Complying with the request of the editor of the Ministry, I shall try to bring before you certain experiences that may prove helpful to our returned missionaries relevant to the possibility for contacts with civic and non-Adventist church organizations. Such organizations as the Rotary, Exchange, Lions, Optimist, commercial clubs, federated women's clubs, and sorority clubs are always on the lookout for speakers on topics of common interest.
When such presentations are made before one club, the news is soon scattered abroad, and invita tions are received from other organizations in the same community, or by the same organization in other communities. Nearly all these national organizations have exchange newsletters and sug gested speakers are listed in these. Perhaps a vis itor at a club will hear a speech, and he will recom mend it to his own organization. Suffice it to say that if a person has an interesting message to pre sent, and presents it in a way that will not create prejudice, he will receive far more invitations than he can possibly accept.
India, my former field of service, is distinctly in the news headlines of the world today. It is a land of mystery to most individuals. In filling my invitations to speak, I have tried to arrange material that can be presented in about thirty or thirty-five minutes, which will give the people an intelligent background of racial, religious, economic, and linguistic problems which inhibit national unity. At the same time I show the possibilities and capabilities of the land, both economically and mentally, and then offer a very brief conclusion as to what can be done to help the people by the practice of true Christianity rather than by merely preaching its philosophy.
I do not take part in a partisan way in the problem of whether India should be granted its immediate freedom, but present the problems as they are with various possible solutions for meeting them, and then let the audience draw its own conclusions.
I find that illustrating these with memorable experiences is a great help. If it is a ladies' organization, or a ladies' night banquet by a men's group, I usually dress in the costume of an Indian raja. It adds color.
During the past two years I have appeared before nearly every type of men's organization—the faculty club of Michigan State College, ladies' groups, non-Adventist church missionary societies, and regular Sunday morning or Sunday evening services, high school assemblies, State meetings of 4-H clubs, college history groups, etc. I am always introduced as a Seventh-day Adventist, and a former missionary of that body in India, along with my present work.
Many times the pastor of the local church arranges for my first visit to his community, and he comes along and is introduced as the pastor of the local Adventist church. Many have capitalized on this for Ingathering work, and in some localities where they have used this follow-up plan, Ingathering receipts have multiplied many times over those for previous years.
A few communities have used this presentation as a prelude to a short evangelistic series of meetings in the local S.D.A. church. It has been the means of helping many of our district leaders work with other organizations in current problems such as juvenile delinquency, etc. In one city, after appearing before several groups, I was asked to hold a county-wide rally to discuss juvenile delinquency, and all the civic organizations backed it up.
Means of Breaking Down Prejudice
Willingness to help along these lines has been a great means of breaking down prejudices in the highest type of business leaders who belong to these groups, but whose conception of Adventism is very often mistaken. It has given us prestige in the eyes of the leaders of communities, and even in monetary value has more than repaid the expense involved. In these days of rationing and scarcity of needed materials we have always been able to get that which was needed in our organization, owing to such contacts.
I feel that our returning missionaries have a great field of endeavor and opportunity here, and they can place our work in a good light before the civic leaders of communities, break down prejudice, and prepare the way for evangelists and ministers to work among this educated class of people. My advice is to make the presentation brief, nonsectarian, and one that will not arouse ill-will in the mind of any man or group of men. If this is done, it will be found to be a great aid in presenting the work of Adventists before the leaders of American thought.
