GEORGIA by A. W. Bartlett

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 2, 1900

GEORGIA

By A. W. Bartlett

SAVANNAH.— Having labored nearly twenty-four years in fields possessing many unappreciated advantages, and desiring to spend my remaining strength and time in some destitute field where present truth would be particularly appreciated, I was impressed that our Southern field was the place in which God would have me labor. About seven weeks ago I landed in Savannah, Ga. My wife joined me about two weeks ago. Savannah is a beautiful city of about sixty-five thousand inhabitants, including about thirty thousand colored people. There is not, nor has there been, except my wife and myself, any resident Seventh-day Adventists in this city as far as we can learn. Savannah is one of the most important seaports of the South. Here ships of many nations load lumber, cotton, naval stores, etc., and a good field is offered for missionary work.

We have held three Sunday night meetings in a large hall devoted on other nights to minstrel shows, etc.; and believing that we could reach the people better by house-to-house labor, we proposed this to our last congregation, and six invitations were given to continue our work in families by forming classes for the study of “Thoughts on Daniel.” We now have more appointments than we have been able to meet.

We hold meetings twice a week with a company of noble and influential women, who for years have held meetings for the study of the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation and the near coming of Christ. These women have felt it a duty to give time to the study of latter-day things, in which their pastors do not seem to be much interested. I was welcomed among these noble Bereans, and am now putting before them the most precious treasure of present truth, for which they seem so hungry that they urge me to present matters more rapidly. Two of the most prominent among them visited our home, and, not knowing our belief as to the state of the dead, said, in substance: “We are much burdened over a certain matter of belief in which we stand alone, and which we learned from no man, but of God, from the Word.” What was my joy to learn that God had anticipated our work, and they had become sound believers in the glorious truth regarding the state of the dead, and that mortality puts on immortality only at the resurrection of the just. Thus God has Lydias among these devout women, whose hearts he is opening that they may attend unto the words of truth which we preach.

The money we had to devote to this field has nearly all been spent in necessary expenses here. Unless we can have help soon, we know not how to maintain ourselves in this field. We live in one back room, in which we cook, eat, and sleep. Our fare is very simple. We should be glad to remain here and labor, and should count it joy to make sacrifices for this work.

The General Conference has given me ministerial credentials as a self-supporting laborer, but may we not look to some of our brethren for financial help in this most needy field? The Spirit has said: “It is of no use to send missionaries to work in the Southern field unless they are furnished with means from your abundance to help the distressed, and those who are in poverty that can not be described.” Pray for this field, and send your money to Brother J. A. Ford, manager of the Atlanta branch of the Review and Herald Publishing Company, Atlanta, Ga., or to Arthur W. Bartlett, 411 Huntington St. Savannah, Ga. A. W. BARTLETT.