Harvest Ingathering for Missions by E. R. Palmer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 3, 1910

Harvest Ingathering for Missions

By E. R. Palmer

“Thy people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy power, in holy array.” Ps. 110:3, A. R. V.

Harvest Ingathering for Foreign Missions

Since Brother A. J. S. Bourdeau left our general office for a two-months’ trip through the West, I have had the privilege of receiving the letters pertaining to the Harvest Ingathering work. These letters have been a daily inspiration. Some of them have already been published in the REVIEW. The following are a few brief paragraphs, which give a wonderful view of the earnest work done by old and young in this interesting campaign for missions:—

“I have been encouraged by the reports from our local churches on the Harvest Ingathering work. On visiting a church last Sabbath, I was indeed surprised when a little boy, not quite seven years of age, brought in two dollars as the result of his work with six copies of the Missions REVIEW. Certainly when our little children can do that much, it should be an incentive to older ones to make an earnest effort in this good plan for raising funds for our foreign missions. “S. W. Nellis, Seattle, Wash.”

“I thought I would not do any work on the Harvest Ingathering campaign, as I am seventy years old, and also an invalid; but when the ten extra copies of the REVIEW came, I said, ‘The Lord knows best,’ and went to work. I sent six copies through the mail, and received five dollars. I am glad I can still be of use in the work. “Mrs. Wm. Ford, Dana, Ind.”

“I have disposed of the ten extra copies of the Missions REVIEW, besides the thirty-five copies obtained from the church, and in all have collected $6.25 for missions. I praise the Lord that I can have a part in his cause. “E. Medairy, Denver, Colo.”

“We have been doing all we can to get the special number of the REVIEW out, and we believe the results from this effort will far exceed those of last year. Yes, we are confident that they will more than double. I believe that all our churches in East Michigan are entering heartily into this work, and we expect to see good results, not only for the mission funds, but a new life in the churches themselves. “A. R. Sandborn, Holly, Mich.”

“Sister Fannie Shutre, of Traverse City, Mich., is an invalid, confined to her home. She desired to have a part in the Harvest Ingathering work, but how to do so was perplexing. She finally decided to mail the papers to her friends. The first letter explained the plan, and contained her solicitor’s card. As soon as the card was returned with the donation, she at once mailed the card, with a letter and paper, to another friend. Twenty letters were sent out in this way, and only one was returned without a donation. In this way she has gathered $25.50 for missions. “M. C. Guild, Traverse City, Mich.”

“We are of good courage in the Lord. He has wonderfully helped us to dispose of thirty-one copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW here in this little place, where we are the only ones to hold up the light. I was only about eight hours in gathering the six dollars which I am sending to the Western Oregon Missionary Society. I wish we could have done more, but as we are both nearly seventy-nine years old, and not very strong, we are thankful that we are able to have a little part in it all, and hope others will do so much better than we that the sum will run high into the thousands, and that another large number of consecrated men and women can be sent to the foreign fields and supported. May the dear REVIEW do a good work among the people, is the prayer of your sister. “Mrs. J. B. Neal.”

“An isolated sister sent us seven dollars last week, the amount she had received for missions from distributing twenty copies of the REVIEW. This is an average of thirty-five cents a paper. Very good, it seems to me. Four students of Beechwood Academy spent three days in this city. Rain very much interfered with their work, but notwithstanding the inclement weather, they disposed of four hundred four copies of the Harvest Ingathering number of the REVIEW, for which they received $51.71. Beechwood Academy had previously collected $64.29 from seven hundred nine papers. The total for the academy thus far is eleven hundred thirteen papers, one hundred sixteen dollars. We here in Indiana think this is a fine record, especially when compared with last year, when three hundred papers were used by the academy, and nine dollars collected. “R. C. Spohr, Indianapolis, Ind.”

Sister C. L. Daniels, of Ohio, sends a check for three dollars, the amount of donations received through the distribution of the ten copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW recently sent her. She writes: “I feel like the man with the one talent, but hope to do better another time.” If every copy of the Missions REVIEW sent out during the campaign yielded as much money as those distributed by this sister, our foreign missions would be benefited to the amount of over two hundred ten thousand dollars.

Mrs. S. Thompson, of Missouri, sends two dollars, the amount she collected from her neighbors and friends through the circulation of the ten copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW recently sent her. She writes: “I am an isolated Sabbath-keeper, and am glad I can do a little.” Some of the brightest lamps of truth are the consecrated lives and missionary efforts which are held and lived by those isolated from others of like precious faith.

“The Missions number of the REVIEW is so good it seems as if people could not help giving something to missions when they have read the paper. We gave away part of our papers. We are new members of the faith, and it seemed as if we had not the courage to go out soliciting. I hope the courage will come in time. We felt that we must help the mission work along in some way, so we decided to give what butter one cow would make and half the money received for eggs during the two months of the campaign. But the cows were not giving much milk, and the hens were not laying many eggs. We had hoped they would do better. God provided a way, however, for us to do more than that. One day a wolf killed one of my pet lambs. It was done so near the house that he dared not stay by daylight to eat it. I felt so bad that I promised the Lord half the bounty if he would help me catch that wolf. So I took great pains to clean and grease the traps, and my husband set them by the little dead sheep, and we caught the culprit. The bounty was $12.50. After deducting the tithe, there was $5.63 to add to our mite for missions. We enclose money-order for what we have gathered, $9.15. I hope we may grow in courage, so that another year we may do better. Our earnest prayers are with all the workers in all parts of the world. “Mrs. Bertha Huddleston, St. Hilaire, Minn.” E. R. Palmer.