VIGILANT MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF BATTLE CREEK, MICH.
This society was first started April 8, 1877, as an experiment, and was permanently organized Nov. 28, 1877. It now numbers 171 members. Not all of these are workers, yet we are encouraged by the amount of work that has been done by the society, and the good results that are seen from this work. We hope for a still larger membership the coming quarter, and more of the true missionary spirit in all our members. From 399 reports handed in at the meetings during the last quarter, a summary has been made out as follows: 4,561 periodicals and 29,301 pages of tracts sent away, and distributed in Battle Creek; 690 Annuals sold and given away; 722 letters and cards written; 460 families visited; 25 subscribers obtained for the INSTRUCTOR, 2 for the REFORMER, and 3 for the SIGNS. Since the society was first organized, three hundred and thirty-two letters and cards have been read in our meetings. In these, with but very few exceptions, the writers have expressed a willingness to read, and a desire for more reading matter; and some have been brought to rejoice in the truths of the third angel’s message by reading papers sent from this society. We cannot weary of the work when we see such glorious results from our efforts. We give extracts from a few of the letters that have been received by members of the society, hoping that they may encourage others to engage in the same good work. A year ago last February, sister H. E. Sawyer sent a copy of the SIGNS to Jacksonville, Florida. About three months after she received a card from the gentleman stating that he had decided to keep the Sabbath and wanted tracts on that subject for his friends. The following is from a letter received by one of our members from the same person:— “There are thirty-two Sabbath-keeping families here. I first received a copy of the SIGNS through sister H. E. Sawyer, and it was laid by until I returned from camp-meeting in Rockland, Me., in 1876. There were two brethren there in private discussion about the Sabbath. It began to stir me up about the matter, and as soon as I returned home I sent to sister Sawyer for tracts on the Sabbath, and by diligently searching the word, I found, to my joy, what it was to serve God in spirit and in truth. Since that time, I have not shunned to declare the matter to the church. There were only a few that would accept the truth. . . There may be forty Sabbath-keepers here, as there are some I have not seen lately. “The people are very poor, depending on small crops for a living, hence have but little money. I have been laboring at my own expense for two or three years. Circumstances compel me to labor with my hands. I would like to work more in the field, but the Lord’s will be done. He has blessed my labors thus far. “The people are great tobacco-consumers, so I have to contend against this very hard, in the cases of most that start to serve God. With some, tobacco is the choice against everything else. . . . There is much to do here for the truth. I am going to start on a mission, as soon as the Lord wills, in new fields. As the time is short, I hope the Lord will open the way for a few more before it is too late.” The following is from a lady who has recently commenced to keep the Sabbath in Texas. The finding of one individual who is hungering for the truth, will richly pay for much labor in the missionary cause:— “I received your kind and most welcome letter a few days since, and have waited the arrival of the tracts before answering it. Accept my most sincere thanks for your kindness. God will indeed bless you for the many kind words spoken in due season. Never did I realize the genuine beauty of true religion until I received the truth. When I was converted, I thought the truth beautiful. It seemed a new world; but now there is something more beautiful still. I cannot explain it. I do long for the coming of our blessed Lord. I hope his coming may not be many years hence.” In speaking of her experience she says: “I had often wondered at the doctrines that were taught us, not only in regard to the Sabbath, but other false doctrines. I felt that they were not true, but came to the conclusion that there were many people better qualified to judge than myself, and that if they were wrong, these individuals would find it out. I was convinced that the churches were corrupted, and became disgusted with the folly and fashion I saw in them.” She then speaks of having heard one discourse in which the Sabbath was presented. She says: “I was so rejoiced to find the dear old Sabbath, the very thing I had been looking for, that I forgot everything else. I grasped at this blessed truth, and I have taken it to my heart. I do thank God for it, and wonder that he should send it to me. I formerly kept Sunday very strictly, although I felt that it was not the Sabbath, but could not tell why. I often wonder now that I could not have seen the light. My two daughters and son have received the truth. My son (fifteen years of age) says, if God spares him he intends to preach the truth.” The following is from a gentleman in Tennessee whose attention has been directed to the SIGNS:— “Will you be kind enough to send me a few copies of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES? I am a seeker after truth, and have been satisfied, in my own mind, that transpiring events, especially in the Eastern countries, are very indicative; and if you can give me any light, you will confer a favor.” Other extracts equally interesting might be added. We give these simply as a sample of the matter that is read every week in our meetings.