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

COLPORTER WORK IN EUROPE

THE work of proclaiming the third angel’s message in the various countries of Europe, is a great work, and one attended with many difficulties. The solemn truths of the message relative to our present position in the world’s history, and our present duty in regard to Sabbath reform, are even more unpopular here than in America, and as a rule the circumstances and surroundings of the people are such as to make it more difficult for them to obey the truth after they accept it. The older the country, the more completely do men seem to be hedged about with barriers against reforms of any character, and especially against any change in matters of religion. HSFM 275.4

As we study the progress of religious reformations in different parts of the world, we shall notice that usually those who live in new and growing countries are most ready to investigate new truths. Either they or their ancestors have sought the new country in hope of bettering their circumstances, or because they were dissatisfied with the old channels in which their lives had been running. In many cases the same impulses that led them to seek for improvement in their temporal matters, lead them to carefully investigate all that pertains to their spiritual welfare,, and to promptly accept and act upon whatever commends itself to their judgment. There is also a class that are so progressive as to become unstable. In the older countries, that which is ancient is venerated, and that which has stood for many generations without change, is most highly regarded. In religious matters this sentiment prevails to a marked degree. That a church has been established for many generations, that it was founded by men of wisdom and piety, that many good men have died in its communion, are regarded as the highest testimonials to its purity and authority. In theory these things are regarded as next in importance to the authority of the Scriptures, while in fact they are often accepted as superior to the Scriptures. HSFM 275.5

Under such circumstances it is very difficult to make rapid progress in the teaching of the weighty truths of the third angel’s message; truths which are startling for their antagonism with the ancient and popular traditions that have been accepted as truth for centuries; truths that cannot be accepted without the sacrifice of many social ties and financial interests, and which present frequent crosses and tests of fidelity. But this is the character of the truths that must be proclaimed to every nation, kindred, and people, to prove who are willing to obey God regardless of the trials that will come upon them, and thus to purify and prepare a people for the coming of their Lord. HSFM 276.1

We need not expect that the people will flock in eager crowds to hear the preaching of this message, we cannot look for them to seek out the teacher of unpopular doctrines, or to attend the meetings of our missionaries, till their attention has been called to the importance of the doctrines under consideration, and to the fact that the Scriptures are the only true authority on these matters. HSFM 276.2

If our efforts to advance the knowledge of Bible truths shall be attended with the highest success in the various countries of Europe, we must have a large number of laborers who will visit the people at their homes, find them in the fields, or meet them as they come from their workshops, who will speak to them a few earnest words, and place in their hands those publications that will direct their minds to the Scriptures that point out the time in which we live, and show the reforms that are required of the people of this generation. Minds once aroused in this way are ready to listen to the preaching of the message. In the great Reformation of the sixteenth century a large share of the work of arousing the people to the necessity of reform, and of teaching the true doctrines, was done by the circulation of pamphlets and tracts, and it is plainly to be seen that the same means must be largely depended upon for the spread of the truths of the third angel’s message. HSFM 276.3

Let us notice what has been done in our different missions, and this will give us a clue to what may be accomplished when a larger number of trained workers shall enter the field. In England quite a number of young women have entered the field as colporters, and their success, considering their experience in the work, is very encouraging. They go from house to house, laboring mostly among the women, whose husbands are away at their work. They sell papers, tracts, and pamphlets. The most common method of operation is for two to go together to one of the larger towns, and after engaging room and board in a private family, they set out upon their canvass. They take a good supply of the latest number of Present Truth, and a few tracts, such as “The Second Advent” and “The Sufferings of Christ,” and go from house to house offering the paper first, and afterward the tracts. They canvass in this way as much of the town as they can until another number of the paper is issued. Then they begin where they did at first, and go over the ground again. On this second visit they usually sell a smaller number of papers, and a larger number of tracts and pamphlets. Some of those who purchased the first paper will refuse to buy a second, while others who have become interested in the paper will not only buy another, but will express their opinion with reference to the teachings of the one they have read. This opens the way for the introduction of other tracts and pamphlets, and frequently for the sale of larger books. It also opens an unlimited field for the holding of Bible readings. HSFM 276.4

