The Progress of the Cause.
By L. M. H.
THE SIGNS being published earlier than usual this week, we are not able to give our column of condensed reports from Review and Herald. But in its place would submit a brief sketch of the progress of the work for the past few weeks. Since the first of August, one hundred reports, from twenty different States and from foreign countries, have been given through the SIGNS, showing an addition of over five hundred to the number of those who are observing the Bible Sabbath and keeping the law of ten commandments. This is mostly the result of tent labor; though much has been accomplished by our publications on Bible subjects, which have been largely circulated. Elder Carnright reports having sold ninety dollars' worth of books, and obtained twenty-eight subscribers for the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, at the meetings held in one place. The number of conversions given above, as reported the past few weeks in the SIGNS, are only from those reports where a definite number is given. When it is stated that several have accepted the truth, or a goodly number have commenced the observance of the Sabbath, no estimate was made. And reports given in full in the SIGNS are usually only of the work upon this coast, and from European correspondents. In condensing from the Review many reports are not given at all, as only from one to two columns of the SIGNS are filled with this matter, while in the Review from four to eight columns are filled each week. Last week a summary was given of the week previous, in which a count was made of two hundred and sixty-four conversions to the Sabbath; this being the report of one week only. There are a goodly number of active laborers in the field; and those who hear the word spoken and accept the Bible doctrines advocated, with love in their hearts and zeal for the cause, are spreading the light and extending the work by circulating reading matter upon these subjects. As an illustration of this we give an incident of a brother, some months ago, soliciting a minister to give a course of lectures in a certain place, and as the result a church was organized, consisting of ten members. Now he reports thirty-five keeping the Sabbath. The progress of this work is reported from every quarter. In various ways the light is spreading. Even the winds are an agent in distributing the truth. It is stated in the Review that a young lady of infidel sentiments, with whom conversation had been held upon the truthfulness of the Bible and the consistency of its doctrines, became interested and promised to read upon these subjects. Some time elapsed and the publications were not sent. But one day she discovered a part of a tract, which awakened an interest again in her mind, and she called upon the one who had conversed with her on these subjects, and asked if he had left some tracts on her school-house steps. She said she had found a part of one of our tracts that had blown through mud and rain and lodged at the door. She cleaned the mud from it, read it, and took it to her mother, and they both read it several times. She expressed her conviction of the truthfulness of what she had read. A package of our tracts was given her with the hope that she might fully accept the truth and live it out. Had not that tract lodged where it did, and fallen into her hands, perhaps she might never again have had her attention called to the subject. Surely, in this case the wind was used as an agent to extend the light. As we see the cause progressing, and the work advancing, should we not be inspired with renewed zeal and energy to act well our part in the faithful performance of whatever may be required at our hands, that at last it may be said to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” L. M. H.