INTERESTING EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS.
Below we give a few extracts from the many letters which are received from different countries, where the light of present truth has been carried by means of tracts and papers sent by the V. M. Societies. Dr. Ribton, of Naples, Italy, writes to South Lancaster:— “I read with great pleasure your kind letter; indeed, the greatest consolation I have in this life, next to communion with our Master, lies in the correspondence I have with his people. The word of Christ has ever been precious to me, especially of late years, when circumstances have brought me nearer to him; but I can now indorse the words which I read in one of the Adventist papers, and say that the knowledge of the things that are shortly to come to pass has made the Bible a new book to me. In fact, I began to study it over again, and hundreds of passages became clear to me, the meaning of which I had long sought in vain; passages that are read and quoted from many a pulpit without a ray of light being thrown on their true meaning. I have tasted the blessing of those that hear the word of the prophecy, despised by so many, and keep the things that are written therein.” “I hunger and thirst after God’s work. I have but one desire,—to devote time, pen, and voice to the proclamation of God’s warning message. I see appeals in papers for preachers, and I say to God, ‘Send me.’ I am best fitted for working in this country, but rather than lose time, as I am now doing, I would go to any warm climate where there was a field for labor. The Sabbath and John’s vision have cut me off from all religious communities except the Seventh-day churches, and shown me that the greatest work to be done in the little time now remaining, is to proclaim reform in the midst of reformers themselves. But here I have to labor daily for the meat that perisheth, and in this most impoverished country, a life of continual toil hardly suffices to supply common necessaries. Day after day rolls into the past, and there is no work done for the angels to record. A service of praise in my own family, a few tracts sent out, a few words with a friend when an opportunity presents itself, that is all. I want to have ten talents for my Master when he comes, and ask him daily to open me a door. And this I feel sure he will do; but life is short, his coming is near, and I want to be at work soon. At present I have nothing but my daily labor. I hope to be better off some day, and give all I have to the work of the third angel’s message.” “This is a sad country for a missionary to work in. There are a few who refuse to bow the knee to Baal, and these are precious in God’s eyes. Five friends have accepted God’s Sabbath, and when the Lord gives me more time, I hope to bring forward others. I have received pressing invitations to go and preach in three places, but am powerless. What an account will the rich have to render of the thousands they spend upon empty pleasures, while numbers are perishing for want of spiritual food.” A gentleman writing from England refers to a correspondence with a friend in this country, and says:— “Among other results it made me acquainted with the S. D. Adventist’s views and publications; and their clear statements of truth were very refreshing, and helped to mature my views on several subjects, viz., life in Christ only, death, immortality, the Sabbath, and the second coming of Christ. These subjects have been more or less agitated here for some time past, and more particularly of late. I will scatter the SIGNS sent, and also REFORMERS, but cannot offer to take them now, as my income is very limited.” A lady from London, England, writes:— “My object in writing is to ask you to send me, when convenient, THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and I should be glad to know also the price of the HEALTH REFORMER, both of which journals have been kindly loaned me by a friend. I shall hope to receive the SIGNS soon, and when I learn the price will forward the money.” Another lady, of Belle Plaine, Iowa, in a letter to a friend in Armada, Mich., who had been sending her tracts and papers, says:— “I cannot find language to express my gratitude and love to you, for your kindness and interest in my spiritual welfare. May our Father bless and reward you, is my sincere wish and prayer. So far from feeling offended at anything you wrote me, I acknowledge the truth and justice of your remarks. I am, in faith, an Adventist, and I intend to try in future to be one in practice, as far as I am able, though I never knew till now how weak I am. You do not know what a trial it is for me to go all alone in this new Sabbath-keeping. My husband will not join me, but does not try to control my actions in the least. My desire is to do what is right and well pleasing in the sight of my Master. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. I desire you to pray for me that I may be strengthened, and that my faith fail not. I had a letter a short time since from my sister in Kentucky. She wrote that she had received some papers from you. She seems to be interested in them; says she can find no objection to their teachings, but thinks the Adventists seem to follow the Scriptures. This is what every one says about them. My sister says she likes the SIGNS so well she wishes she could get the paper all the time. I should think every one would like the paper, for I think it a little gem.” Many cordial letters are received from the warm-hearted colored people in the Southern field. One minister in North Carolina, who had received a few numbers of the SIGNS, writes:— “I am very highly pleased with such reading matter as I find in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES; and I see many books advertised in the SIGNS on such subjects that I want, not only the SIGNS, but also those books and pamphlets advertised in it, but have not the money to pay for them. I am all the time traveling and preaching among thousands of my people, and they always look for some book, paper, or tract. If you send them, I can distribute thousands to great advantage. I feel that God has heard, and is now about to answer, my long continued and incessant prayers for help of this kind. I was born and brought up in slavery, and emancipated in 1865; got my learning, or much of it, in the dark days of slavery and oppression, by the fireside, when all on the plantation were asleep. I have worked hard all day, and then studied all night many a time. For seven years past I have been traveling, and trying to preach the gospel of Christ. I am going on preaching and pursuing my studies, and do earnestly desire to grow up into the full measure and stature of a man in Christ and in the pulpit.” “Your books and papers are most gratefully accepted. The sermons in those tracts are worth any one’s reading. You ask if I will read your paper if you send it to me. I will, and will thank you for them, and if I can, will send you some subscribers. I will in the future ask you some questions concerning your doctrines.” One man writing from Alabama says:— “I am thankful, yea, more than thankful, to feel that we have friends North who are willing to take an interest in the welfare of the colored race. The SIGNS and HERALD come to me regularly. I am just as proud of them as any one could be. I feel as though they were God-sent blessings.” Another writes from North Carolina:— “I have been reading your papers with great care, and my dear wife, who is unconverted, seems to take great delight in them. I do think if she had more of them they would cause her to think more about her soul. I wish I was able to take the paper. Many of my friends hope to take it after a while.” Another from W. Virginia says:— “I have been praying that the Lord would open the way through which I might get some good reading matter, and I feel that my prayers are being heard and answered. They are good religious papers, but I am so situated I am not able to pay for them. My church is hardly able to rent my house. I would have left here long since, but when I think of the condition of my people I forget my own condition, and am willing to spend and be spent for them. I am glad of any reading matter you will send, if it is old books, tracts, or papers.” Many calls for publications are received where the individuals, under the pressure of hard times, are unable to pay; yet they hunger and thirst for light and knowledge. The rapidly whitening fields demand toil and sacrifice. Who will enlist in this work and “gather fruit unto life eternal”? Ass’t Sec. of N. E. Tract Society.