How often should interested people be visited? The answer to this question varies. If the interest has been developed through a Voice of Prophecy course or similar Bible lessons, there may not need to be many visits before the interested person can be encouraged to come to church. Sometimes an interested person does not need as much additional doctrinal instruction as he needs encouragement to step out against the opposition that usually develops after he tells others of his new-found faith.
As an example of this I will cite the case of a foreign-born man here in Cincinnati who has been faithfully attending all our Sunday evening evangelistic services this winter, and diligently studying our literature. His problem, as he sees it, is to figure out how he can operate his business and keep the Sabbath. It should not require many visits to help him solve his particular problem.
Here is an example of a case that required a longer time. Some time ago a colporteur gave me the name of a woman who at the time of his visit had had a copy of Bible Readings in her home for several years. He told me she was interested to know more about the Sabbath, and the colporteur felt sure that if she only had a study on the Sabbath question, she would come right into the church. Often the interest is overestimated. But instead of calling at her home just a few times to explain the Sabbath and the topics closely related to it, I found it necessary to give studies on the state of the dead, the destruction of the wicked, the sanctuary, the 2300 days, and others.
When regular Bible studies are given in the home, the customary plan is to visit once a week on the same day, same hour. This usually continues for about six months. We would often like to shorten the number of visits, but most people have a very limited knowledge of the Scriptures, and much of what they know is confused. Thus we find it almost impossible to skip some subjects in order to save time or even to combine two topics in one visit.
However, "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," so we feel it pays for us to continue the number of visits as long as we can see definite growth, rather than to give up the reader too soon. Through these visits in the home we gain access to the hearts of the people. Many a problem is unfolded to us as we continue our visitations. The confidence of our readers in the fact that we are 'teaching the truth constantly increases, and through prayer their Christian experience will gradually develop as they study the Word of God.
After a series of studies has been given, and the reader still does not attend our church or p-ublic services, he should, nevertheless, be visited, although perhaps less frequently, because there are altogether too many requiring the time of the instructor. Ingathering, famine reliet, or some other project may present another opportunity to repeat a call. Our readers are usually glad to contribute to our world-wide work because of their confidence in it.
We must not wait too long to call after we receive the, name of an interested person. And sometimes we wait too long before we call on those who write to our Bible course headquarters about their joy over having learned of the true Sabbath. Word may reach us through the conference that they are keeping the Sabbath and about ready to join the church, and that they are carrying the "good news" to others, but too often by the time we have the opportunity to visit them, their interest has cooled off. In such a' case cautious judgment will need to be used regarding future-visits.
A few weeks ago a colporteur invited a man and his wife to the Sunday night meetings. After they came several times the colporteur introduced them to me, and as I was giving a Bible study in their vicinity, I promised to call on them at my first opportunity. When I called, the wife told me the following story :
"My father, now dead, was an Adventist, and rather thought from the way the colporteur talked in showing us his book, that he too was an Adventist. When he invited me to the Sunday evening' meeting at his church, I told him that the only coat I had to wear for this season of the year was a fur coat. He said that would be all right. Then I told him I never wear a hat, but he said that too was all right."
Somehow this woman had received the impression that Adventists neither eat the flesh of animals nor wear the furs thereof; also that the wearing of a hat was obligatory in our services. We had an interesting visit together and made arrangements for Bible studies at the earliest opportunity. Children of Adventists are not always familiar with our teachings. This may not be the fault of their parents, for all too often when these parents hear our message, their children are not particularly interested. Many calls to such homes may be necessary before they even understand the truths their parents faithfully believed.
How often should interested people be visited? We repeat, The answer varies. Just as a mother looks forward to the time of her child's birth, the Bible instructor anticipates the spiritual birth of her readers. That birth is not only for this fleeting life but for all eternity. God give us wisdom in each individual case to do our utmost to seek and to save His lost sheep.
