Australasia by J. Johansen

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 28, 1902

Australasia.

By J. Johansen

The canvassing work in Australasia is still on the up-grade. Years ago many of our workers talked as if the time had about come when the canvassing work in this field would close up, and that soon we would either have to subsidize our canvassers, or else they would have to turn their energies to account in some other direction. But the fact is that instead of declining, our work is prospering throughout the field; and notwithstanding drought and bush fires, we are selling more books to-day than we ever did in this field. Our workers are of good courage, and as for our territory, it is like well-tilled soil, the more thoroughly and carefully we work it, the more productive it becomes; and the more we put into it, the more we get out of it.

We have many evidences that God is working on the hearts of His people to deepen their interest in this branch of His work. One special source of encouragement to us has been the wonderful increase in the sale of tracts. During the last three months we have sold 53,649 tracts, while only 8,304 were disposed of during the corresponding period of last year. This shows that there is an awakening to the importance of circulating the printed page. We trust it is but the beginning of better things, and a proof that the time is right before us when our literature will indeed be scattered through the length and breadth of the land “as the leaves of autumn,” and when as a people we will take hold of this work, so that the full powers of our publishing houses throughout the world will be centered in the work of the glorious message God has committed to us.

J. JOHANSEN, General Agent.