Seed Sowing by John Orr Corliss

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 8, 1910

Seed Sowing

By John Orr Corliss

Interesting Incidents in Pioneer Work

(First reading)

When in 1885 the first missionaries went to Australia, they received by each monthly steamer arriving from America four thousand copies of the weekly Signs of the Times. In those days we knew little about selling papers, and, lacking this experience, these papers were handed to people on the streets. In time, when the missionaries were seen with the Signs under their arms, people would cross the street to secure a copy of the paper, because they were so much interested in its contents.

One day, however, the writer, in company with Brother Henry Scott, having finished giving out the papers in the city of Melbourne, one paper was left in our hands, and was placed in the paling of an iron fence surrounding the park near the public buildings. On this paper was placed the address of the mission rooms. Little was thought of this at the time; but the following Sabbath, when our meeting was in session, there came a knock at the door. Upon opening it, a man presented himself, saying that he had learned of the address of that house by taking a paper from the fence near the public buildings in Melbourne.

He was invited into the meeting, and bore an excellent testimony to his love for the truth, and his desire to know more of this people, saying that he had found in the paper that we kept Saturday for the Sabbath. He was asked if he believed what he had read on this point. He replied that he did, for he saw that the argument was clear and plain. He then added: “I am a man of some means, and am not obliged to work for a living. I do not know why I can not keep that day for the Sabbath as easily as the first day of the week.” At the close of the meeting I had a talk with him, and learned that he was a member of a church in South Melbourne.

What One Paper Accomplished

However, not knowing anything of the man or what dependence might be placed in him, the incident was forgotten for the time being; but upon the following Sabbath he returned, and, at the close of the meeting, invited me to attend a mid-week meeting in the vestry of the church of which he was a member, saying that it was the Young People’s Improvement Club, and that, at the previous mid-week meeting, when a question was demanded for discussion for the following week, he had proposed “The Change of the Sabbath.” He said: “I am to be the first speaker, and I know little or nothing about the question, and I would be pleased to have you attend that meeting, and take my place as the first speaker.” We were then informed that after the discussion upon the points brought out in the first speech we would have the opportunity of closing the discussion. I complied with his request; and, after a brief discussion as to the propriety of letting a stranger speak, I was accorded the privilege; and, in the time allotted, set forth, not that I was a seventh-day keeper, but that I had learned, from reading the Bible, that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and that from history I had also learned that the Sabbath was changed by human authority. A lively discussion followed, and the common arguments for keeping the first day were strongly set forth. It was then voted for the first speaker of the evening to close the debate. This was done in a way not to offend, but in a way also to set forth the truth in as clear a manner as possible.

Our First Church in Australia

At the close of the meeting, I was invited to meet with this company at their next mid-week meeting, to discuss other points; but, thinking that it might cause friction in the church, I declined to attend. I said, however, that, if there were any families where Bible readings would be admissible or welcome, I would be glad to have an appointment at some such places. Invitations were given out for two or three places at that time, and so our Bible studies began from house to house. As a result, about thirty excellent young people of that vicinity accepted the Sabbath, and constituted the charter members of the first church organized in Australia. Had it not been for the one paper read by the gentleman alluded to, which he found in the fence, this result would not have been obtained. This one incident emphasizes the importance of using our literature in opening the work in a large city.

A Preacher's Saddle-Bags

Another incident will suffice. When I began work in the State of Virginia, I found my way to a small mountain town in the lower end of the Shenandoah Valley, and was entertained by a gentleman who kept a general store. Upon informing him that I was a minister who desired a place to preach, he secured a vacant storeroom, and placed seats in it for the evening; but I noticed a peculiar arrangement in the seating. It was seated quarterways of the room, and the stand from which I was to preach was placed in a corner, and a long seat directly in front extended from one corner of the room to the other.

I noticed also that this man and several others were seated on that seat, and that they were armed with revolvers. I asked the man after the meeting what that was for. He said there had been a suspicion that I was in the town for no good purpose. Only a few weeks before, a Mormon preacher had been tarred and feathered there by a mob, and it was suspected that I was connected with the same body of people; therefore, they had decided that I, too, should be served in the same way. My host and some other friends decided that I should be protected, and said that if I were taken from the room, it would be over their dead bodies.

My host, however, was not entirely satisfied regarding my mission. When I left the house next morning to go in search of a place for permanent meetings, I left my saddle-bags, well filled with literature, in the room where I had lodged, expecting to return at night. Upon my return, the gentleman came to me, and said that he had a confession to make,—that, not having entire confidence in me, he had intended to search my saddle-bags for evidence in the matter. “But,” he said,—

What One Little Tract Did

“I want to assure you that I did not go through the bags; for lying on the top I found a little tract, entitled, ‘Seven Reasons for Sunday-Keeping Examined.’ I was so struck with the title that I sat down and read the tract of sixteen pages. Being thoroughly convinced by the argument, I made up my mind that people ought to know what was in it; so I went into my store, which was well filled with people, and said to them, ‘Gentlemen, I have something I would like to read to you, in which you will be interested;’ and they said, ‘Go ahead.’ So I stood on a nail-cask and read, and all declared that the argument was clear-cut, strong, and convincing.”

Beginning of the Work in Washington, D. C.

From the reading of this tract, the gentleman accepted the Sabbath, and published in the papers that his store would not be open, from that day, on Saturday. He was tested severely several times by men coming for medicine in case of sickness; but he said: “Tell me what you need, and I will go in and get it for you, and give it to you; but you can not go into my store on this day.” Of course his business suffered, and in time he sold it out, and came to Washington, D. C., where he began regular work distributing literature from house to house. This in time created a demand for mission work, and a mission was opened on Vermont Avenue by Elder W. H. Saxby and wife. This was supported, at least in part, by this brother, Reuben Wright. In due time, a church was organized in a hall on Fourteenth St., N. W., and additions were made until there are now five churches in Washington and its suburbs. That one seed taken from the saddle-bags grew into a large tree, which has borne fruit that eternity alone will reveal.

Let the periodicals and other publications be circulated freely in behalf of home missionary work; and, in the great harvest home soon to be sung, there may be surprises as to how fully the work has prospered in our hands.

J. O. CORLISS.