p. 12 | OUR WORK AND WORKERS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 13, 1898

OUR WORK AND WORKERS.

In Linneus, Me., Brother J. B. Goodrich reports an accession of five to our ranks.

Brother M. G. Huffman, who has been laboring in Tennessee, has been assigned to Jacksonville, Fla.

At Albuquerque, N. M., a few weeks ago, Brother H. L. Hoover organized a Sabbath-school of fifteen members.

On the 26th ult., the new house of worship at Cripple Creek, Colo., was dedicated to the Lord, Elder J. M. Rees officiating.

Under date of December 20, Brother R. J. Nash reports six conversions at the Helping Hand Mission, Milwaukee, Wis.

The report comes from British Guiana that Brother Van Deusen has baptized eighteen persons, among them a minister and his family of five.

A gentleman not of our faith called at the office of the Iowa Tract Society, in Des Moines, about three weeks ago, and handed in subscription for eight copies of the SIGNS—six for one year and two for six months.

The word to us now is: “The Lord has aggressive work to be done.” “Every man to his work, each to do his best.” “Those who will stand where the Lord can work through them to communicate light to the world, will be chosen as vessels unto honor.”

Prof. W. W. Prescott recently spent a short time with the churches in Ireland. At Belfast, after a discourse on baptism, nine persons were baptized. From there he went to Scotland.

One voice to the church says, “Many will not engage in the work unless they can see clearly that there is no chance for financial loss.” Such are reminded that some of the first disciples were engaged in the business of fishing, by which they made a living for their families; but when Jesus called them to His work “they forsook all and followed Him.” “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” Do you believe it?

In Echoes from the Field, the Colorado Conference organ, of December 29, we find the following encouraging item: “The mission located at 1431 Fifteenth Street, Denver, is now open and the Lord is blessing in the work. Many who are hungry are being fed every day; those who have no place of their own where they can lay their head at night, find lodging with us. Some whose clothing is not sufficient to shield them from the cold, are being clothed; the sick are being cared for and many wounds are dressed. Regular services are being held each evening at 8 o’clock with good attendance. At almost every meeting, some one requests the prayers of God’s people. Some, we have every reason to believe, are giving to the Lord their hearts.”

Traveling in Montana with a road-cart in winter-time is certainly no pleasure trip in the ordinary sense of the term. But that is the manner in which Brother C. F. Shaffer and wife are visiting churches, canvassing, and doing evangelistic work. But the King’s business requires haste, and there is no time now to wait for railroads to be built everywhere, or for warm weather to make traveling a pleasure. At Elkhorn, one evening, when speaking to a good-sized congregation, an attempt was made by parties outside the hall to break up the meeting. Much disturbance was created, but it was answered by prayers on the part of the speaker that God would forgive the disturbers. Previous attempts had been made to break up the meeting held in a tent, all of which was the result of false reports that had preceded the laborers, as it was the first attempt of our people to do anything in the place. Notwithstanding the opposition, the work was not without a good degree of success.

Brother Wm. Covert, writing to the Wisconsin Reporter about some recent meetings at Chicago, bears this interesting testimony: “The evenings were devoted for the most part to working for sinners. The Star of Hope, the Working Men’s Home, and the Pacific Garden Mission were the principal places where evenings were spent in public meetings. Some would attend at one of these places while the remainder went to others; and the majority worked, too, when they were there. Many cottage meetings were held and much interest was taken in them. Another field of labor which received much attention was the saloons. Many went to these traps of death to hunt for the lost and if possible save them, and in this the result was much better than we could have expected. The whole occasion was interesting and profitable beyond anything which has been experienced among us in the past history of our work. As the days passed by, it was astonishing to learn how much the methods of labor resembled the work done by the apostles in their ministry after the Holy Spirit baptized them for their work.”

Brother W. C. Grainger, missionary in Tokyo, Japan, writes encouragingly of the work there, under date of December 17. Altho a foreign missionary, he is supported at present by the California Conference. We give these interesting items from his letter to Brother W. T. Knox, president of the Conference:—

“Two young officers of the army have recently embraced the truth, resigned their positions, and are now taking steps to prepare themselves to preach the last message to their countrymen. . . . Some friends of Brother Okohira, living in Kobe, with whom he has been laboring, have written him some very encouraging letters of late. There is a good prospect that fruit will come from his visits to that city. There is no let up to our Bible work. The interest is as good as it has been at any time in the past. Beginning with January we shall in addition to our Bible studies have two or three general studies or preaching services each week. We have rented and fitted up for our work a large hall that was formerly used for a billiard hall. It is well located, and is well suited for our work at its present stage. The rental is $6.50.”

The letter also notes the fact that a brother named Sayeki is a teacher of English in one of the imperial normal schools. Brother Grainger’s address is No. 2, Gobanchi, Shiba Koyen, Tokyo, Japan.