Good News From a Far Country by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 5, 1883

Good News From a Far Country.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

[THE following is from a letter recently received from Bro. Drew. It speaks for itself, and breathes the true spirit. Encouraging reports are constantly received from different portions of this country and the Old World, clearly indicating that God has gone before us in preparing hearts for the reception of his truth. S. N. HASKELL.]

Never before did I undertake to write a letter to any one with a heart so full of gratitude to God for his goodness to me, as the one I now write to you. I know that the mercies of God are great to us, and his love is infinite, surpassing all understanding. I know from experience for the last thirteen years that the great God is leading his people in the third angel's message, and if we are faithful we shall finally triumph. The last quarter of the old year was a hard and trying one, but we are happy to state that we never enjoyed so much of the blessing of God since we heard the message, as during the last quarter. The last six weeks of the old quarter, I sold nearly or quite 60,000 pages of books and tracts. During the quarter just ended I sold 90,000 pages, and loaned 15,000, and gave away 5,000. That is certainly good for old England.

Last Monday a Swedish Sabbath-keeper passed through here en route to Kansas. I gave him a paper and a tract. I noticed he looked hard at me, and when I went on deck he came and said, You Advente? I said, Yes. He smote his breast and said, Me Advente and gave me a good shaking of the hand. He could not speak a word of English, so I found one that could and asked him if he knew Bro. Matteson; he said, Yes, also Sister Rasmussen and Bro. Rosquist. I would have given quite a sum to be able to talk with him directly.

Last week I found a captain who was bordering on infidelity. I had a long talk with him and sold him $8.00 worth of books, and when I left he gave me $5.00 more. He is going to settle among our people in Lower California, on account of the asthma. I have visited him and his family and prayed with them. They have left their ship, and are going home by steamship, with the view of settling his affairs, and thence to Battle Creek for two or three weeks, and thence to Lower California. I have prayed even during the silent hours of the night that our feeble efforts may be blessed, and he become a child of God.

You spoke about Israel sitting still. I presume they were not so nervous as I am, for to sit still would be death to me. I love the work too well to sit still, and I want no one about me who is lazy. A lazy Christian is a terrible curse to himself and to the cause of God. I look upon the wants of the cause here as my family.

I know without the least shadow of a doubt that God is leading his people, and I would not do the least thing to mar the good work. But what I have written in this letter is the true sentiment of my mind. I am still laboring for Mr. ——, and I pray that God will open the way to get him interested in our books on prophecy. He has taken the “Home Hand-book,” etc., to the amount of $20.00, but no books on the prophecies. Just now the work is rather slack, but we still find enough to do. I am anxious to become strong in God, skillful in his warfare, faithful to his precious cause, and with you and all the faithful at last stand on Mount Zion.