Up to the present time the young men who have engaged in this work have not been quite so successful, and as they are usually accustomed to larger wages, it is more difficult for them to engage in this kind of work. A few of our brethren who are stationed at the great sea-ports and are furnished with a quantity of tracts and periodicals to be placed on the ships, have become quite successful in selling our books and pamphlets to the sailors and officers of these ships, and there is a fair prospect that with skillful economy and increased experience they may be able to support themselves in this way. The method of canvassing employed in the United States is but little practiced in England, and has not yet been carried to success by any of our brethren. We have no doubt that it can be in some localities when we shall have experienced workers, and books which shall correspond in price and style to the popular editions published in England. One of the principal obstacles to be met in this branch of the work is the fact that the wealthier classes are somewhat difficult to approach. HSFM 277.1

What seems to be most needed for the development of the different branches of this work in England, is, that a city mission training school be established, where those faithful young people who are now engaged in the colporter work may receive a more thorough course of instruction, and may work in connection with persons of experience, thus becoming fitted to do still better work than they have done in the past; that a few experienced Bible workers be sent to this field, to assist in the work of the city mission school, and to go with the Bible workers here who may enter the field, in following up the interest raised by the work of the colporters; and that some successful canvassers who have gained a thorough experience in the work, shall come and make a study of the situation, and develop by experiments in various places what can be done in England in this line of work. Besides this, it seems necessary to the best success of the work, that several of our most popular books and pamphlets, as well as many of our tracts, shall be published in England in a style and at prices that will compare favorably with English publications. The few efforts that have been made to illustrate our papers and tracts, have met with marked success. The colporters say that they can sell twice as many copies of those tracts that are illustrated as of those that are not. HSFM 277.2

In Scandinavia the situation is quite-different. So far as the difficulty of getting at the people is concerned, it is much the same here as in America. In the cities, and wherever the people are well-to-do, the work goes forward much the same as it does there. Here as elsewhere the cities are hard places to work in, unless the canvasser or colporter has much skill and experience, and for this reason our colporters have worked mostly in the country. There the largest part of the people are very poor, and are trained to the closest economy. Very few feel able to buy more than a few small tracts or the least expensive pamphlets, but as a rule they treat the colporter kindly, and if he is gentlemanly, and wins their confidence, he can lodge and board with them at a very trifling expense. HSFM 277.3

Very early in the history of this mission, Eld. Matteson saw the importance of the colporter work, and the necessity of having a good assortment of books for this use. Therefore he devoted his best energies to the preparation of books on the various points of present truth, in such a form as would be most salable. Having some experience in the printing business, and being able to write in the language in which the books were to be printed, he was able to push this work forward as fast as the limited means at command would permit. His energy and faith in the enterprise inspired courage in others, and for a number of years several men have been constantly in the field. The above circumstance, with the fact that our Scandinavian colporters have been thoroughly schooled in economy and industry, working early and late, and contriving every possible way to save expense, has enabled them to make their work almost entirely self-supporting. HSFM 277.4

In Scandinavia, as in England, a city mission is needed, where persons can be trained in the best methods of colportage in the cities, and in the work of holding Bible readings. There seems to be no part of Europe where the work done by colporters shows greater results than in Scandinavia, nor where the canvassing work promises to be more successful. “The Life of Christ,” issued in parts and illustrated, is having a rapid sale in both Danish and Swedish. HSFM 278.1

Within the limits of the Central European Mission, there are so many countries, with such widely differing circumstances, that it is difficult to describe the situation. As a rule, the nearer we get to Rome, the greater are the difficulties in the way of selling publications, and the less favorable are the prospects for the canvasser and colporter to make a living from their commissions. In the more southern countries there is less interest in religious books than in England and Scandinavia, and an absence of that hospitality that is such a help to the colporter in Scandinavia; and the fact that tracts furnished by the missionary societies of England and America have been so freely distributed in these countries, materially hinders the sale of religious books. HSFM 278.2

