LETTER FROM ENGLAND

The S.D.A. Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 8, 1880

FromThe Signs of the Times, Vol. 6, No. 14

LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

From a letter from Bro. Wm. Ings, dated Ravenswood, Southampton, Eng., Feb. 21, and addressed to the V. M. society at Battle Creek, we take the following extracts:—

While some colporters complain that they are ejected from the ships, I meet with more favor. I have now visited 339 ships, and have been ordered off only once. I can see the hand of the Lord, not only in the permission accorded me to board boats, but also in giving the seamen a desire to render assistance in sowing the seed of truth. I visited a Holland boat bound for the East Indies, which had quite a number of German and Dutch soldiers on board. One of them, on learning my business, volunteered to circulate papers and tracts, which I gave him. He sold them and returned me the money. He seemed to be just as earnest in the work as I would be.

A steward on a German boat bound for New York, went with me among the hundreds of passengers on board, and urged them to purchase our publications. The stewards on the Oriental boats manifest the greatest pleasure in circulating our publications in the East Indies. Neither do the stewards on the Brazil, West Indies, and Cape of Good Hope boats manifest less zeal. A captain of a sailing ship requested publications to hand out at the different ports that his ship enters. This offer was made after the Sabbath question had been explained, he himself purchasing some of our larger works. These are only a few of the encouraging incidents that I meet with. Certainly the hand of the Lord is in this message.

Of late I have tried the experiment of selling our tracts and papers. On Sundays, I usually sell from 75 cts. to $1.25 worth. Tuesdays the German boats call at this port on their passage from Bremen to New York. I generally spend two or three hours with the passengers and find many interesting cases, frequently meeting with those who have heard of Bro. Matteson. His work has been heard of far and near, and they are quite anxious to secure our Swedish and Danish publications. Sometimes, when they learn that I am acquainted with Bro. M., and hold the same views, they will surround me, some crying his work down, while others advocate his teachings. On such occasions, tracts and papers are eagerly taken. There are four nationalities on these boats; namely, German, Swedish, Danish, and English. I usually sell from fifteen to twenty copies of Stimme der Wahrheit on each boat; also Danish, Swedish, and English papers, as well as tracts in the different languages. The papers are sold at the regular price of papers here, 2 cts. Tracts are put up in packages and sold at cost price. Last Tuesday the sales amounted to $1.16. Of course, I give some small tracts away. We all can see much light in placing publications in the hands of these emigrants, as they are going to all parts of the American continent, and will carry the truth to their friends; and then again, what an excellent chance of introducing our periodicals among these nationalities who will make their home in America. Our publications are attracting the attention of the people both on sea and land. The writings of Sr. White are eagerly sought for by those who have had the pleasure of reading them. I am glad to learn that our people are waking up to the subject of giving them a wider circulation. Some good results are known as the direct work of missionary labor on ships. Two persons, a man and his wife, are fully with us in the faith. They are excellent people, and love the truth. Their visits to Ravenswood are eagerly looked forward to by both them and us when they are in port. They are both members of our T. and M. society, and have an excellent opportunity to circulate the truth among passengers.

The work on land is progressing finely. Almost every mail brings us some encouragement. The members of the society recently organized here are in earnest to spread the truth. Copies of the Signs and tracts are sent to all parts of the kingdom. Some are keeping the Sabbath as the result. It takes longer here for people to weigh evidence than in America; but a good foundation is being laid. Calls are beginning to come in for the living preacher. Bro. Loughborough will commence meetings in the south of England on the 26th inst., in answer to one of the calls. May God bless this work in the new field in Taunton.