23
house-to-house calls in this program is
something we can all endorse, and since
the American Bible Society is nondenomi-
national, we avoid prejudice in this initial
contact.
By whatever method we proceed, we
must keep in mind, first, to use such litera-
ture or present such topics as are generally
accepted so as to gain and hold the confi-
dence of those we contact. In the end,
reaching people through personal contact
is the most effective, and our program
should look forward to such contacts. Here
again we must gain the confidence of the
individuals. If they have confidence in us,
they will all the mote likely have confidence
in what we present. Contacts gained through
a literature distribution program may lead
to personal Bible studies or attendance at
a series of public meetings. Sooner or later
you are going to be talking on subjects
upon which you do not agree. This presents
a real test to our adroitness, We must
remember that the other person’s mind may
be traveling in the opposite direction to
ours. You never saw a freight train brake-
man board a moving train by running in
the opposite direction. No, he travels in the
same direction as the train so as to board
it with as little jar as possible. We should
remember to emphasize and to bring out
points on which we agree in order to avoid
the jar of disagreement as much as possible.
Then there are two or three other points
well worth our remembering. One man
has said that the more arguments he won,
the more friends he lost. In other words,
no one enjoys being beaten in an argument.
So do not make your approach in an
argumentative manner, but rather in an
exposition ot teaching manner. Avoid rid-
iculing anyone. You may be talking to a
person who does not care any more for the
person or religion being ridiculed than you
do, but he will not respect you for stooping
to ridicule, He may assume that if you
ridicule someone else while talking to him,
you will also ridicule him while talking
to someone else. Such thoughts will not
build confidence in you or the things you
are presenting. Be honest and sincere. Such
qualities are always appreciated and ad-
mired, A great deal might be said about
what such characteristics include. Although
our approach must be tactful, it must not
be deceitful. The evangelist, when advertis-
ing to draw a crowd, must not permit such
advertising to be misleading, If we resort
to such practices, it will cause people to
lose confidence and to put us in the class
of tricksters. We might mention other
things, and all apply to individual ap-
proaches as well as to public approaches
before latge audiences,
We must ever be alert for opportunities
to present present truth in new places, but
THE CHURCH OFFICERS GAZETTE
let us do so with propet cate and thought.
Let us learn as much as possible about those
to whom we wish to present the third
angel's message so that we can approach
them with tact, winning their confidence
and interest. Let a program of appropriate
literature distribution be inaugurated, make
personal contacts, follow with enrollments
in the Bible correspondence course, the
lending library program, personal Bible
studies, group Bible classes, or a public
evangelistic effort, depending on developing
The Possibilities in Literature
Ministry
A church member was impressed one
Sabbath afternoon to take some of our
message-filled papers to her neighbors. She
found a lady who immediately manifested
an interest; next, the husband and three
daughters became interested. Then the hus-
band of the married daughter began taking
studies, and the young men who wete
keeping company with the other two
daughters were gathered in. But that was
not all, for the mother of one of the young
men, his sister, and her husband also
accepted the message. No less than eleven
persons were won as a direct result of
this first contact. Is that all? Oh, no! All
five men found their way into different
spheres of God's wotk—a missionaty, a
college teacher, an evangelist, a health
food worker, and the fifth is in hospital
work. Eternity alone will tell the total result
of her faithfulness.
What can literature distribution do for
the church? It can change apathy and
disinterest into rewarding activity.
By visiting the territories surrounding the
church systematically with the printed page,
and utging every able-bodied person into
service, there will follow a tevival, not
only outside the church, but inside as well.
The midweek prayer meeting will take
on a different aspect, there will be ex-
petiences to relate, testimonies to be given.
The needs of the neighborhood will be
known, and the Dorcas Society will be
called into greater setvice.
As the recipients of the literature ask
questions, the distributors begin to realize
their need of a better acquaintance with the
Scriptures. Thus a “Light Bearers” class
is called for and lay evangelism is born.
Soon the church is on fire for God.
“Church members, awake to the impor-
tance of the circulation of our literature,
and devote more time to this work. Place
in the homes of the people papers, tracts,
December, 1949
opportunities and available resources and
help.
In the words of the Master, “Be ye there-
fore wise as serpents, and harmless as
doves.” Matthew 10:16. This calls for
study and careful planning, not a blunder-
ing program. In closing, Paul's counsel to
Timothy may be very appropriate: “Shun
profane and vain babblings: for they will
increase unto more ungodliness.” 2 Tim-
othy 2:16.
and books that will preach the gospel in
its several lines. There is no time to be
lost,”—Soutbern Watchman, November 20,
1902.
“Being Dead Yet Speaketh”
“A plaintive, compelling echo comes to
us from a land from which freedom and
liberty have already flown. Forbidden to
work, persecuted, afflicted, but aflame with
the love of Christ, Elder H. J. Loebsack,
our veteran Russian leader, who now sleeps
in Jesus, said at his last meeting with the
late Elder L. H. Christian: ‘T'el] our people
in America, with all your might print and
circulate books; primt and circulate more
books; Print and circulate more and yer
still more books” What a plea from the
depths of experience! Perhaps he saw and
understood, with a clearness not yet realized
by us, that when human voices are stilled
by law and edict, literature secreted in
countless homes will carry the cause on.
“The circulation ef literature is the most
economical way of announcing the message
of God for today; it is the most rapid way
of doing it; it is the most extensive way of
doing it. It can be carried on more ex-
tensively than any other phase of work
because we can dtaw so many thousands
and tens of thousands of people iato it.
It is the least controversial way of doing it.
People cannot argue with the message-
filled literature, They can read it. They
may get angry and throw it down, but it
does not get angry or heated, and does not
say anything out of place, or that is dis-
respectful or discourteous. It gives the same
beautiful message all the time. Heralding
the word with literature and heralding it
on the platform—it is all giving the gospel
to the world.
“There has never been a time when the
press has had more to do in molding the
opinions of men than it has today. Every-
thing of importance is printed, and it is
by this means that the people expect to
become acquainted with the affairs of the
world, The judgment, the coming of the