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Seattle Ship Mission

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 25, 1911

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 88, No. 21.

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Seattle Ship Mission

By C. A. Purdom

WORK among the seamen in this port was launched two years ago. Having no facilities for securing attention other than our literature, special effort has been made in the circulation of magazines and papers in many languages, including Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, German, Chinese, and Japanese. The retail value of the literature distributed since the work was begun is over one thousand dollars.
Comparatively little prejudice has been encountered. The chaplain of the Seamen's Institute requests that our literature be left at the institute in sufficient quantities to enable the men to take it to their rooms, as the influence from such reading is felt to be in marked contrast to that of a perusal of the popular magazines, which are usually supplied. We also have about thirty-five dollars' worth of books in their library, including “Bible Readings” in Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Holland, also German and French publications.
Our literature is to be scattered as the leaves of autumn. When we individually appreciate its merit and the potency of the press, a greater activity will be seen among us in circulating the printed page.
As the result of an inquiry, I have had occasion to call on the president of the Spiritualist Society, a lawyer in the city, who only fifteen months ago was a Roman Catholic. I sold him a copy of “Past, Present, and Future,” also eighty copies of the “Spirit World” to sell among his followers. He informs me that they have voiced quite a protest against his selection; but we trust God is using this means to enlighten some souls who are entrapped in this delusion.
About ten thousand persons pass through or leave here for Alaska each year, also many for the Orient, besides an extensive local travel to the many Puget Sound ports. This makes it an important place in giving the warning message. Several reading-racks are maintained on the docks, and are freely patronized. I have a good supply of the REVIEW and the Instructor on hand. With these exceptions, I would welcome a supply of our magazines, papers, and tracts. Such should be sent to the undersigned at 1407 E. Forty-first St., Seattle, Wash.
We can see but little of the results of this seed-sowing, because of the transient nature of its recipients; but we confidently believe there will come a gathering day, in which many precious souls will have been brought to a knowledge of the truth through this means.
C. A. PURDOM.