Of all the things I have to read, and of all the multitudinous reports that flow over my desk, nothing gives me greater pleasure than Earl Cleveland's annual letter to the men he has initiated into his now famous Century Club. Our readers know by now that the meaning of that phrase is that membership in this club highlights those evangelists who win one hundred or more souls for Christ a year. Also highlighted are the men who win from fifty to one hundred, and from forty to fifty, et cetera.
The report is just out, and I open my eyes when I read some things concerning the work of our Regional preachers. Here, for instance, is something that should warm every heart, for it has to do with the remarkable blessing of God expressed in the form of precious souls won for His kingdom:
E. C. Ward, Miami, Florida, 295.
R. H. Robertson, Los Angeles, California, 115.
J. M. Phipps, St. Petersburg, Florida, 102.
It was my privilege to read a semiprivate report of difficulties encountered in the Miami campaign, which I think was the first Regional evangelistic campaign held within the city limits, and I can only marvel at what God hath wrought through His servants.
Men in the half-century bracket form another inspiring group, for they are twice as numerous:
R. T. Hudson, New York City, 70.
N. A. Bliss, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 58. J. Lester, Philadelphia, 57.
B. R. Spear, Mentone, California, 52.
F. S. Hill, Atlanta, Georgia, 52.
W. M. Starks, Washington, D.C., 50.
A third group deals with those who exceeded forty but fell just short of the half-century mark:
J. W. Allison, Los Angeles, California, 48.
J. P. Winston, Detroit, Michigan, 47. M. C. White, Stockton, California, 46.
B. Reid, St. Louis, Missouri, 45.
W. Moore, Chicago, Illinois, 44. George Earle, Brooklyn, New York, 43.
W. Parker, Fayetteville, North Carolina, 41.
C. D. Brooks, Cleveland, Ohio, 41.
C. A. Myers, Chicago, Illinois, 41.
T. X. Perry, Brooklyn, New York, 40.
Space forbids the mention of those who baptized from one to 39 souls. We know that men sometimes have to work just as hard or harder to win twenty as others do to win one hundred. Nevertheless all these figures paint a marvelous picture of successful soul-winning endeavor in the ranks of the Advent Movement.
For this we should pray the more! For this we should give the more liberally! For this we should give glory to God in increasing measure and thank Him for His usable, faithful servants.
H. W. L.
