Experiences With Our Literature in the Pacific States
By H. H. Hall
IN the course of a two months’ trip through the various Pacific States, just completed, I had many cheering instances brought to my attention concerning the work accomplished by our literature, especially by The Signs of the Times. At one camp meeting I met a man and his wife who were converted three years before through the agency of The Signs and other literature, but had been prevented, because of their isolated condition, from listening to a single sermon or being baptized, until the day on which I talked with them. They were strong in the faith, happy in the Lord, and were doing all they could to save souls around them. I met a brother at the Olympia, Wash., camp meeting who had traveled two hundred and fifty miles to attend the meeting. After we became acquainted, he told me something of how he came into the truth, and of his efforts for its advancement since. He is a farmer, living in a very isolated portion of that State, and has but little time to devote to missionary work. He made no profession of religion when he moved to his present home, but a friend in the East sent him The Signs and other periodicals. As soon as he learned the character of these, he ceased opening them. However, their continued coming kept them in mind, until he was impressed that he ought to give his heart to the Lord. As he and his wife began to study the Scriptures, they found points which they could not understand, and they joyfully turned to the papers which had been thrown aside. In a short time he accepted the truth fully, traveled two hundred miles for baptism, and returned to his home ready for work. He subscribed for a club of The Signs, and purchased quite a liberal quantity of tracts. These he used in a very careful and systematic manner, with the result that he came to Olympia desiring the services of a minister and a church-school teacher. Six families or parts of families had accepted the truth, and enough children were interested in the Bible to make a church school necessary. He felt sure that a minister could go there and develop the interest already created, with good results. While in Montana, I met a sister who seemed to be especially enthusiastic when talking over the good accomplished by our periodicals. She told me that several years ago her husband, who was then a drinking man, and cared for nothing in literature except cheap novels, had in some way secured a copy of The Signs. He seemed to be intensely interested in it, and afterward secured other similar reading. This led him to Bible study, and, as a result, he came out fully in the truth, and afterward united with the church. In another place, where I was taking dinner, the conversation touched upon the agencies through which various ones had come into the truth. Three out of the seven who sat at the table had been convinced through the reading of The Signs or other literature. Many instances were related how The Signs had been used in introducing the truth to friends and neighbors, and the wonderful success that had followed it. Certainly the name “pioneer missionary paper” is an appropriate term for The Signs of the Times. H. H. HALL, Missionary Sec. Pacific Union Conf.