Broader Plans by James White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jan 11, 1877

Broader Plans.

By James White

We have talked of “broader plans” until some think the old story completely threadbare. But we cannot help their cases, neither can we help talking and acting upon plans for the extension of our cause.

There are those, and some of them persons who have a large amount of means that they can spare without realizing the least want, who take no practical interest in the execution of the best plans to extend our work. There are hundreds who will talk long and earnestly of the hand of Providence that is pushing our cause into all parts of the world, who never think of giving a dollar to any of our home or foreign missions. But there is another class of our professed friends who will neither talk nor act in a manner to encourage the extension of our work. The last-named class are really tired of hearing of Broader Plans. They think it very rash to send Eld. Andrews to Europe, to raise money to establish a Press there, and to send money to support missionaries and to print books and papers in that far-off land. These hug to their homes and hug their money. These have never yet received the missionary spirit into their hearts. These have never felt a single thrill of that inspiration which the true servant of Christ feels as he reads the commission, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel.” These are held by the spirit of the world and of Satan from giving their hand to that work in which they would find the greatest satisfaction were they fully converted. We mourn that they will deprive themselves of the blessing of giving and having a lively interest in the cause of God. In the language of Paul we would exhort them “to remember the words of our Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The stupefying influence of the love of this world affects the memory on certain points. Don’t forget this, brethren; but remember these important words of the Lord Jesus, fully indorsed by Paul, that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Our work is vast, and of a nature which requires vigilance and the expenditure of large sums of money. We labor against great odds in many respects. Numbers, influence and natural inclination of the mind and heart are all against us.” “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they had swallowed us up quick.” Ps. 124:2, 3. What is wanted now is that every brother and sister work with the Lord.

But there are some among us who are losing their interest. Instead of rising with the work, they are going down. And the prospect of reaching them and helping them is growing more hopeless. Some of these have manifested great industry and economy in amassing their wealth. Throughout their business life they have weighed carefully every business transaction from the largest down to the minutest expenditure of means. These careful habits have increased with their years until the burden of advanced life is to earn and to save, while they have no earthly use for the larger portion of what they already possess. They have been doing business all their life with the certainty that every enterprise in which they engaged would pay well. And now as they are urged to engage in this and that enterprise to advance the cause of God, they have no strength to act by faith. They assent to the arguments drawn from the Sacred Scriptures, but they are as destitute of living, active faith as Lot’s wife after she was changed to a pillar of salt. Nothing but the power of God can move them from their fixed position. We fear that love of the world will hold some of those who have had great light until they sink in the general ruin. We can warn them, and go on about our work, mourning that they are not ready to help us, and thus deprive themselves of well-doing here, and the reward hereafter. Again, in the language of Paul, we “charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Tim. 6:17–19.

Every enterprise taken hold of under the head of Broader Plans has proved a glorious success. The winter term of our College opened January 3, with 160 students, and a Battle Creek correspondent reports that others are arriving on every train. The scheme to educate young men to become practitioners in our Health Institute, and able medical writers has proved a perfect success. The Pacific mission is prosperous, and the establishment of the Pacific Press in connection with it has in its results far exceeded our expectation. The Press gives character to the work, and gives facilities to the cause here which could be secured in no other way.

We have cheering reports from the North Pacific Mission. Eld. Van Horn writes from Salem, Oregon, on new year’s day: “The cause of truth is brightening up some of late here in Salem. We have appointed the second Sabbath and Sunday in January as the time to organize a church here. I think there are about twenty ready to come into an organization.”

“Bro. Jones has raised up a little company of Sabbath-keepers about five miles from here in Eola, and we have appointed to organize a church there the third Sabbath and Sunday in this month. There are some good substantial persons among those who have taken hold at Eola.”

“The outlook before us now is quite favorable. We are preparing for a vigorous campaign the coming tent season.”

And our people in California have never had better courage to work in the missionary cause than at the present time. The late State Quarterly Meeting was excellent, and left a very encouraging influence, and the opinion prevails that Eld. Smith should visit the State and hold a Biblical Institute during the month of April.

And we are much cheered by the good news which a very recent private letter from Eld. Andrews brings from Europe. We take the liberty to quote certain paragraphs from it as follows:—

“Bro. Ertzenberger came from Germany to attend our General Conference at La Coudre, Dec. 3. He is of good courage and seems to be very much as when he was in America. His mission is something more than self-sustaining. I think, considering all the circumstances, he has been very successful. There is in Germany a good company of brethren and sisters well instructed in the present truth, and a good influence before the public. What is wanted, however, to give strength to the work in Germany, is a German paper and German tracts for general circulation.”

“This brings me to say that within a few months, if you think it proper, we will commence to publish our paper in German. What I mean is that we shall be able within a few months to get out a correct German paper. The question will then be, Shall we undertake the financial responsibility of another paper? I bring the question thus to your consideration and ask you to give it prayerful thought.

“We will soon be ready on our part, and if the brethren in America think proper to help us set up such a paper, we will use rigid economy, will work hard, will give all possible care to have our work well and correctly done, and will be content with very plain fare. It is a serious job to think of undertaking, but I believe that God will help.”

It is surprising to us stingy American Christians that Brother Ertzenberger has a mission of only one year’s standing, in old Germany, with all its infidelity, beer, and tobacco, that is self-sustaining. In a private letter, now on its way to Europe, we have already responded in the affirmative to Eld. Andrews’ inquiry respecting a paper in the German language. In behalf of our people we stated to Eld. Andrews that he would be fully sustained in publishing a paper and in printing tracts in the German language to any extent that in his judgment the cause demands. We fear that our noble missionaries in Switzerland and Germany are doing injustice to themselves and the cause they represent in their habits of extreme industry and economy. We have said to Eld. Andrews, Go forward with the work, publish on good paper to the fullest extent of the demand for periodicals and general publications. We have urged him to send his orders for money in season to the Review and Herald Office; and to avail himself of all the benefits within his reach to extend the work in Europe; and we have assured him that his American brethren would fully sustain him in so doing.

We have called for $10,000 to establish an S. D. A. Publishing House in Europe and we are happy to report that $6,000 of that sum has actually been paid into the Review Office, where it is needed at present to carry forward the cause until the time comes to invest it in presses, type, etc. At present Eld. Andrews has not available force to manage such an establishment. In his last letter he urges W. C. White and wife to come to his assistance. But these persons are at present the main dependence at this Office, and cannot be spared until others are raised up to fill their places here.

The $10,000, however, must be reserved for the object for which the sum was designed. We now call for donations to sustain our publications in the French and German languages in Europe. And we urge that these donations shall not be taken from our S. D. A. treasuries in this country, nor from persons who have only a few dollars to spare, which they should apply to the advancement of the cause at home. But rather let the money necessary to sustain the cause in Europe come from those who can spare it without feeling the want of it, and who would not give less to support the cause in America by liberally donating to the European Mission. Address, Review and Herald, Battle Creek, Mich., or Signs of the Times, Oakland, California. J. W.