Fourteen Months in South Africa by G. H. Clark

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 5, 1911

Fourteen Months in South Africa

By G. H. Clark

IT is now fourteen months since I landed in South Africa. In order to place the book work upon a sound basis, earnest effort, coupled with hearty co-operation on the part of the conference laborers, has been required. For what has been accomplished we give to God all the praise.

Soon all our canvassers will be handling “Patriarchs and Prophets;” and when they have covered the field with that book, they expect to follow with “Practical Guide to Health.” Steps are now being taken to have the latter published in the Dutch language. “Desire of Ages” has also been translated, and will doubtless be ready in the Dutch as soon as needed. Many copies of “Daniel and Revelation” and “Great Controversy” have been sold.

It may be interesting to know that representatives of seven nationalities are united in Christ here to push this “missionary work of the highest order.” We have neither the time nor the disposition to boast of our birthplace or of our ancestors. Our motto is, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Gal. 6:14.

Our oldest canvasser is about forty-eight, our youngest about fifteen, years of age. The highest value of orders taken in one day was $120.20, and that by a young man of nineteen summers. The highest value of orders taken in any one week was $405.80, taken by the same person. The highest value of orders secured the past fourteen months by one person is $3,592.80, and still the same person obtained them. The next highest is $2,659.14; the third, $2,190.90.

Our entire book orders, so far as reported for these fourteen months, amount to $30,692.10, and the periodical sales amount to $4,017.17, making a total of $34,709.27. The delivery reports, which do not give them in full, show that $19,565.92 worth of books have been delivered.

Out of sixty-one weeks one canvasser worked fifty-four; another, fifty-one. Out of fifty weeks, another has been out in the field forty-eight.

Our tract societies are now in better position to supply us promptly with the books we need. This is an important item. We are seven thousand miles from the nearest publishing house, and are doing our work almost wholly upon the cash basis; that is, the canvassers pay for their books before ordering another lot. Nearly all our ministers have sold some books, as they have had opportunity.

The South African Signs of the Times, a forty-eight-page quarterly magazine, has just been started, and is a credit to any country. It is filled with present truth, and is meeting with good sales, especially in Johannesburg, our largest city.

The Claremont Union College closes this week, and during the vacation, I expect to spend some time in the field, assisting the students who are hoping to make their scholarships for the coming school year. Though this is a new departure in this field, I believe that, with the Lord’s help, they will succeed.

At the union conference committee meeting recently held, it was voted to hold a bookmen’s convention in connection with our conference and camp-meeting and institutes in March or April, 1911. Doubtless it will be somewhat different from those held in America, but it will surely be a means of advancing our work here. We are grateful that the Lord is so richly blessing his work in this field.

G. H. CLARK.