The fact that those having the burden of the publishing work in this mission have not had a thorough knowledge of the languages in which the books were to be printed, and that all their work must be submitted to the tedious process of translation, has greatly delayed the publication of pamphlets and large books, the printing of the journals and a few tracts being all that they had time to edit, and all that the office had capacity to publish until the new building was completed. During the last year, considerable progress has been made, in the translation and printing of some of our larger books, such as “The History of the Sabbath,” “The Life of Christ,” and similar works, and we expect soon to see a good assortment of our most important books issued in both German and French. HSFM 278.3

In Switzerland, where our brethren are the most numerous, the colporter is required to pay such a heavy license as almost to forbid this kind of work. But a commissioner whose license costs but a few francs a quarter, can sell books on about the same plan as is adopted by our canvassers in America. The experience of Bro. Keller in Zurich, and that of Bro. A. Vuilleumier and others in French Switzerland, show that there are times when good lists of subscribers may be obtained for both the French and the German paper. But unbounded energy is required to make this work a financial success. HSFM 278.4

In France and Italy the colporter’s license is not very expensive. But for reasons mentioned above, small tracts do not meet a ready sale. The journals may be sold at a low price, but the people are slow to give their subscription for any length of time. The price looks large, and who knows but they will tire of the paper before the subscription has expired? In these countries, small pamphlets, with one or two illustrations, seem to meet with the most favor, and in some localities a colporter can do a lively business if he has a good supply of these. It appears to us at this time that the most profitable way of working in these countries is for the laborer to become acquainted with the people by colporter work, and then by holding Bible readings to follow up any interest that may be aroused. HSFM 278.5

In Germany we have never given colporter work a fair trial. Until within a few months, we have had neither books nor laborers. Now we have the books, but where are the laborers? The colporters of other societies do good work in Germany, and are really successful. Among the Germans in Russia the work has just begun, and although there are many obstacles to be met in this field, and some risks to be run, there seems to be a people there who are hungry for the truth, and who will obey the truth at all hazards when they understand what it is. There are a few faithful men in Russia engaged in this work. In Russia, as in Scandinavia, a large number of the people are very poor, but there is the same spirit of hospitality, and the colporter can live among them at very small expense. HSFM 279.1

So far as tried, the work of holding Bible readings appears to be quite as successful in all these countries as it is in America. In England, in Scandinavia, in France, in Switzerland, and in Russia, wherever adopted, the Bible readings are highly appreciated, and have proved a marked success. In the course of the meetings lately held in Nîmes, France, the Bible readings were almost as largely attended as the regular preaching services, although held many times in the middle of the day. In Russia, where the risks are so great to any one who shall preach or proselyte, this seems to be the most promising means of assisting the people to find out what the Bible teaches. HSFM 279.2

In Central Europe, as well as in England and Scandinavia, some of the most urgent wants of the cause are, a city mission which may serve as a training school for colporters and Bible workers; a few experienced canvassers who understand the European languages to come and help to set this branch of the work in successful operation in the various countries; and several persons who have had experience in colportage and Bible work, to enter each of the great fields that are waiting for laborers, and to work with those laborers of less experience who may be raised up here to engage in the work. HSFM 279.3

Who are there among our German, French, and Scandinavian Sabbath-keepers in America, men and women of stability and experience, who desire to do something in the great work of reform, and who have a burden for the people of their own nationality? Who are there among the young and strong that are willing to labor in difficult fields, and to sacrifice ease and comfort for the work of the Master? Is there not in some of these fields a work for you? If you desire to be laborers in these countries, begin the work of preparation without delay. Foreign missions need persons of experience, those who have learned how to work under varied circumstances, and have proved their faithfulness and ability, persons who can bear hardship like good soldiers, and who know how to economize time and means. HSFM 279.4

Are there not many who might become useful laborers in these fields if they would thoroughly prepare themselves for the work? Are there not many who will at once enter the field as colporters among their people in America, or who will join some of our city missions, and there gain an experience that will enable them to be both helpers in the work and teachers of, others in these various fields of Europe? The field indeed is very wide, and the time to labor is short, and at this eleventh hour in the day, the Master of the vineyard is saying to those who are standing in the market-place, “Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” HSFM 279.5

W. C. White.