The Missionary by John Harvey Waggoner

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Dec 15, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 48.

The Missionary.

By John Harvey Waggoner

CENTRAL EUROPEAN MISSION.

THE outlook for this mission is highly encouraging. It is not possible to make the same speed in the publishing house in Basel that can be made in other places where so many tongues are not used, and where there are laborers of more experience. But what has been done, and is being done, proves that success may be expected here. The work of revising and translating is progressing as fast as the multiplicity of other duties will allow. Besides the large works, there have been thoroughly revised, "Matthew 24," "God's Memorial," "Truth Found," "Second Advent," "The Sabbath by Elihu," "Which Day and Why?" "Two Laws," by Brother Andrews, and other small tracts have been remodeled. Most of these are now in German. It was decided by the translators that the pamphlet, "Ministration of Angels," needed to be almost entirely rewritten, it being too defective in language, argument, and arrangement, for translation and general circulation. This was partly done, but had to be laid aside for a while for other pressing work. We hope to have this done erelong.

Reports from the French work grow more encouraging. What seemed to be most wanted was a company of instructed and experienced canvassers and colporters. With more experience, yet without much training, some are having good success. One canvasser recently took one hundred and twelve orders in eleven days for the "Life of Christ" in French.

The first edition of the "Life of Christ" in German is exhausted, and the second is being pushed as rapidly as possible. The orders now in cannot all be filled till the second edition is ready. The presses and bindery have of late been unable to meet the demands of the work. Of "Matthew 24" in German 1,700 copies have been sold during the past season.

The greatest need in the German field is preaching. It was expected that Elder Conradi would labor in Germany during the last season; but the scarcity of help in translating has kept him in Basel most of the time. He now hopes to go into the field about the first of January. Considering that there has been so very little preaching in the German tongue, the progress of the work among the Germans seems somewhat remarkable. And still we are hearing of other companies of Sabbathkeepers in Germany who know nothing of our work. These ought to be searched out, and taught the way of God more perfectly. I feel assured that if one-twentieth the number of preachers that are laboring in the United States were working in Germany the results would surprise everybody. And as far as periodicals are concerned, our experience teaches that we cannot expect many permanent subscriptions in the absence of ministerial labor.

Preparations are being made for advance in the Russian work. Brother Laubhan is having good success, laboring under difficulties that cannot be appreciated in other countries. But he is a native Russian, and a citizen of the empire, having extensive acquaintance, and he can labor as, and where, others could not. Publications are now being translated into the Russian language, in Zurich. There are one hundred Russian students in the University of Zurich, and some in Berne. May the Lord direct that some of these may serve the cause in their own country.

The weather in Basel this fall has not at all fulfilled the general predictions. For the last six or seven weeks it has very nearly resembled that of Willamette Valley, Oregon, but somewhat colder. Snow has been lying on the hills around the valley most of the time since the 10th of October. The sun keeps itself well hidden. But the sickness which prevailed in the fall has passed away. All seem to be of good courage.

J. H. W. Basel, Schweiz, Nov. 25, 1887.