Missionary Labor by M. Wood

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 26, 1872

Missionary Labor.

By M. Wood

At our late district quarterly meeting, held one week ago to-day, at the Seventh-day Advent Hall, cor. Third and Dorchester sts., Boston, I renewed the pledge which I had made several months previous, and decided that I would start anew in the Missionary work, and devote a portion of my time toward the accomplishment of a great, and glorious work. I had promised to put the Health Reformer into every respectable hotel in Boston, or seek to obtain their subscription for the same.

According to promise, I started last Monday on a missionary tour, armed with a few copies of the Health Reformer, also the United States in Prophecy. I was buoyant in spirits, and confident of success. I called at the hotels, made my business known to the proprietors, at the same time presenting them with a copy of the Reformer for their inspection. In some instances I was kindly and gentlemanly treated, and listened to with apparent interest, but they could not see the Health Reformer in the hotels. Mr. Mills, proprietor of the Parker House, after examining the Health Reformer much after the fashion of an editor, pronounced it an excellent, and valuable journal. He gave several reasons why he would not subscribe for it for the hotel, among them was that to keep track of such articles was next to an impossibility. “You lay them on the table,” said he, “and in five minutes’ time they are removed, either intentionally or unintentionally.” He was perfectly willing that we should furnish his hotel with as many copies as we pleased at our own expense. After the above explanation, he wrote his address upon a card and passed it to me with a dollar and a request to send the Health Reformer to his residence, as he was anxious for his family to peruse those pages of truth.

Not at all discouraged, but much disappointed, I called at another of our leading hotels, made known my business, presented the books and tried to explain some of the advantages connected with the health reform and the Reformer, but all to no purpose. There was too much sunlight in the Health Reformer to suit our hotel keeper. He opened the book and turned its pages over and over, until his eyes rested upon an article entitled, “Sunlight, by D. D. Stevens, M. D.,” which not only condemned the Reformer in his estimation, but also his dark rooms, where the light of day never penetrates, as the proprietor himself acknowledged. “For,” said he, “to place that journal before my guests I would soon have a number of rooms which would be void of guests.”

No marvel that we behold so many pale, puny, sickly looking women and children led or carried from the hotel steps to the carriage, that they may ride forth, fill their lungs with fresh air, and back again to their handsomely furnished cages, whose only light is that from a brazen chandelier. A word to the wise is sufficient, and we trust will prove so in the present case.

But I passed along until I reached the Public Library. I was about to pass the noble structure without giving it a passing notice, when my wife, who was with me, suggested that I make another attempt toward getting the truth before the people. I yielded to her entreaties, and entered one of the largest and most frequented Reading Rooms in Boston, but with little hopes of meeting with success, having met with so many disappointments during the day. But here I was agreeably surprised as the following letter may attest, which I received a few days after. “Boston Public Library, Nov. 1, 1872. “The trustees have received the United States in the light of Prophecy, a gift from M. Wood, for which they return a grateful acknowledgment.” Signed by the President and Superintendent. The result will be seen in the Judgment. M. WOOD. Boston, Nov. 11, 1872.