p. 17 | T. H. DAVIS by T. H. Davis

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 7, 1907

T. H. DAVIS

By T. H. Davis

Equador

GUAYAQUIL.—Brother and Sister Casebeer and I have just come back from a trip to the gold-mine district of Ecuador. The South American Developing Company have a forty-stamp mill near the town of Zeruma. We found this a very quiet mining camp, the quietness being attributed to the fact that no liquor is sold there. The wife of the manager, being religiously minded, advised the company to sell no liquor in their grocery store.

Our object on this trip was to sell Bibles and our denominational publications, and hold meetings as the way opened, also to collect names. I was able to deliver between three and four hundred sucres’ worth of the books on this trip, besides getting a number of interested ones on my list, with which to follow up the work. Right here it might be well to mention our opportunity to send literature by mail, as all publications go free through the post-office of Ecuador. If some of our brethren who are interested in the work here could send us, through the Mission Board, a club of about one hundred Senales, published at Valparaiso, Chile, we could do a good work with them through the mails. The cost would be about eighteen dollars gold a year for this number. Of course any amount would be acceptable, as we have no one sending a club of Spanish papers to us yet. The English Signs are being distributed as they come, among the English-speaking people of Ecuador.

I am encouraged in the Spanish sales of our works of late. At Machala, where a great deal of cocoa is grown, from one-half day’s work I took twenty orders for “Patriarchs,” the only book we have as yet in Spanish. This is the best success I have had since beginning the sale of our works some twelve years ago. Since the Chilean earthquake the brethren have gotten out a special Senales on earthquakes, which sells at ten cents; so now we are busy here, selling them. In five or six hours’ work one day I sold one hundred and five, which is the largest number of papers I ever sold in one day. I often think of a statement made by Sister White, that every effort of ours in the Lord’s work will be blessed. It is true, dear brethren. If you have not made a real effort, try it for yourselves.

To-day I have had several newsboys at the house, to buy papers to resell on the street. I have often wished that some earnest canvasser could be with me, to give me courage; but now that the newsboys are lending me a hand, it is more encouraging. Christ once said of the children, “If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” I could use to good advantage a club of about ten each of the Youth’s Instructor, the Life and Health, and Liberty, if some friends choose to send them. We are encouraged to go on and finish the work, even if we have not seen much fruit for our labors as yet.

T. H. DAVIS

An Interesting Experience

BROTHER E. A. WESTCOTT, who is having a good experience on the Richmond River, New South Wales, Australia, canvassing, writes:—

“This week has been a good one in every respect. I have traveled many miles through very rough country, populated by Methodists and Roman Catholics, both of whom housed me and treated me like a king; at any rate I felt that I was a son of a King. My best business was with the Roman Catholics, ‘Desire of Ages’ appeals to them. I have had many good experiences in the country. I travel on and on, and at the end of the day some one whom I never saw before welcomes me in and keeps me all night. My greatest difficulty has been to get away from the people.

“Some time ago I took an order from a Roman Catholic. I delivered the book early, as the man wanted it to read. A few days later he was killed on the street. I then met a lady who is a friend of the family. Briefly she told me that he had turned from religion, but that my canvass had stopped his downward career, and he had said to his wife, after receiving the book, ‘Well, it is of no use trying to keep Christ away from the house when a stranger brings him to the door.’ Rev. 3:20 came to my mind. How much this book did only God knows. His wife assured me that he changed marvelously, and she is greatly comforted. I am glad to tell of this, as it encourages prompt delivery. I am well, happy, and trustful in my work.”