Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists

TENT LABOR AND COLPORTER WORK

THE USE OF TENTS IN EUROPEAN FIELDS

AT the European Missionary Council of 1885, much thoughtful attention was given to the question as to whether the use of tents was practicable in the work in Europe. Efforts with tents had been twice made in England, and though the first effort had for various reasons been abandoned, the second, which had been carried on during the summer preceding this session of the Council, had met with encouraging success. After thorough discussion and mature deliberation, the Council recommended the procuring of an additional tent for England, and a tent each for Scandinavia, Germany, France, and Italy. HSFM 272.1

Some of the reasons which led to the adoption of this recommendation may be briefly stated as follows:- HSFM 272.2

1. The difficulty and expense of obtaining suitable places for holding public meetings. These difficulties exist in different degrees in the various localities where the work has been commenced, but in all these fields the situation leaves much to be desired in the way of public access to the people. HSFM 272.3

England is perhaps the most favorably situated in this respect of any of the European fields, but even there it is often impossible to obtain suitable halls for holding religious meetings,-halls which would give the right character to the work,-without large expense, and sometimes they cannot be obtained at any price. The class distinctions so prevalent there, are carried so far that there may be said to be almost a caste in halls. At least the character of the audiences depends largely on the class of halls which are secured, and those of the better class are high in price. In some localities also the halls are controlled by the clergy of the Church of England, who use their influence to oppose their being occupied to teach dissenting doctrines. It was the opinion of those who had labored with the tent during the summer of 1885, that the use of tents would successfully meet some of these difficulties in England, and prove in many cases a more practical and less expensive method of reaching the public than by holding meetings in halls. HSFM 272.4

In France it is often impossible to secure proper halls, from the fact that they do not exist. The policy of the French government in years past has been to prohibit large gatherings of the people, so there has been no demand for rooms for public assemblies. It is but a few years since the law was in force strictly forbidding the assembling of more than twenty persons for a meeting of any kind, except the religious meetings held in the regularly established temples for worship. For this reason, even though the laws are now more liberal, there is great difficulty in securing places large enough to convene a large assembly. If the permission to use tents could be secured in this country, it would obviate, it was judged, a serious difficulty in reaching the masses. HSFM 272.5

In Germany, although halls can be secured, they are almost invariably connected with drinking establishments, so that their surroundings are not favorable for the holding of religious meetings. The rental of halls is usually expensive. The laws in Germany are more favorable to the protection of religious meetings than in most of the countries of Europe. Meetings in a tent would without doubt have the same protection as those held in halls, and so the most favorable opportunity would be provided for reaching the public. HSFM 273.1

In Scandinavia the spirit of religious liberty and toleration is much more prevalent than in the countries of Central Europe. The general customs of the people seem more in harmony with the freedom of our American institutions, especially in religious matters. But even here it is often difficult to find suitable places for meeting. In the cities, halls can be obtained; but in the smaller places they are not so readily found. It was thought that if tents could be used successfully in all these countries these obstacles which in many instances have proved a serious hindrance to the work might be by this means overcome. HSFM 273.2

2. Tent-meetings would furnish a better means of advertising our work, attracting the attention of the people, and bringing the laborers into direct association with those for whom they are laboring, than meetings held in halls. The novelty of using tents for religious meetings would serve to draw the people by arousing their curiosity. The experiment in England has shown that the people were willing to assist in contributing toward the expenses and support of those who were laboring for them, and by this means the laborers were brought into personal association with the people. In many cases this would be a great point gained, as it is very often difficult to break down the barriers which seem to exist between the common people and their religious teachers. HSFM 273.3

3. As regards the health of the laborer, tent work offers decided advantages over some other methods of work. In England open-air meetings are quite commonly held as a popular means of reaching the masses; but this method of labor involves serious risk to the speaker, whose vocal organs are severely strained in order to secure the attention of the people and to make himself heard. The tax upon the lungs and vocal organs is much less in speaking in a tent than in the open air. It is also very difficult to develop in this manner a definite interest among the people. The audiences in open-air meetings are made up more largely of a floating element, and are much more changeable than those which would attend the lectures held in tents. HSFM 273.4

The tent also furnishes a much more healthful location for the audience as well as for the speaker, than the crowded, badly ventilated rooms and halls, which are the best locations obtainable for meetings in many of these countries. HSFM 273.5

These, and other reasons which might be named, seemed to furnish abundant reason for a thorough effort to test the question whether tents could be successfully used in these fields, and it will without doubt be of interest to the reader to learn something as to the success of the experiment during this first season. HSFM 273.6

