The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

India

Jan. 12, 1890, Elder Haskell sailed from Port Durban, southeast coast of Africa, for Calcutta, India, China, and Japan. Previous to this date, Percy T. Magan, his secretary, had joined him. The purpose of this journey to India was in the line of “prospecting” to gain information that would enable them to give counsel and advice when active missionary operations should begin by Seventh-day Adventists in that field. With the thought in mind of establishing a mission in India, The General Conference, in 1893, recommended that Wm. Lenker go to that country as colporteur. In compliance with this recommendation, he went to India and introduced the literature of Seventh-day Adventists. At a later date Mr. Lenker reported that he and four other persons had, up to 1896, canvassed in various parts of India, and had sold $10,000 worth of publications. To show the interest created by the books sold, he further stated that while canvassing in the vicinity of Madras, on the west coast of India, “a native preacher walked sixty miles to purchase a copy of Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation.” GSAM 438.2