SHIP MISSION OF SAN FRANCISCO.
By M. C. Israel
A BRIEF summary of the missionary work done on ships by Bro. H. C. Palmer of San Francisco, was included in the quarterly report of the State T. and M. Society given in the SIGNS last week, but knowing that more of the particulars in regard to the work during the quarter will be interesting we will give them as follows:— No. Ships visited during the quarter, ............79
No. copies of SIGNS given away ..................4,258
No. copies of Good Health,..........................86
No. copies of Tidende, ................................324
No. copies of Harold, ...................................335
No. copies of Les Signes, ..............................24
No. copies of College Record, ......................20
No. copies of Instructors, ............................37
Total.....................................................5,154
Pages of reading matter distributed,...37,508 Through the favor of the officers of the American Bible Society at San Francisco, we are able to supply Bibles in different languages to seamen who need them. During the quarter have furnished in English 1, German 1, Italian 1, Norwegian 1. Packages of selected reading matter have also been sent to persons residing at Onalaska, and St. Pauls, St. Georges, and St. Nicholas Islands for distribution, through the kindness of Dr. McIntyre, President of the Alaska fur company per steamer, St. Paul. Through the kindness of ship owners and officers we can send packages of books and papers to any part of the world without expense. There has been a greater interest manifested on the part of seamen to read our publications and periodicals than during any previous quarter. Many have given the names of their friends that the V. M. Societies might send the SIGNS to them, and some have paid for subscriptions themselves and ordered the SIGNS sent. On first visiting ships a few papers, Good Health, and sometimes a few tracts are distributed in the cabin and forecastle, and then after a time they are revisited to see if any have become interested; if so it is followed up with conversation and reading matter. Before sailing, they are supplied with such books, papers, and tracts, including a variety on health and temperance reading, as they seem to need. Frequently some become interested enough to purchase such books as "History of the Sabbath," "Thoughts on Daniel" and "Revelation," etc. We might name twelve ships that have sailed from this port lately, each having on board quite a number of interested readers, and many of these will interest others by conversing with them and giving them papers and tracts to read. The lines of steamers plying between this port and Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Panama, Oregon, and other places, are supplied every trip with a portfolio containing the SIGNS issued since their last departure, also Good Health and some others in foreign languages. A club of thirty copies of the SIGNS, thirty of Good Health, besides quite a number of the Stimme, Tidende, Harold, Les Signes, Review, and Instructor is taken for this work. The mission has recently secured half a ton of papers, tracts, and pamphlets from the East from Elder S. N. Haskell the President of our T. and M. Society. One of the stewards on the steamer Oceanic, Mr. Rickey, has for several years, attended to the distribution of our publications and periodicals during the voyage and at Yokahama, Japan. A barber in Yokahama is interested, and Mr. Rickey keeps him supplied with a bound volume of the SIGNS, also the latest numbers, with tracts and pamphlets for his English speaking customers to read as they visit his shop. A school-teacher there is an interested reader, also a Baptist Missionary who says we are right on the Sabbath question. Another clergyman was on board the steamer there and read the SIGNS and some tracts and is reported by Mr. Rickey to be much interested. We might mention many encouraging items of interest connected with this mission but have not time and space at present. To systematize and facilitate the distribution of reading, four neat packages are put up at the SIGNS office, each having as good a selection as can be had for the price. No. 1, costing $2,50, contains a bound volume of the SIGNS and True Missionary, Six "Life of Christ" and two "Apostles of Christ" pamphlets, "Bible from Heaven," "Modern Spiritualism," "Ministration of Angels," "Matthew Twenty-four," "Morton's Vindication," and "The Three Messages," also seven packages of tracts neatly bound containing about seventy-five pages each. In all two thousand one hundred and fifty-seven pages not including the SIGNS and True Missionary. No. 2, cost $1.00, contains five "Life of Christ," pamphlets, "Vindication of the true Sabbath," "Three Messages," and seven bound packages of tracts, one thousand and eighty four pages in all. No. 3, a 50 cent package contains seven hundred pages. No. 4, a 25 cent package, contains three hundred and fifty pages. Package No. 1 is used to supply whalers, and sometimes merchant ships on long voyages, or to send by captains to some place where they can be distributed to good account. The other packages are used according to the best judgment of the missionary, who keeps a record of every ship supplied and the number of pages of tracts or the periodicals left on board, the number of visits made, and also notes any items of special interest connected with his visits. In this way the work can be successfully followed up. A good work is being done. The words of our Lord, that "the field is the world" are truly applicable to those interested in this mission. But we have arrived at a point where we need substantial aid to carry on the work successfully. The Mission is now in debt about $850. At the camp-meetings last year the sum of $5,200 was pledged to the Ship and Reserve Fund. One-third of this was for the Ship Fund. On the strength of this we have gone on with the work; but only one-third of the amount pledged has been paid. We ask all those who have not paid their pledges to do so at their earliest possible convenience, and others who wish to have a part in this good work to forward donations to the Ship Mission, in care of Pacific Press, Oakland.
M. C. ISRAEL.