Seed Sowing by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 11, 1903

Seed Sowing

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

THE importance of distributing literature containing present truth can not be overestimated. Our preachers are few. Our number is small in comparison with other denominations. The Lord says, “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” There is far more grain sown than ever grows. Some produces thirtyfold, some sixty, and some one hundredfold. No one can tell which will grow, or the quantity of the yield. It is God that causes the earth to give forth its fruits.

In the Scripture, seed sowing is taken to illustrate the proclamations of the gospel. Through the human agent, who is to sow the gospel seed, the literature containing the messages of the “good seed” is to be scattered “like the falling of the autumn leaves.” Among those divinely appointed agents is the canvasser. He occupies a place in the work of God which no other agency can ever fill. He makes impressions upon the minds of those with whom he comes in contact that are as lasting as eternity. The angels of the Lord stand by his side, and aid him by working on the hearts of those for whom he labors. He is co-operating with the Lord, and becomes a divine agent in communicating light to others. He is the golden pipe by which is conveyed the oil into the lives of others. No position in God’s sight can be more honorable. The same is true also with those who act as colporteurs, and who send out leaflets and tracts through the mails. None need be deprived of the privilege of sowing the seed. All may have a part. Even children should be so educated that their hearts will be drawn out to engage in this work. Their little minds can be trained to love to work for the Master. A ten-year-old girl came to me once and said, “Josie wants to join the tract society.” Josie was her little brother, two years of age. At that time the price of membership to the society was one dollar. I asked her what she would say if, when Josie had grown up, he should decide not to spend his money in that way. After thinking a moment, she said, “Well, he ought to join.” A few years later, Josie came to me with one dollar and said, “I want you to take this and put it into the tract society so I can see some souls saved when Jesus comes.” That spirit and disposition was worth more than thousands of dollars in gold and silver. With those thoughts in his heart, should he die, he would awake in the resurrection, and look for the souls saved through the work of the tract society.

Educate the children to take an active interest in missionary work. This can not be done unless the parents are aroused to its importance. To this end we appeal to our brethren and sisters to take part in this effort. Let none be satisfied until the missionary spirit is in every Seventh-day Adventist home. It is time for the Lord to work; people have made void the law of God. The reaping is sure to come, and let none be fruitless stalks at this time. Now is the sowing time, soon the harvest will come. None will reap who do not sow. It is God who co-operates with us, and makes the human effort a success.

S. N. HASKELL.