The result of this trial has been in the main encouraging. It has been demonstrated in all these countries excepting Germany, where a tent has not been employed, that meetings of this kind can be held. In Italy the free protection of the authorities has been readily accorded, and no serious difficulty has been found in maintaining a good degree of order. The attendance has been, it is thought, much larger than it would have been in any hall that could have been secured; and while the results have not been as great as might have been desired, yet the effort has been as successful in this respect as those that have been carried on in the usual way. HSFM 273.7

At Nimes, France, there was at the outset serious disturbance in the meetings, and that, too, not from the lower class of roughs alone, but as well from the cultivated and gentlemanly appearing students of the schools. For a time these disturbances seemed to seriously threaten a failure of the effort. The authorities would promise no protection, as they claimed not to have the force to hold in check the disorderly elements. Special permission had to be secured from the authorities for the holding of each meeting, which of course involved much difficulty, and a perplexing loss of time. But by patience and perseverance and the blessing of God, these difficulties were all overcome, and during the last weeks the meetings were as quiet and orderly as those held in any place of worship. The authorities also consented after a time to grant a permission covering several weeks, and thus the effort was closed with no greater obstacle in the way than would be encountered in the most favorable locality. HSFM 274.1

This we consider very decided success, as in no country of Central Europe are there greater difficulties to be encountered, either in the restrictions of the government or the condition and spirit of the people, than in France. HSFM 274.2

Not only has there been a good attendance at the meetings, but, despite the unpropitious commencement, the results have been very gratifying. Seventeen persons have embraced the truth, and there is still a good interest to hear. Public Bible readings have been introduced, both in the tent and in private houses. The Bible readings held in the afternoon in the tent have often been nearly as largely attended as the preaching service. HSFM 274.3

In connection with this tent effort, thousands of copies of a tent journal have been distributed from house to house through the city. There is every reason to believe that this distribution has laid the foundation for a good work yet to be accomplished in the future, and that the real results of this effort are not to be estimated by the present apparent fruit. HSFM 274.4

When we take into consideration the special hindrances to public labor in France, which have already been referred to, it will be seen that the importance and bearing of the success of this first effort is not inconsiderable. To have demonstrated that a successful tent-meeting can be held in France, is really a great point gained. The prestige of this effort will doubtless have its influence in favor of future work of this kind in that country. HSFM 274.5

In Scandinavia the tent effort has proceeded much as it would have done in one of our American Conferences. No permission was required for the privilege of pitching the tent. Eld. O. A. Olsen, who has labored with the tent there in connection with other brethren, states that he has never witnessed a more cordial and hospitable feeling on the part of any people than was manifested by the citizens of Moss, from the very outset of their efforts there. He states also that he has never been able in any locality to present the truths of the message in a more direct manner or in a shorter period of time. The effort there being still in progress, it is impossible to speak definitely as to the final results, but from the present season’s experience it would seem safe to assume that Scandinavia offers as good a field for labor with the tent as is to be found anywhere. HSFM 274.6

Although circumstances have prevented a tent effort in Germany during the present season, there seems to be no reasonable ground to suppose that this country will prove an unfavorable exception to those in which an effort has already been made. The laws are certainly more favorable than in France, while the general disposition of the people toward religion and public labor in its behalf cannot be otherwise than favorable to Germany. HSFM 274.7

In England the effort with the tent during the present season has not, perhaps, been quite so favorable as those of last year, and yet there has been nothing which would indicate any serious obstacle in the way of this kind of work. The climate of England, it is true, is unfavorable to the preservation of tents, as it is damp, with but a comparatively limited share of sunshine; but it is thought that with good care tents will last for a reasonable time even in this climate. The climate of France and Germany is in this respect peculiarly favorable, while that of Italy and Scandinavia is good. HSFM 275.1

In the matter of expense, these initial efforts with tents have been quite costly, more so than will be the case in the future. It cannot, however, be denied that work of this kind must always involve a heavy expense; but as compared with the expense of holding meetings in the usual manner, it is believed that the result will not be unfavorable to the use of tents in these fields. HSFM 275.2

As a whole, the efforts of the present season offer many reasons for encouragement.. A new step has been taken in the public presentation of the truth to the people of Europe. There still remains much to be done in the way of educating workers who shall be prepared to labor in connection with such efforts in such a manner as to make them most efficient and most successful. Without doubt very much yet remains to be learned by experience as to how to adapt this method of work to the conditions of the people so that the best results may be secured. But we fully believe that with increased experience this will be found a practical and efficient method of reaching the people, one which will yield results commensurate with the considerable expenditures demanded to carry it forward, and that by the blessing of God tent work will prove to be one of the successful methods of extending the proclamation of the present truth in Europe.
B. L. Whitney. HSFM 275.3