TRUE MISSIONARIES by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 14, 1878

TRUE MISSIONARIES.

By John Norton Loughborough

A true missionary is a person whose heart is so fully imbued with a desire to lead souls to Christ that he is ever on the watch for opportunities to do good. He does not wait for great things, but, realizing that great results have sometimes been accomplished by small means, he accepts the little opportunities as openings for labor, and a special demand for him to work.

Many persons have been brought to a knowledge of the truth by simply reading our papers for a few months or weeks; hence no opportunity of placing them before candid minds should be left unimproved. All lawful means and earnest entreaty must be used to induce people to subscribe for our papers. We should not tire in our efforts to place these precious truths before the people.

“Hold up thy light, thou child of God; Thou canst not tell how far a little light may shine.”

Such rare offers are now made to new subscribers on our various periodicals, with such excellent and instructive premiums, and at prices so low, that hundreds will subscribe if they are solicited thus to do.

The Way of Life, the premium offered with several of our periodicals, will ever be telling in allegory the impressive story of the fall because of transgressing God’s law; of the way of life shadowed in the typical offerings, more fully opened in the offering of the body of Christ; and of the final complete redemption of God’s people, the earth made new, and the rest that remains in the city of God. While the picture is thus speaking, the paper itself will visit the home, bearing precious truths to the subscriber and others. None can tell whose eyes will read its pages, or how many souls may thus be brought to the truth.

Sowing seeds of truth is some like sowing the natural seeds of earth. The seed must be placed in the soil before it will germinate. Children are sometimes so impatient for their planted seeds to grow that they dig them up to see if they have sprouted. We must not be children, and wait for the seed to sprout before we sow it. Our Saviour himself has given us a beautiful illustration, which should solemnly impress all our minds: “So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” Mark 4:26–28.

Many cases have come under my own observation that illustrate the above Scripture.

A sister in Lapeer, Mich., sent some tracts and the REVIEW to a friend in Oregon. The man to whom they were sent said his niece was such a hand to read the Bible she ought to have this reading matter, so he sent it on to her. She and her companion read, and embraced the truth.

A minister in California left a package of tracts with a friend, with the request that he read them. The friend, instead of reading them, gave the tracts to a man in another township. This man read, and he and his wife embraced the truth.

A sister in Oakland, Cal., sent the SIGNS to a hotel keeper in Hollister, Cal., a former acquaintance. The hotel changed owners. The first landlord had never taken the papers out of the wrappers, but left them in the hotel. Landlord number two had a curiosity to read them. Curiosity turned to interest, and he and his wife are now keeping the Sabbath in Southern California. The same sister sent another paper to a blacksmith in the same place. The blacksmith did not read it, but one of his customers did. He obtained the papers, and his wife has since died a Sabbath-keeper. I presume the one who sowed the seed thought that it was a failure; but instead, unknown to her, it grew in a different soil.

A sister in San Francisco sent the paper one year to her brother in Northern California. Her brother was in feeble health, and put the papers, unopened, upon the pantry shelf. He died. The place was rented to another man whose curiosity was aroused to find so many unopened papers on the shelf. He read them, and with his wife, brother-in-law and wife, now rejoices in the truth.

Dear brethren, sow the seed. Improve this golden opportunity in inducing hundreds to take our periodicals. The seed may grow when and where you do not know. Eternity alone can tell.

The writer received a nice present from a person in Central Africa who had read a copy of the Saints’ Inheritance. As a token of appreciation of his kindness, I sent him the TIDENDE one year. He read the papers, and then mailed them to his mother in a distant land. She read them, and embraced the truth. So that seed sprung up where I did not anticipate. Let us be true missionaries, sowing beside all waters, and may God’s blessing follow all our efforts.

J. N. Loughborough.