was never seriously ill, and this, too, when I was not in a position to regulate my diet, errors in which are the principal reason for contracting disease in the East. While in Hongkong, the Seamen’s Institute, where I had my meals, reported one day the death by plague of the Chinese servant who had waited on the table a few hours before.

Once more it was my lot to face a new experience. It was not simply to canvass an Eastern city, but to do so among Orientals, in a language foreign to me. As I reentered Manila to sell the Spanish “Patriarchs,” it was more by way of a venture, for it was not known to what extent the people were literate.

I found that only a small per cent of the total population could read this language; but fortunately these were gathered in the cities. One thing was in my favor: the religion of the people was changing, so that the time was very opportune. The people have small living expenses, and in contrast with the Chinese, are well paid for their services, so that money is not very scarce. All this, with the fact that many were able to understand and speak a little English, caused the difficulties of the effort to diminish. But day after day, in tropical sun and typhoon, the work had to be pressed.

Many hundreds of “Patriarchs,” as well as of “Coming King,” were circulated, even with the many disappointments because of the manana (to-morrow) custom, and the native’s inability to say “No,” especially to a foreigner. This makes it difficult in delivering, for they will often postpone the receiving of the book, and one can not discern their real intentions. It is an easy matter to secure orders, and all usually sign their names. Once when I was delivering, one man really told me his salary was not sufficient, as he received only about eight dollars a month. In delivering to a firm, all the books were received except one. This individual tried to escape me, and even when faced, refused recognition. Many orders are lost because the people learn that the book is not Catholic. This will probably make the work harder, as our work is becoming known as Sabbatista.

The opportunity this work affords as a means of support personally, and its help to the church in tithes and offerings, are certainly sufficient inducement, were there no other, for one cheerfully and devotedly to serve the Lord in this branch of the work for all time. After eleven years thus engaged, this is my testimony and consecration in this the eleventh and last hour of opportunity.

Written at Mariveles, Philippine Islands, while five days at anchor during a typhoon in July, 1911.

R. A. CALDWELL.