p. 187 | Trip to California by Stephen N. Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 19, 1883

Trip to California.

By Stephen N. Haskell

I LEFT South Lancaster, Mass., for California on the evening of March 29, by way of New York City. March 31 and April 1, Sabbath and first-day, I spent at Rome, N. Y., with Bro. Whitney. Had a pleasant time with the friends at this place. The following Tuesday and Wednesday was at Battle Creek, Michigan. I spent some time counseling with those interested in the missionary work. I trust this was a profitable season. There is much interest manifested in the missionary society at Battle Creek, and much evidence of the blessing of God accompanying their efforts. They are now receiving 1,000 copies of the SIGNS weekly, and even this number fails to meet the demand for them by the members of the society. They are also using a larger number of tracts than ever before. They are having correspondence with all the scattered members in Michigan, which has awakened a general interest in the missionary work. They are also canvassing the entire city with our publications. There seemed to be as healthy an interest in this society as in any society I have visited for a long time.

Sabbath and first-day, April 7, 8, I spent at Fremont, Nebraska. There is no State that is more interested, as a whole, in the missionary work, than this Conference. Nebraska was one of the first States that adopted the plan of distributing the SIGNS in connection with colporteur work to prepare the way for tent-meetings. This course was attended with marked success. Churches were raised up wherever they followed this plan, until it has become a settled plan with them not to enter a new field and hold a series of meetings unless the way is first prepared by colporteur work; and then the colporteur work is followed up during the time of tent-meeting. They have now eight canvassers in the field, who are meeting with marked success in visiting families and obtaining subscribers for the SIGNS of THE TIMES. The plan which they are following is for certain individuals to enter a new place and secure monthly subscribers for the SIGNS, at fifteen cents each, to be paid for at the close of the month. Then the colporteur will call upon each family once a week, to see that they receive the paper and are interested in its contents. If not interested he will call their attention to some interesting article, and, if possible, get them interested to read. They also carry with them tracts, as they will frequently find persons interested in some points of doctrine, who wish to read further upon it. This course being followed up during the month will develop a class of interested readers for the paper, so that the way is fully prepared for the tent to be pitched in the place. This present season they have more canvassers in the field than they have tents to follow up the interest; therefore their canvassers will continue the work, and seek to awaken a permanent interest by holding meetings with families, and explaining the truth to them, as circumstances may permit. They propose at the end of the month to obtain, if possible, their permanent subscription, with the premium, "Life and Epistles of St. Paul," at $2.25.

In other parts of the country they have adopted the same plan of obtaining monthly subscribers and then canvassing with the premium. Thus far it has been attended with unusual success. We think that the plan will be a success wherever it is adopted. Nebraska Tract Society have already ordered their second hundred of "Life and Epistles of St Paul" for their missionary work. Should Michigan and our large Conferences adopt the same course that is being adopted in Nebraska, there might be more than one hundred canvassers in the field acting as colporteurs, using thousands of our publications that are not now being used, and the circulation of the SIGNS of THE TIMES would be increased 10,000 before the autumn of 1883. During the last week, Nebraska has ordered one hundred and fifty copies of the SIGNS in addition to those that they were taking before. These are sent from the State secretary at publishers' rates of postage. The ordinary canvasser will receive from forty to fifty monthly subscribers per week on the plan which they adopt. Quite a portion of these will become permanent subscribers at the end of the month, and not a few, we trust, will finally be saved in the kingdom of God.

On Monday, the 9th, I left for California and arrived Friday the 13th. I was happy to meet with the many familiar faces at the Office, and hope that God will make this visit a blessing to the cause on the Pacific Coast.

S. N. HASKELL.