Williamsdale Academy, Nova Scotia
By J. L. STANSBURY
THE work of circulating the Missions REVIEW was postponed on account of a rush of building operations here on the school farm. As a result, our soliciting for missions had to be done during very unfavorable weather. However, on November 29, although the weather forecast was not favorable, we decided to close school; and after an early breakfast the teachers and all the students that could be spared for the day, started out in various directions. Brother Gault, the business manager, drove a three-seated vehicle to Oxford, fifteen miles distant. He took four students with him, and together they worked that village and the vicinity. Others were dropped off at different places en route to cover an assigned territory, and were met by the team on the homeward trip. Several of the young men tramped ten or fifteen miles during the day. Another team went to Thomson, eight miles from here, canvassed that village, and then worked the route back toward the school. About noon the weather became quite blustery, and considerable snow fell, not enough, however, to hinder the work to any extent. At intervals from 4 to 9 P. M., the various parties returned home, tired and cold, but happy in the consciousness of having had a real missionary experience. One hundred five copies of the REVIEW were distributed, and $18.75 for foreign missions was collected. This is not a large amount, it is true, but the day's experience is not measured in dollars and cents, or in the number of copies distributed; for the taking of an active part in this missionary campaign, and the coming in actual contact with the public in this manner, made this day rich in character-building experience to those who were engaged in it. The students manifested an excellent spirit in taking hold of this work and in carrying it out, although to several it was a new and rather trying experience. In one report, which in general voiced the sentiments of each one, was this expression, “I have had some experience in canvassing, but this was the sweetest bit of experience I have ever enjoyed.” Not a note of discouragement was sounded in the experience meeting which we held the next day. Nearly every one had found individuals who showed an interest in our work, and our plan is to follow up this interest by missionary visits and literature. Our territory was rather poor from a financial standpoint. The income of the people of this section is small, and naturally their contributions correspond in size. I am fully persuaded that the enlisting of the students of our schools in these18missionary enterprises is an entirely practical plan. Their success in bringing back a little of the “wealth of the Gentiles” can not be denied, and the training and the experience gained in meeting people in this way are most valuable. Personally, I derived a rich blessing from the day's work, which I could have gained in no other way.