Immediately after my conversion I felt a distinct “Call” to do definite Christian work; I longed to travel and tell the world the “Good News” that had sent me free...and by His grace several hundred have accepted Christ as their Saviour in my meetings.

These words by Robert William Roberts (1875-1965) were written while he served with the American Sunday School Union. The ASSU founded in 1817 sent out missionaries to establish Sunday schools and libraries in rural areas of the United States. For almost seven years Roberts worked in small communites in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Later he became a pastor in several Baptist churches.

One hundred years ago this month Roberts held meetings at two churches in southern Illinois. During September 1908 he saw eighteen conversions, delivered twenty-five sermons or addresses, and visited fifty-seven families. A records of his daily activities are found in the seven annual account book in Collection 101 - Papers of Robert William Roberts.

To view the complete text of Robert's Statement of Christian Experience and "Call to the Ministry," and photos of his work with the ASSU click here.