A NATIVE CANVASSER

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Aug 9, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 32.

A NATIVE CANVASSER.

NDABAMBI is a native young man with Brother Chaney at the Basuto Mission. Brother Chaney recently sent him to Harismith to sell some native literature. Ndabambi wrote a report of his experiences for the South African Missionary, which gives the following English translation:

"Here is a report of my first attempt to sell books. I began to go among the people with the books, and some bought, but others laughed and said, 'What sort of books are these that are coming around to be sold?' Then I began to show what the book was like inside, and when they saw what the book was, one man bought a book. Some who at first made sport of me became interested in the book, and later they asked the price, and when I told them 3/6, they began to buy.

"There was a man (Zulu) at the house where we stayed, with whom I slept. He soon noticed that I kept the Sabbath, and said, 'Why do you not work to-day?' I replied, 'This is God's Sabbath, and He tells us not to work on the Sabbath day.' He inquired, 'Is not Sunday the Sabbath?' I said, 'It is not,' and showed him the law of God in Exodus 20, and also told him to read Matt. 28:1. At first he could not understand, but later he said, 'I see! the Sabbath is the day before the first day of the week.'

Then he went to his minister, who could not deny that the seventh day was the Sabbath. Then he began to tell his friends about the Sabbath, and said he was going home soon and would tell all the people of his kraal what he had learned.

"God blessed me in selling Zulu and Sesuto books, and I thank Him who taught me, and gave me strength for the work, and kept me from fearing the people. When the people spoke in an insulting manner to me, I kept silent. I thank God for His blessing which was with me in this my first attempt to sell books, and trust He will bless in future attempts. I hope God will bless those who bought the books, and that in studying them they may find light and the love of Jesus in the books, and that they may know Jesus as their Saviour from sin.

"I sold about thirty-eight Zulu 'Christ Our Saviour,' and about twenty Sesuto books and tracts. I am, NDABAMBI."