“Christ’s Object Lessons” in Australia
By George B. Starr
FINDING prejudice here sufficient to make it difficult to secure openings among the people, we decided to work with the church, and at the same time to meet the people with the Good Health (Australian). Later it seemed clear that we all should take hold of the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” The more I studied the little Testimony on the “Relief of the Schools,” the more I saw that this was God’s plan to help the churches, to infuse new life into them, and that by giving themselves to this work, they were preparing the way for the outpouring of his Holy Spirit in a larger measure. So we went to work, and in the face of the most general and persistent cry of “hard times,” “mines shut down,” and “no business,” that I have ever heard, God has helped us. I knew that I must get an experience for myself, or I could help no one else. Though I have felt distrustful and weak, God has never let me go out a single day, even for only two or three hours, without selling from two to three books. I have now a list of over fifty, and am only about half through the business portion of these two streets. I have sold to all classes, and have met some of the finest people I ever saw in my life, and formed some interesting acquaintances among ministers, merchants, dentists, and others. A Catholic, a manager in one of the large shoe shops, after listening to the plan and description of the book, asked, “What do you do with Catholics?” “O,” I replied, “we treat them just as well as any one else, and sell them the book at the same price.” He laughed, and said, “Well, you may bring me one. I like your plan, and I like the ring of the book, and expect to enjoy reading it.” For weeks I felt anxious to get the book into the hands of one of the merchants on Sturt Street, with whom I had formed a pleasant acquaintance, but kept postponing canvassing him until I had more experience, for fear of losing his order; but all the time I kept praying to the Lord to open the way, and let me meet him at just the right time. Last Thursday I stepped into his shop; his son said that he was in the back room, and that he would call him, but I did not think best to have him do this, so asked the privilege of leaving my black box containing four copies of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” promising to call toward six on my way home, which I did, having worked hard to get two orders in two hours. When I returned, the man himself was in the front store, and went at once to get my box. I thanked him, and told him that I wanted to tell him about a plan we had to raise five thousand pounds without begging. He listened attentively to the plan and the canvass for the book, and said, “O, yes, you may bring me one, I like the book;” and his nephew, a clerk with him, said: “You may bring me one also.” Of course I was pleased at selling two so quickly, but noticed that the gentleman looked rather pleased about something. He said: “Mr. Starr, I shall have to own up that I have been reading your book for the last two hours nearly. When I was in the rear room, my son came and set your box down close to me without any words of explanation. Not knowing what it was, or whose, I felt sufficiently curious to open it, and as it contained only copies of new books, I saw that it was nothing private or personal. I looked at one, and became much interested in it. I know that what you say about its being a good book is so, and feel sure we shall like it.” Thus you see how God worked in a manner utterly impossible to have been planned by man. I am sure God is in the sale of this book, and in the plan to get all our people—ministers, workers, and all—to gain an experience in the sale of it. I am sorry I have been so slow to take hold of it. God has blessed me in it. It seems to me that he is intending to teach his people new methods of working, and to teach them a new language with which to come to the people. You know what I mean. Each truth has a vocabulary of its own, by means of which it is carried to the people. The Sabbath truth, the coming of Christ, the state of the dead, and righteousness by faith, all have their peculiar wording, argument, and manner with them; and it seems to me that we need to learn more of the methods and manner and words of Jesus before we are fitted to be filled with the Spirit of power to be sent to the people to witness as we should for him. But thanks be to God, it seems to me that by reading and re-reading portions of this blessed book to our neighbors, in order to persuade them to read and purchase the book, and by reading it through many times to familiarize ourselves with its contents, we shall become acquainted with the most precious things in the ministry of Jesus, and so the Spirit of God can inspire us to give to the people of this last generation the very lessons that Jesus gave to the people who heard him. In view of this, there should be no superficial learning of the canvass for the book, but each person handling it should be filled with its principles. I see more and more in God’s plan as I try to work it out. The book will remove prejudice; and if in its sale our people gain a new experience which will enable them to hold the confidence gained, a blessed ministry must follow. Another point in the canvass for “Christ’s Object Lessons” that is impressing me, is that through this God is drilling us in unquestioning, implicit, and prompt obedience to all his directions, as he led the children of Israel to camp here and there as the pillar of cloud or of fire moved, by night or by day, and to do it without questioning; to pitch at this mountain, or in this plain, or compass Jericho seven times about; and do just that one thing then, and do it all together, and with all their powers. His kingdom rules over all, and when we all learn to hearken to the voice of his word and to his commandments, we shall be better fitted for the Lord’s coming. GEORGE B. STARR.
Ballarat, Victoria.