THE Lord led his people Israel like a flock into the land of promise. Over hard roads and through many difficulties, his was the guiding hand that always brought them forth. “For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favor unto them.” Ps. 44:3.
Again the Lord is leading a people into the land of promise, this time the eternal Canaan. The path is a longer one than that of Israel through the wilderness and across the borders of Edom and of Moab. The way now leads through every land and nation on earth. But we can see by faith the three angels of the advent movement still flying on before us, leading the way to every nation and kindred and tongue and people; and we have the promise of the divine Presence as we follow. Notwithstanding all the sin and unbelief, the neglect and lack of earnestness, for which we bow our hearts in repentance before God, we know that the Saviour’s promise is said:—
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
Wherever we turn our eyes, we see the tokens of his blessed presence. The voice of the Good Shepherd is heard in many languages to-day calling in the words of the third angel’s message to his own. “Behold, I, even I,” he says, “will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” Eze. 34:11, 12. Thank God, the gathering time has come.
“Long upon the mountains, weary,
Have the scattered flock been torn;
Dark the desert paths, and dreary;
Grievous trials have they borne.
“Now the gathering call is sounding,
Solemn in its warning voice;
Union, faith, and love, abounding,
Bid the little flock rejoice.”
Precious as this thought of the gathering time was to the early advent believers, yet more precious is it to our hearts now, with the gathering call sounding over land and sea.
From the reports this year it is evident that when 1912 shall close, we may count assuredly that eight thousand individuals or more have turned during the twelve months into the way of God’s commandments. We live so in the midst of tokens of God’s leading hand that the danger is that these things shall become common in our eyes.
The reports from the mission fields in the REVIEW from week to week are a continuous panorama of the closing work of God. Thirty years ago we did not know of a Sabbath-keeper south of the United States or Europe, nor was there a representative of this advent movement in all Asia. Now what wonderful reports come to us from the four quarters of the earth! They are so many and so striking that we must beware lest we take them as mere common reports of news, and fail to see that the Lord is working with mighty power before our eyes. “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.” Ps. 107:43.
Let us observe just a few of the things that have come to notice within the last three or four weeks prior to the preparation of this reading. The blessings manifested in China put our brethren there under the greatest pressure to respond. New China has made a hundred years of history in a year, and in our own work we have the evidence that the Lord is ready to do a quick work in hastening this message on. The China Union Mission Committee has sent to us this formal request:—
“Whereas, The work has already grown beyond the possibility of our present corps of workers being able properly to carry it, and should sickness overtake us there is no help to care for the work; and—
“Whereas, Only seven of the eighteen provinces of China proper have yet been entered in any way, to say nothing of her dependencies,—Manchuria, Tibet, and Turkestan; therefore—
“We most earnestly request the home board to send to China proper, during the autumn of 1912, not less than eight families of workers, to begin the study of the language, preparatory to active work for China’s waiting millions.”
Commenting on this action, Elder I. H. Evans wrote:—
“Everywhere—north, south, and west—splendid interests are springing up. Last week I received a letter from one of our brethren in Kulangsu, Amoy, stating that at one of the out-stations there were one hundred persons already keeping the Sabbath, and seven hundred inquirers waiting for some one to come and instruct them in the truth. Brother F. E. Stafford and Sister B. Miller have been conducting meetings in Shanghai. As a result of their work four men from the province of Szechuen (which has a population of seventy millions) have accepted the truth, all of whom are teachers, having come to Shanghai because of the revolution, accompanying foreign evangelists as teachers and instructors in their native dialect. This fall these men expect to return to Szechuen, and we have no worker whom we can send back with them. Three years ago Elder Allum was appointed superintendent of that field, but up to the present time it has been impossible for us to spare him long enough to make even a trip to that province. Now that we have four men from there who are keeping the Sabbath, have done some ministerial work, and are quite well educated, it does seem imperative that we have a foreign worker to send to Szechuen to guide and direct these men, and to open up the work. . . . We certainly can not leave China unwarned, when the people show such readiness to accept Christ and become Christians. The Spirit of God is striving with men in China, and it seems a pity that we can not step in with a trained corps of workers at this important time and reap a rich harvest of souls.”
