“The Lost-Time Question” Again by E. R. P.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 2, 1909

“The Lost-Time Question” Again

By E. R. P.

“Lost! Somewhere between sunrise and sunset, one golden hour, set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward offered. Lost, and lost forever!”

We will spend no time upon the unimportant question whether a day was lost several thousand years ago. But what about these precious days that are lost out of the short probationary time that is left to us for service in behalf of a perishing world? How will we give an account to God for the hours wasted since he called us and said, “Go work to-day in my vineyard”? How did we spend yesterday? How are we improving to-day? What faithfulness in our use of to-morrow?

Man expects a full day's work of at least eight hours in return for the price paid to the laborer. Does the Lord require less from us in the great work of soul saving? He says, “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand.”

Time is one of the most precious talents God has entrusted to us. It is the golden thread which makes up the endless skein of eternity. Upon its use, more than upon the use of any other talent, depend our present faithfulness and eternal reward.

An Experiment

An interesting experiment was tried for the month of July. Word was passed to our agents in the United States, asking that they put forth an extra effort during the month of July to work full time — 40 hours a week. This was done in the hope of making the four-weeks' report for July equal to the five-weeks' report for June. A large number of canvassers, whose ears are always quick to hear the call, for either a skirmish or a battle, responded promptly, and came up to the standard. We give herewith a few brief notes from the reports for the month of June:—

Abroad

In the Latin Union Conference, where there are only 11 canvassers, the average time worked during the month of June was 41 hours a week.

In Scandinavia 115 canvassers have averaged 31½ hours a week. This is the largest average we have seen from any union where so many agents were employed. Taking into account the number of agents who were beginning, and who worked only a few days, this is a high average.

We do not have the report of hours from Germany this month, but usually our German workers show a very high average in hours worked.

The report from 16 workers in Japan for a period of four months shows an average of 32½ hours a week.

We congratulate our faithful canvassers in other lands who are working so many hours a day under trying circumstances. May the Lord bless them, and give them a great reward for their faithful labor.

At Home

Our canvassers in Western Canada have taken the lead in the number of hours worked during the summer. The average for the summer's work in that field is 35 hours a week. Ten agents in that union have averaged considerably above 40 hours a week for the time worked, and four agents have worked more than 40 hours a week every week this summer since they began. This is a fine record for Western Canada.

The Northern Union Conference stands second in the list in North America, with an average of 30½ hours a week during the month of July for their 73 agents. The weekly reports show that from 20 to 30 agents kept above the forty-hour mark continuously during the month. In that union North Dakota stands at the head, with an average of 35 hours a week. One week their average was 41½ hours.

In the Southwestern Union Conference about 30 agents kept steadily above the forty-hour mark, several of them working from 50 to 60 hours a week.

The Tennessee River Conference shows an average, by its five agents, of 40¾ hours a week—the best average for the month made by any local conference. Kentucky, also, with 13 agents, shows a good average of 32½ hours a week.

Many other interesting figures might be given. Let each canvasser study what his own time record has been, and work toward the front rank in the battle of the Lord.

We thank God for the faithful one hundred, who, on receiving the signal, threw themselves heart and soul into the battle, and made a faithful record. May the Lord bless these workers with a definite purpose to be equally faithful every month, and we trust that hundreds of others will be admonished and helped by the good example. E. R. P.