CHURCH ELDERS AND THE CANVASSING WORK.
By E. P. Boggs
For several years various branches of the Lord's work have been languishing and dying; not because there was not abundance of work to do, but from the fact that there was a dearth of workers and means to carry it forward. But of no other branch is this statement more particularly true than that of the evangelistic canvassing. This line of work, to a great extent, has been neglected in all parts of the field, particularly in the east and north central States, where is found the most dense population of this country. In visiting our churches, we frequently have occasion to ask, “What has become of the young people who should be seen in the audience; whose voices should be heard in songs of praise, and whose interests should be connected with the missionary operations of the church?” To this query the reply is too often made, “They are engaged in this branch of business, or in that trade, or in this or that profession.” What is the cause of this indifference? and who will take the responsibility upon themselves to render an account at the judgment bar of God, not only of the loss of these young people, but for the fruit they might have borne, as the result of their labors, in the kingdom of God, had they been trained to work for the Master? Missionary operations must and should begin in the home, around the family fireside; and from there should be carried to the missionary meeting, and from the missionary meeting into the church. This would make a live, active church, and the church is the school in which God is training individuals to go forth as workers into the various branches of labor which are established for the enlightenment of the world in regard to the time in which we are living. All hearts should be aglow and sparkling with the light of truth for this time, and when a call from the conference is made for workers in the various departments of conference labor, scores would respond to the call. But to-day the order of things is reversed, and to secure one laborer it requires scores of calls and appeals to cause individuals to cut loose from their homes and pleasant surroundings, and the pleasures of this life, and leave them all to engage in the Master's work, but God is calling for consecrated men and women who will dedicate their services to the circulation of the printed page. “God has ordained the canvassing work as a means of presenting before the people the light contained in our books, and canvassers should be impressed with the importance of bringing before the world as fast as possible the books necessary for their spiritual education and enlightenment. This is the work that the Lord would have his people do at this time.” Will we do it? Will his people do the work, or will they, like Jonah of old, take a ship to Tarshish? We are told that where there is one canvasser in the field there should be one hundred. This means that God is impressing upon the hearts and minds of individuals a duty and a responsibility, and these individuals are not responding to the call, and if they do respond, it is to go in an opposite direction from that in which the Lord has called them. May God help us one and all, to whom is extended the invitation to labor in his vineyard, to do that gladly, that when we come to the great judgment bar, the blood of souls, whom we might have been the means of enlightening in regard to the truth, but do not, and who are lost, will not be found upon our garments. Time is short. The signs that foretell the Saviour's second coming are thickening around us day by day. The wars and rumors of wars, the gathering and marshaling of land and naval forces in the East indicate where we are in this world's history. Then a glance at the political and social condition of the world is another reminder of the fulfillment of prophecy. At the present time, prosperity, such as has not been experienced in this country for years, is abounding on every hand. The iron and steel works, woolen mills and factories, coal, iron, and copper mines, and, in fact, every line of industry, are crowded with work to their utmost capacity. During the last few years farmers have enjoyed bountiful harvests, and their products have netted them large profits, paid off their mortgages, and placed them in possession of handsome bank accounts. Now is our opportunity, while the farmers, mechanics, and laboring people have abundance of means, with which to purchase our books, papers, and tracts, to scatter them as the leaves of autumn. If every family will take up the tract work with their neighbors and friends, circulating such leaflets as “Coming of the Lord,” “The Way, the Truth, and the Life,” “Reign of Righteousness,” “Open Letter and Answers to the Open Letters,” “Hypnotism: What Is it?” “Seven Last Plagues,” to revive the missionary spirit in the home and awaken an interest and demand, and make necessary the weekly missionary meeting, it will give the members a new experience that will be to their souls like refreshing showers in a desert land. With each member of the family doing missionary work, and an active missionary meeting each week, our churches will revive, and our young people become missionaries.10 Let the leader of the missionary society plan and arrange for each member to engage in the sale of some of our small books, such as “Looking unto Jesus,” “Steps to Christ,” “Easy Steps in the Bible Story,” “Best Stories from the Best Book,” and thus every member of the church will be employed, and will be actively acquiring an experience that will give him a training and education to engage in the sale of our larger books, such as “Great Controversy,” “Patriarchs and Prophets,” “Daniel and Revelation,” “Desire of Ages,” also the health books, “Home Hand-Book,” “Ladies' Guide,” “Man the Masterpiece,” and others on health topics, that should be in the homes of the people throughout this country. Every church should select one or more of their number to engage in evangelistic canvassing. From the foregoing quotation from the Spirit of Prophecy, it will be seen that this is the work the Lord would have his people do at this time, and if we fail to do the work the Lord calls for, we shall certainly fail of the reward of the faithful. May God put it into the hearts of our church elders and leading brethren to take hold, and to set before their church members the importance of the evangelistic canvassing work, and to encourage suitable persons to engage in this work. They should send the names of such persons to their district or State agent. Thus our churches will become working churches, and a working church is a live church, and a live, active church will be a blessing to thousands and a beacon light to the community in which it is located. E. P. Boggs,
District Agent L. U. C.