During the last season Elder R. C. Porter made the round of mission stations in the South African Union. Our first work for the heathen was in Africa. We understand that three hundred souls or more have been won to this truth through the missions, and several thousand young persons, all told, are under instruction in our African schools. Of special tokens of the good hand of God in the work, Elder Porter says:—
THE FORSAKEN IDOL TREE
“I am glad to be able to report that all our missions are in a very prosperous condition. The old Solusi Mission [our first in Africa], with Elder W. C. Walston superintendent, gave me notice26when I was there that at the close of the year the mission would return all the money that had been appropriated to it by the General Conference for 1912, and declare it self-supporting this year, and, the workers hope, for the future. It is very remarkable how rains have fallen upon this mission farm, when other farms all about were suffering and receiving no rain. When I was there, all their early crops were matured. The late crops, however, were beginning to need rain very much. Elder Walston said that if rain did not come within a week, the late corn would not be more than half a crop. The matter was made a subject of prayer, and the Lord sent plentiful rains, so that the late crops are reported to be as good as the other. A grain merchant has informed Elder Walston that he had more corn on the mission farm this year than all the farmers in that section or in that district combined. It is the general talk of the farmers that the Lord has specially favored our industrial mission work for the natives, and they are sending in pressing invitations for us to establish out-schools on their farms.
“While I was at the Barotseland Mission, Elder W. H. Anderson made arrangements for the sale of a sufficient amount of produce from the farm to insure making good his promise that the Barotseland Mission would be self-supporting for 1912. That mission has been greatly blessed this year in raising large crops of potatoes, while other farmers have raised but few. There is a Catholic mission just across the river from ours, and once during the summer when rain was badly needed, there came a storm which blew down and destroyed about half their corn crop, while on our mission side of the river there came a beautiful soaking rain, without any wind to damage the crop. In many ways the prospering hand of God has been manifested.”
Here is an experience of God’s presence in the far Philippines. One of the colporteurs had reported an interest in a certain place, and a Filipino evangelist was sent there. Elder E. M. Adams wrote:—
“Last Sunday our evangelist returned from this place, and reported thirteen new Sabbath-keepers. He said that they had started a fund to build a chapel. He also said that they were so eager to hear the truth that they would scarcely let him sleep. The evangelist himself received a new experience from this. He came back with his face shining—a new man in Christ. A few weeks ago he asked to be excused from the ministry, but when he came back he said, with tears in his eyes, that he was sorry that he had ever made such a request. He said that on Sabbath, while he was away, he was opening his meeting by prayer, and had not prayed long when the people fell upon their faces, weeping. He looked around, wondering what had happened, and could not speak. Then he was strengthened, and finished his prayer. He said as he thought how God had committed to him his Holy Spirit, and also as he thought of his past life, he felt very unworthy, but desired to yield his whole life to God and be faithful in his service.”
“Last week a man came to us the second time, asking for some one to go up to his province, as there were some of the people keeping the Sabbath, and they desired instruction. We are planning to send them help in a few days. Truly the Lord is going before us and preparing our way.”
How our brethren in the needy fields are longing and praying for more workers is reflected in a letter to the Mission Board from Dr. A. C. Selmon, editor of our Chinese paper, who last season attended general meetings in several provinces, as fully reported in the REVIEW. “There is surely,” he says, “a wonderful opening of the ears of the people to hear.” He found this specially manifested among the non-Christian people, heathen hearers standing up by scores before heathen neighbors to confess their sins, and to ask to be taught the way of salvation. Dr. Selmon adds:—
“This greatly encouraged all of us, and especially was it a great help to our Chinese church. Our Chinese brethren seemed to get a glimpse of the power that there is in this last gospel message, and to see that there is in it an antidote for every ill and sin that is in the world, and that it is not only adapted to the people in Babylon, but especially to the idol-worshipers of China.”
And after telling, as others have again and again, of the needs and calls beyond their reach, he cries:—
“Whom shall we send? We can not get men here on the field, and so our arms are outstretched to you, brethren in the home land, and we are pleading that you quickly do something to help us. Surely our work in China is in a critical condition. Not because the Lord is not blessing and making openings that we can not fill; but because we are so tied down and short-handed that we can not spare the time to establish these churches and companies in the truth as27they should be established. Our prayer is that you, brethren, will move heaven and earth to get us a good company of people out here this fall. Unless we can have them, it means that we must give up our work in some of the places which we have opened up.”
Truly the situation is a call to prayer that shall indeed move heaven and earth. And this is the season of prayer. Pray for these fields, brethren and sisters. Pray God to protect the workers. Pray that he may move every heart in the making of gifts at this time, large gifts and small. And pray the Lord of the harvest definitely to send forth laborers.
There remains so much land yet to be possessed. We have but entered in. There is no place to stop or rest until the work is done. All the fields can echo China’s cry of unentered territory and the need of workers and of means. While Japan, Korea, and the East Indies are smaller fields, they are none the less in need of workers. I saw this need also only a few months ago in South America, where a little band of our brethren is courageously facing one of the hardest undertakings in the world,—the carrying of the message through fanatically Catholic regions. I dared not so much as hint that any assurance could be given them of increased appropriations for new workers another year. But think of their situation! There is the Peruvian Mission, having a territory equal to all the United States west of the Rockies, with two ordained ministers. There is the Argentine Conference, into which, as far as area is concerned, nearly twenty-nine Pennsylvanias might be placed, and it has four ordained ministers in the field. Mexico and the Spanish fields of the West Indian Union are equally destitute. Elder E. C. Boger, of British Guiana, reports as still faithful a single family in Dutch Guiana, who for years have hoped for the coming of a worker. Elder Boger adds: “The lights along the border burn brightly.”
