p. 14 | Harvest Ingathering for Missions

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 23, 1909

Harvest Ingathering for Missions

By A. J. S. Bourdeau

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

Sister S. C. Clark, of Nile, N. Y., received ten of the Missions number of the REVIEW. She considered their receipt as providential. Although she is almost blind and can not read, she has already sent in three dollars to the Western New York Conference office as a result of her efforts.

The president of the Wisconsin Conference is greatly encouraged over the prospects for a large Harvest Ingathering collection in that conference. He says: “We are trying to push things as fast as we can. If possible, we hope to do more than we did last year; and I am sure it is possible.”

Mrs. Mary Brown, Auburn, N. Y., an elderly lady who is seldom able to leave her room, says that she considered the receipt of the ten copies of the Missions REVIEW as providential. She has mailed them to ten families, and written a communication to each, asking for a contribution to our foreign work.

Elder C. McReynolds, president of the Wisconsin Conference, writes that one of our sisters at Lancaster, Wis.; recently sent $11.54 to the conference office, which amount she had received through the distribution of ten copies of the Missions REVIEW. She thus received on an average $1.15 for each copy. She is still at work.

Sister Mary A. Field, of Texas, now in her eighty-first year, is actively engaged in the campaign. Her letter just received contains a post-office money-order for four dollars. She says: “I wish it was one hundred dollars instead of four dollars. My work every day is my only support. Pray that I may have strength to work until life’s journey is over.”

One dear old sister in Ohio recently acknowledged the receipt of her ten copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW by sending a post-office money-order for $1.80. She writes that, owing to two sudden deaths in the family, she will be obliged to let other younger people finish her work. How many others more happily situated can report even as good results?

Sister N. E. McIntire, of Texas, accompanies her remittance of $6.50 with this encouraging experience: “I received this amount by sending out two copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW. Five dollars came from a doctor, and $1.50 from a brother who is not in the truth. This is my first experience in this work, and I feel greatly blessed. I want to do more for my Master.” This is a splendid beginning in missionary effort!

Brother R. J. Ladlee, of Illinois, was so pleased with the ten copies of the Missions REVIEW he received that he sat right down and carefully wrapped up a five-dollar gold piece and mailed it to this office.

Mrs. S. Hubbard, of Michigan, sixty-two years of age, writes: “I have distributed seventy copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW, and have received $9.20 for the same. I pray that the Lord will bless this to the good of some poor soul. I have had rich experiences in this work, and received much of the blessing of my Master.” That was a faithful effort indeed, and a good collection.

Elder H. W. Carr, president of the Western New York Conference, writes that Sister Mattie Kimble, of Scipioville, was one of those who received the ten extra copies of the Missions REVIEW. Later she received ten more. And to use his words, “She was balancing in her mind whether it was a blunder at the office or a providence from heaven giving her an opportunity to work. She concluded it was the latter. She finally breasted the cold winds of northern New York and disposed of these papers in her neighborhood, and this afternoon we received from her a money-order for $18.25.”

Mrs. F. N. Patten, of Massachusetts, had about given up the idea of engaging in the campaign this year when she received the ten extra copies of the Missions REVIEW. She says: “I did not have much courage to take any papers this year, but when the ten copies came, I was not sorry, for I want to be faithful and do my part. I will try to get something for each paper. Enclosed find two dollars, the amount I received for the first copy, for which I am grateful. I hope that the Ingathering will bring a large return for this blessed cause.” The Lord is truly working upon the hearts of all his people.

A cheering report has just come from Miss Nora A. Hough, educational secretary of the Wyoming Conference. She writes: “We dismissed one room of our Hemingford Intermediate school, and Brother Rockwell, our principal, Sister Wells, four students, and myself canvassed the village of —— and a part of —— with the Missions number of the REVIEW. The paper and the canvass had been carefully studied; then, just before starting out, we knelt down and prayed for wisdom and the Spirit’s power, also that angels might visit the people and bless them with a spirit of generosity. All told, we were out eight hours, distributed two hundred fifty copies, and collected over forty dollars. The Lord certainly blessed our feeble efforts, and we are thankful not only for the donations, but also for the educational and spiritual benefits of our experiences. One student remarked, ‘I enjoyed this work better than anything I ever did.’” We shall be glad to hear of the experiences of some of our other schools, colleges, and academies.

During the ten days ending Tuesday, December 14, orders received for the Missions number of the REVIEW called for 3,277 copies,—an average of 327 a day. These are being received from our workers in foreign fields and from some in this country who have just begun to work.

Brother William Wilson, of Michigan, a veteran of the Civil War, sends a one-dollar contribution to the Harvest Ingathering fund. He says: “I wish my little mite to be applied in behalf of my dear brothers and sisters that are in mission fields. I am seventy-six years old, and served in the United States army from 1861-65.”

Mr. Tobias K. Bremner, of Maryland, returns his “official solicitor’s card” containing the names of eleven donors who gave $1.05 to aid our foreign missions. Among the names of givers are several marked “A Catholic.” Quite a number of donations have been received from communicants of this church, many of whom are devoted Catholics.

Brother M. O. Hubbell, of Arkansas, informs us that he has received three dollars for the ten copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW sent him. He writes: “I have since received one hundred copies of the same number, of which I have sold about forty, my collections averaging twenty-five cents a copy. I have had to make some extensions to my ‘official solicitor’s card.’”

Mrs. D. T. Stucker, of Oregon, acknowledges the receipt of the ten extra copies of the Missions REVIEW by returning her “official solicitor’s card” and a post-office money-order for $3.70. She says: “I send you herewith the donations I collected from the ten copies. We pray the Lord’s blessing upon it.” This amount was given by thirteen persons, an average of thirty-seven cents for each copy distributed.

Brother M. E. Ellis, missionary secretary of the Nebraska Conference, writes that in one day’s mail he received the following interesting reports from six individuals:—

REVIEWS Distributed	Amount Received	Average per Copy
20	$ 6.00	$.30
40	6.10	.13
5	1.00	.20
150	15.35	.10
50	14.60	.29
30	14.00	.46
295	$57.05	$.19

Mrs. Theodore Anderson, of Montana, accompanies her “official solicitor’s card” with a post-office money-order for $6.50. This sum represents the amount donated by eighteen persons visited, an average donation of thirty-six cents for each. She says: “I have been ill and could not get out until lately. I have had to handle all the papers, as Mrs. —— is not here this winter, and there is no one else to whom I could turn them over. May God’s blessing rest on the work.”

A. J. S. BOURDEAU.