Tract and Missionary Department.
By M. Wood
“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.” Eccl. 11:6. The whole tenor of this beautiful passage of Scripture is well calculated to infuse more life and vigor into the hearts and souls of those who are connected with the tract enterprise, and to induce them to renewed efforts in sowing the good seed of the kingdom, that is to fall into good ground, take root, spring forth, and grow into fruitful sheaves for the Master’s garner. Paul may plant and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase. Here the great apostle teaches us that we can do nothing of ourselves, that the blessing of God must attend our efforts. God is with his people. He has put his hand to the work, and it must move forward; and if those who have heretofore taken an active part in so noble, and so glorious a work as that of scattering the rays of light in a world of darkness, become discouraged, careless, and indifferent as to the progress of the cause, they will be sifted out, while others will fill the gap, move forward with the work, and receive the crown that might have been theirs. “In the morning sow thy seed,” is the language of inspiration, and I believe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the good seed of the kingdom, and that those who are interested, and engage with pure, unselfish motives in the distribution of books, pamphlets, and tracts, pertaining to the third angel’s message, if faithful, will receive their reward. We may dispose of our stock of tracts and periodicals, and realize no good results; but God says, Sow thy seed, thou knowest not which shall fall into good ground. These words were very forcibly brought to my mind a few days ago, by an event that transpired in this place. The REVIEW AND HERALD OF THE SABBATH, together with some tracts, were given to a man with a request that after reading he should pass them to his friends. He read them and re-read them. His wife and children read them. The result was, The man became convinced, and acknowledged the Sabbath; but, like thousands of others, he is waiting for a more convenient season. Not so, his wife; for after carefully comparing the tracts with Scripture, and learning for the first time that Saturday, the seventh day, is the Lord’s sanctified Sabbath, without hearing a single sermon on present truth, avowed her intentions never again to desecrate God’s holy Sabbath. And to-day, her daughter informed me that she was keeping the Sabbath with her mother. What the final result will be from the seed thus sown in the morning, the soon-coming Judgment will reveal. M. Wood.