p. 17 | South Africa by W. S. Hyatt

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 29, 1902

South Africa

By W. S. Hyatt

Getting Our Literature before the People

If there is one work in which I have felt greater interest than in another, it is that of placing our literature before the people. On account of war and plague this work has been hindered in South Africa. Still, we have been able to put several thousand copies of “Coming King,” as well as some other books, into the hands of the people. But since we cannot do this work as we would, we have turned our attention to other methods whereby we can reach the masses.

Our brethren and sisters have manifested a deep interest in getting the truth before the Dutch, who we are told have been greatly neglected by us. God has blessed in the work as we have tried to do something for them. We made a call for funds with which to furnish papers and tracts, and we praise the Lord that he put it into the hearts of so many to respond liberally. Up to the present we have received fully six hundred dollars for this work. This is much more than I expected, but no more than is needed.

We cannot send large parcels of literature into the camps and prisons, as it is destroyed. But we can send small packages by mail to some of our brethren who are in the camps and prisons, and they deliver them. Then we have the addresses of many others to whom we can mail the papers. In some places our people get permission to visit the camps, and in this way we are able to place large quantities of papers and tracts among the Dutch. In fact, it takes large quantities to supply a camp of a thousand tents, with four or five thousand people, and there are many of these. But the Lord is in this work, and the last message is being brought to the attention of a large portion of the Dutch people of South Africa. For this we thank the Lord, while continuing to sow beside all waters.

We are much interested also in the circulation of the South African Sentinel. In the past we have been greatly perplexed to know how to get the paper before the people. We tried canvassing for it, but this was expensive, and we scarcely knew what to do. Finally, one Saturday evening, a brother went out to sell some papers. In this he was successful. Soon others began to follow his example, and it was demonstrated that it was an easy task to sell from fifty to one hundred Sentinels on a Saturday evening. At that time the streets are full of people, who are out to see and to be seen.

When we began selling the Sentinel in this way, we were finding it hard to dispose of twenty-five hundred papers each month; but now we are printing sixty-five hundred, and all are being sold. We feel that this is a success in every way. We do the work on an evening usually devoted to idleness, hence many can take part in it. The people take the papers home to read on Sunday, and thus thousands have their attention called to the truth. We carry English, Dutch, and German papers from house to house, but the evening work accomplishes the most.

We are glad that we have been able to do a large amount of free work among the soldiers and hospitals. Our literature has been carefully examined by the military authorities, and in each instance pronounced good. Officers of high standing say that we furnish the best reading matter that they receive, but we are not able to furnish a tithe of the amount that is needed, since the way is open to send to the troops in any part of South Africa.

Our cities are filled with strangers, and many of these are becoming acquainted with the message. Thus it is that the Lord is preparing the way for the loud cry. We are thankful that we have a part in spreading the glad tidings in this land.

W. S. HYATT.