In India we are working in eight or nine of the hundred languages. The most populous part of Africa still lies untouched by Seventh-day Adventists. It is said that in those vast regions stretching from the West Coast to the Egyptian Sudan, one or two squares a thousand miles on a side might be marked out, in which there is no missionary of any society. Our brethren in South and East Africa are pushing northward toward these regions. The little band in West Africa is heroically struggling to form a base from which its members can push eastward in among the millions; and our brethren in Europe have their eyes on the Egyptian Sudan. What a call it is to pray for men and means, that the far-separated but converging lines may be moved steadily onward!
A Kongo missionary of another society reports a touching story of waiting Africa. “One day,” he says, “as we waited at Leubo, some men came who had walked about one hundred seventy-five miles. They had heard that if they would build a church in their village, a teacher would come to teach them the way of salvation. They had built a church, then had waited and waited. The church had rotted down, but no teacher had come.”
The many tribes unreached, the hundreds of tongues silent as yet in the message, and the vast areas stretching out unentered are not difficulties to dismay or discourage; rather are they inspiring incentives to prayer and sacrifice; for the promise is sure that God will send the light to every tongue and people. His hand is leading; may God give us grace to follow fast.
(Reading for Sabbath, December 14)
By Ellen G. White
“For a Witness Unto All Nations”
MRS. E. G. WHITE
The Saviour’s words, “Ye are the light of the world,” point to the fact that he has committed to his followers a world-wide mission. As the rays of the sun penetrate to the remotest corners of the globe, so God designs that the light of the gospel shall extend to every soul upon the earth. If the church of Christ were fulfilling the purpose of our Lord, light would be shed upon all that sit in darkness and in the region and shadow of death; instead of congregating together and shunning responsibility and cross-bearing, the members of the church would scatter into all lands, letting the light of Christ shine out from them, working as he did for the salvation of souls, and this “gospel of the kingdom” would speedily be carried to all the world.
From all countries the Macedonian call is sounding, “Come over and help us.” God has opened fields before us. The heavenly beings have been cooperating with men. Providence is going before us, and divine power is working with human effort. Blind indeed must be the eyes that do not see the working of the Lord, and deaf the ears that do not hear the call of the true Shepherd to his sheep. Some have heard the call of God, and have responded. Let every sanctified heart now respond, by seeking to proclaim the life-giving message. If men and women in humility and faithfulness will take up their God-given, appointed work, divine power will be revealed in the conversion of many to the truth. Wonderful will be the results of their efforts.
The Lord is bidding his people in every place to sow beside all waters. It means much to obey his command. It means a continual imparting of the gifts we have received from Heaven. The cause of God needs consecrated workers, and it needs money. Shall we continue to spend our means for things that are unessential, while a neglected work remains undone? Shall we not rather repent of our indifference toward this work, and pray for spiritual discernment to see and understand, as we should, its urgent needs?
The spirit of liberality is the spirit of heaven. Christ’s self-sacrificing love is revealed upon the cross. That man28might be saved, he gave all that he had, and then gave himself. The cross of Christ appeals to the benevolence of every follower of the blessed Saviour. The spirit here illustrated is to give, give. This carried out in actual benevolence and good works, is the true fruit of the Christian life.
The work of God needs men and women who have learned of Christ. The moment God’s workmen see him as he is, that moment they will see themselves as they are, and will ask him to make them what they ought to be. Selfishness makes men hindrances instead of helps. In God’s light we can see our defects; and in his strength we can remedy them.
At the final day, when the earth shall perish, he who has laid up treasures in heaven will behold that which his life has gained. If we have given heed to the words of Christ, then, as we gather round the great white throne, we shall see souls who have been saved through our agency, and shall know that one has saved others, and these still others,—a large company brought into the haven of rest as the result of our faithful labors, there to lay their crowns at Jesus’ feet, and praise him through the ceaseless ages of eternity. With what joy will the worker for Christ behold these redeemed ones, who share the glory of the Redeemer! How precious will heaven be to those who have been faithful in the work of saving souls!
