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OUR WORK AND WORKERS

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 7, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 1.

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OUR WORK AND WORKERS.

A CAMP-MEETING is announced for this month at Uitenhage, Cape Colony, South Africa.
A VISITOR recently came into the office of the Messenger, at Perth, West Australia, and related this experience: “Meat, pickles, vinegar, pepper, mustard, tea, coffee, beer, and tobacco—all gone through Adventism.”
IN the Messenger, of Perth, West Australia, Brother Jesse Pallant reports the baptism of eight candidates in that city, with ten others soon to follow. A sister there sells 210 copies of Bible Echo every week, and has also sold sixty copies of “Christ’s Object Lessons.”
BROTHER J. V. WILSON reports to the Fortnightly Review from Kimberley, South Africa, that “the work in the line of medical treatments has been largely increased of late. Calls are coming in for massage treatments at the homes of the people, sometimes more than we know how to fill. The doctors are prescribing massage for their patients, and this gives us work.”
DID it just happen? The Workers’ Record says: “Two gentlemen passing through Kansas City happened to attend the dedicatory services, became interested and decided to remain a day or so to hear more of the truth. As the meetings continued they became deeply interested and postponed their journey from day to day. They stayed through the entire series of meetings and both decided to obey the Lord in keeping all His precepts.”
BROTHER J. W. WATT, president of Vermont Conference, notes that within a short time seven persons have accepted the Adventist message without any special personal effort from any one. The same thing is true elsewhere, but that is no reason why any who know the truth should become lax in making it known. Of course the Lord can do the work without us, but it would be a great loss to us if He should have to do so because of our negligence. Dependence on Him does not mean slothfulness on our part. The branch that does not abide in the Vine and bear fruit will surely wither and die.
WRITING to the Welcome Visitor from Tokyo, Japan, Brother F. W. Field tells of attending a meeting at Shiba Koyen, November 9. Brother Okohira preached in Japanese, and two candidates were received for baptism. The name of one other was mentioned. There were twenty-seven persons in attendance. Brother Field says: “We have three classes, one in English, one in Japanese, for grown people, and a class of Japanese children. This refers to the Sabbath-school held in a class room in his own house. He is asking for funds to publish tracts in the Japanese language.”
IN announcing a special course at Berrien Springs, Mich., January 7 to March 17, Prof. E. A. Sutherland says: “For several years a summer school has been conducted for the training of Christian teachers. As a result there are schools for children all over the land. A great educational movement has been inaugurated. It is gathering in the children, and these children will go out a few years hence as missionaries to all the world. But what about the young men and women of to-day? The cause needs the help of those who are now doing little or nothing to spread the Gospel. There is buried talent. God wants it.”
APROPOS of a printing office in connection with one of our industrial schools, the Workers’ Bulletin aptly says: “The printing office rightly conducted is one of the best of schools, but a person of experience should be in charge. With amateurs in both the editorial and mechanical departments, it becomes a most tedious process.” But that is not all. To attempt to do or to teach printing with worn-out or otherwise inadequate material, always results in a product disgraceful to the trade. Under such circumstances it is impossible to turn out competent workmen. The time young persons spend in such a printing office is worse than wasted, for they are apt to imagine they are printers, after a given time of apprenticeship, when a really good establishment would rather take one who never had tried to work at the trade at all.
IN a recent number of the New York Indicator we find the following from Brother George B. Thompson, president of that conference: “Recently while visiting one of our churches I heard of a lady who accidentally secured a copy of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and from reading it was convicted of her duty to keep the Lord’s Sabbath, and has ever since been trying to do so. Why should we not be more diligent in circulating this most excellent missionary weekly? Souls in darkness should get hold of it some other way than by accident. We should be sending it by the thousands into the homes of the millions in our conference. Churches and individuals should take clubs, and send these good messengers of the Gospel into every home. Come, brethren and sisters, here is a neglected work. The time and opportunity are here. Shall they pass by unimproved?”
BROTHER GEORGE B. WHEELER, reporting to the Atlantic Union Gleaner, says: “The case of Brother W. T. Gibson who was arrested last summer for Sunday work in Everett, which was appealed from the lower to the Superior Court, came up at that court Thursday, the 13th inst. The chief of police offered to loan Mr. Gibson the money to pay his fine, which he refused. He was then asked what he wished done with the case, and replied that he wished to have the case discharged on the grounds of rights guaranteed by the Declaration of Rights in the Constitution of the State, or that the case be tried. The chief of police called the attention of the district attorney to the case and gave him the Sentinel with an account of the previous trial. Mr. Gibson also gave him his brief, which he had prepared for the defense, the result of which was that when the case came up before the court it was non-prossed (not prosecuted). The result of this trial has been a victory for the truth, and Brother Gibson is profoundly grateful that it has terminated so favorably.”
FROM Brother George W. Reaser we learn that the first annual meeting of the Natal-Transvaal Mission Society was held at Sweetwaters, Natal, November 6–11, at which it was decided to organize the mission into the Natal-Transvaal Conference. The constituency of the field has nearly doubled during the past year, and the increase of funds will enable them to carry on the advance work for the evangelization of the European population without financial aid from America. They are in great need of laborers in the Lord’s vineyard. Young men need not be afraid to undertake the work even if they understand only the English language. Those who go there for commercial purposes readily acquire a sufficient knowledge of three languages to transact business, and “it should not stagger any of our younger workers to undertake to acquire a new language for the purpose of presenting the message of life and salvation.” Brother Reaser was elected president of the new conference with Brother J. H. Camp as vice-president and C. H. Pretyman as secretary, treasurer, and business manager. By the present date the new school building near Pietermaritzburg is completed and school in progress. There are eight acres of land in the school lot, on which can be raised all kinds of subtropical fruits. Arrangements are being made for opening a school in Johannesburg.