COLPORTERS NEEDED by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Mar 11, 1880

COLPORTERS NEEDED.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

THE object of our tract and missionary work has been twofold. 1. To transact the business for our brethren and sisters with the publishing associations, and 2. To place reading matter before thousands who have hitherto been unacquainted with the truth therein contained. This is not a work that is of pecuniary advantage to any. Our tracts are purchased and given away; and our labor is at a sacrifice. To those who are looking for an earthly reward in honors or pecuniary advantages the missionary work presents no inducements. But to those who rejoice in the salvation of souls, and who labor for a reward in the kingdom of God, it is a blessed privilege to engage in it.

There is one part of our work, however, that has never been fully systematized. It is that of a colporter. There are scores of cities and villages upon this coast which should be entered, and thoroughly canvassed with our publications. In this way books may be loaned and sold, tracts given away, and subscribers obtained for our periodicals. There is no work in our cause which is more important than this; and yet there is no part of it in which so little, proportionately, has been accomplished as in this.

A minister may preach acceptably in the desk, and theoretically convert scores. But it is the pastoral labor that gives permanency to his effort, and without this fruit will be wanting. There will be a frame-work, a theory, but the heart work is not there.

There are many young men and women now in the East who are acting as colporters, and the result of their labor has been good. Souls have been converted, and a permanent interest has been awakened in many places. There are many upon this coast who could engage in this work, persons who would exert a good influence by visiting families, but who would not be successful in the desk. And yet the work is as sacred and important as the work of the ministry, and we see no reason why those men who thus devote their time, and whose labor God accepts, are not entitled to a support from the conference.

To simply visit families and have a social chat upon religious subjects is not the end in view. Souls are to be saved. The truth is to be presented, and the mind led on step by step until they can see beauty and perfect harmony in the word of God. Those who engage in this work should keep Christ before their minds, and so represent him that those with whom they come in contact will be able to see, in their life and conversation, the spirit of their divine Lord. They should have a living connection with God, drink daily from that fountain which will give eternal life and peace, and have a realizing sense of the value of souls for whom Christ died. God will bless the labors of those thus consecrated to his service.

We believe that the Lord is moving upon hearts in California, and that he is as willing to work here as elsewhere. From what we have seen East and West among our missionary workers we believe that there are those upon this coast who are as willing to sacrifice and bear responsibilities as there are in any other part of the country. We are thankful for what we have read and know of the success which has attended some of our ministers in this State during the present conference year, but we hope to see even greater results from the labors of individuals acting as colporters. Shall we not make a special effort in this direction? Are there not many who will give themselves to the work of God as colporters? These should be men and women of good address, whose hearts are imbued with the spirit of the truth, and whose deportment is such as will recommend the Christian religion. Our publications should be distributed more extensively than ever before. Reading-rooms should be furnished with periodicals. Libraries should be supplied with standard doctrinal works; ship libraries furnished with reading matter, and packages of our publications sent to the different ports visited by the vessels constantly leaving San Francisco. Our faith should not weaken neither our hands slacken, but we should put forth greater efforts than ever in the past.

S. N. HASKELL.