The Missionary by William M. Healey

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 12, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 31.

The Missionary.

By William M. Healey

SHALL I GO?

SHALL I go to the camp-meeting? This question, I presume, some of our people are considering at this time. During the next three months, as may be seen by the notice on last page of the Signs of the Times, we expect to have four camp-meetings in California. Every consistent effort ought to be made to attend these meetings. There are but few of our people so situated that they cannot attend at least one of them.

Do not say, "It is inconvenient, and the Lord can bless me just as well at home." It is the Lord, not ourselves, that makes the terms and defines the conditions upon which we may receive blessings. Anciently the people were required to make frequent journeys to Jerusalem to worship the Lord and receive his blessing. During the feast of tabernacles they were to go out of their houses, repair to the woods, gather boughs, and construct booths and dwell in them. Suppose some one had said, "If the Lord has a blessing for me he can give it to me in my house just as well as in a booth, and I will not go to so much trouble." It may be the Lord could have done that if he had chosen to, but all must see that the Lord chose the way, and the man refusing to comply would not receive a blessing. When the Saviour anointed the eyes of the blind man and sent him to the pool to wash, he returned seeing. It is not for us to say that Jesus could not have opened his eyes without sending him to wash, but he chose that way, and if the man had not gone he doubtless would have remained blind.

All through the history of the race God has appointed special times and places for blessing his people. In the days of Job they assembled "to present themselves before the Lord." Job 1:6.

The Lord requires this under the new covenant, as well as under the old. Hebrews 10: 25 says: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." From this we learn that, as we get nearer the end, we ought to assemble together, and exhort one another, more than formerly; and the manner of some will be to neglect this. Brethren, can you afford to neglect to go where God will be pleased to come and meet with you?

Those people who went up to Jerusalem did not go merely out of curiosity to see the people and the city, they went to worship, and to meet the Lord of Hosts.

At these camp-meetings there will be chances for receiving light, and learning more of the way of life. When our cases come up in the Judgment, there will be a record of our works (Rev. 20: 12), our words (Matt. 12: 36), our thoughts (Malachi 3: 16), and then will be considered our opportunities (Deut. 30: 19). If we can attend these meetings and do not, we certainly will be the ones to lose by neglect.

I wish to say a few words especially to our people in Southern California, some of whom have never attended a camp-meeting of our people. I am confident that every Sabbath-keeper in that part of the State is in need of the very light and blessing that may be had at the San Diego camp-meeting. The neglect of one opportunity may be the means of losing eternal life. The strength that could be obtained there, some will fail to get, and in some hour of trial will come that much short and fail. Come, bring your family, bring your friends, and ask the Lord to go up with you, and let us seek the Lord together, and he will be found of us. W. M. HEALEY.