p. 308 | The Missionary by S. N. Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 12, 1883

The Missionary.

By S. N. Haskell

By Land and Sea.

BY ELDER S. N. HASKELL.

WE never have received so many encouraging reports from all parts of the field as we have of late. God is blessing the seed sown, so that it is yielding fruit by land and sea. In a letter from Bro. Drew, dated June 1, is the following: “A few days ago I boarded a ship and found the captain keeping the Sabbath as the result of the ship work in San Francisco. I visited with him for three hours at his home, and found him rejoicing in the last call to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Sold him three volumes of “Spirit of Prophecy.” When at sea the decks are washed down and all preparations made for keeping God’s holy Sabbath. He is bound for San Francisco again. Our dear friends there will be glad to see him. May the God of Daniel watch over him as his ship sails over the blue and angry waters. The same day I boarded another ship and spent an hour with the captain in the cabin. He also had bought some of our books at San Francisco. I left some books with him, including the “Home Hand-Book,” and we have good hopes that God will water the good seed sown in his heart. We have a deep interest in this good work. Two Sabbaths ago I met with Sister Stanton, who embraced the Sabbath and was baptized in San Francisco; also with Sister Irving, who embraced the truth as the result of Bro. Israel’s efforts. She rejoices in the blessed hope and says, ‘I believe all that the prophets have spoken.’”

From a letter from a brother on the west coast of Mexico we quote the following:—

“You no doubt know already, that we (I and my wife) wish to join the people of God, that is the Seventh-day Adventists, in order to be able to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath of the Creator, so as to make ourselves and others ready to see Jesus. A short time ago we had to undergo a hard trial; we were near to being pushed to a last extremity, but our merciful God saved us therefrom. Nevertheless I had to submit to sacrifice nearly all my time. I am compelled to discontinue the missionary work which I had started through correspondence with relations and acquaintances abroad. The only time now left me is a few hours of Sunday afternoon and the nighttime. Satan played us a bad trick, and the more we earnestly seek our Lord God, the more at work is that evil spirit, but God Almighty is stronger, and we are confident of his helping us.”

We have just learned of a vessel, St. Cloud, from Hull, England, which has arrived at San Francisco. At Hull they received publications from Bro. Drew. The carpenter, a Mr. ——, embraced the Sabbath, and is now upon this coast, in East Oakland, rejoicing in the truth. Another interesting case has recently come to light, of a Dane living at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands. Upon the arrival of a vessel from San Francisco, he inquired of some of the crew if they had reading matter which they would give him. He was directed to a place on board the ship where there was reading matter furnished by the ship missionaries at San Francisco. There he found an Advent Tidende. He read it and became interested; sent to Battle Creek and obtained more reading of the same nature, and is now at San Francisco, rejoicing in the truth and waiting baptism, which will probably be administered before these lines will be read by the readers of this paper.

A few days since we received a long letter from a brother on the West India Islands, who first received an old bound volume of the Review which was placed on board of a ship at New Bedford, Mass. He became interested, and embraced the truth. For three years he has kept the Sabbath, and done missionary work on the island. He now writes that there is a demand for “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation.” He receives a club of the SIGNS, and publications from the International Tract Society.

Thus from all parts of the world, including the islands of the sea, seeds of truth are springing up. Not a week passes but cases similar to the above come to light. Truly God has gone before us and is preparing the way for a glorious triumph of his truth. Where are the reapers, and who will gather in these honest inquirers after truth?