The nearer we come to the close of this earth’s history, the more delusive will be the snares of the enemy. As time passes, his attacks will grow fiercer and more frequent. Satan’s supreme effort is made to ensnare and deceive if possible the very elect,—the church and the ministers of Christ. With all their ingenuity he and his agencies are working to deceive if possible the very elect. If he can lull them to indifference to their high calling, his triumph is certain. What is needed at this time is thorough conversion and whole-hearted consecration. He who is closely connected with Christ will be strengthened to withstand the enemy’s devices. Our safety lies in practising heartily the truths of the Bible. By humbling ourselves before God, we invite his saving power.
A great work is to be done in foreign fields; and just as verily a great work is to be done in the home field; for it is by consecrated, faithful effort in the home field that workers are to be won for God who will go forth to proclaim the truth in foreign fields. At this time, when the enemy is working as never before to engross the minds of men and women, we should be laboring with increasing activity. Diligently, disinterestedly, we are to proclaim the last message of mercy in the cities—in the highways and byways. All classes are to be reached. As we labor, we shall meet with different nationalities. None are to be passed by unwarned. The Lord Jesus was the gift of God to the entire world—not to the higher classes alone, and not to one nationality, to the exclusion of others. His saving grace encircles the world. Whosoever will, may drink of the water of life. A world is waiting to hear the message of present truth. And while the servants of God are aroused to give the light, all nationalities are represented as pressing into service as instrumentalities of divine choosing.
There are many who long for special talent with which to do some wonderful work, while the duties lying close at hand, the performance of which would make the life fragrant, are lost sight of. Let such ones go to work, taking up the work lying directly in their pathway. Success depends not so much on talent as on sanctified energy and willingness. It is not the possession of splendid talents that will enable us to overcome and to serve, but the conscientious performance of daily duties, the lowly spirit, the contented disposition, the unaffected, sincere interest in the welfare of others. If the love of Christ fills the heart, this love will be manifested in the life.
GRAVE OF A. LA RUE, HONGKONG, CHINA
If you have a fitness for a special line of service, this will be seen as you do your best in the work nearest to you. Be faithful and thorough in all that you do. Do not be discouraged if the beginning you make seems small, but set your mark high, and put forth earnest efforts to reach it. Do not allow obstacles to dishearten you. Concentrate your efforts on the surmounting of these obstacles. Persevere, and you will succeed.
Right where you are, and right where the people are, let earnest efforts be put forth. The Word of God has, as it were, been hidden under a bushel. That Word must be explained to those who are now ignorant of its requirements. Search the Scriptures with those who are willing to be taught. This work may be small in its beginning, but others will unite to carry it forward; and as, in faith and dependence on God, labor is given for the instruction and enlightenment of the people, those who listen will catch the meaning of true discipleship.
My message to our people is: “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”
When the Samaritans came to Christ at the call of the Samaritan woman, Christ spoke of them to his disciples as a field of grain ready for harvesting: “Say ye not, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest?” he asked. “Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.”
And how did that harvest begin?—With one woman,—just giving the truth to one woman, and that woman giving it to others; for she went to the village, and said to the people, “Come.” They came, and they listened, and the harvest began. Christ abode with the Samaritans two days; for they were hungry to hear the truths of the gospel. And what busy days they were! As a result of his labors, “many more believed” on him. This was their testimony: “We have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”
Just such work is to be carried on to-day. There are many preparing for the harvest, but they know it not. At this time every word and act of ours should be fraught with meaning. We may cry to the Lord, “It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.” But this is not enough. The reapers must act their part. God’s people must arouse from their indifference and selfishness, and reveal a desire to be used as the Lord’s helping hand.29
My brethren and sisters, arise; shine! The time has come when we should make every possible effort in giving this last message to the world. I call upon all who possibly can to connect with the work, and to do it now. Do not be indifferent to the messages God sends for the spiritual uplifting of his people, nor negligent of the responsibility that has been placed upon you in a knowledge of present truth. God’s first and great commandment is, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.” The second is like unto it: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
The Lord is sending us repeated instruction pointing us to the importance of becoming earnest, diligent workers. We have an important work to do, a work that will not wait, a work that can be accomplished only in the power of, and through, the Spirit, and under the direction and guidance of Christ. Let every believer at this time show himself a worker together with God. Let all differences be put away, all light, meaningless talk. Let us speak and act righteously. The Lord will work through every soul who will yield heart and life to his control. To all who will be led by the Spirit, God will impart his righteousness. He commits to his true followers the power of persuasion, the power of his grace and truth, a deep and constant love for his work in home and foreign fields. He gives them hearts that are in earnest in gathering with Christ. With helpers possessing such gifts as these, the missionary work can not be without fruit.
The kingdom of grace is now being established, as day by day hearts that have been full of sin and rebellion yield to the sovereignty of his love. But the full establishment of the kingdom of his glory will not take place till the second coming of Christ to this world. “The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven” is to “be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.” They shall inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. And Christ will take to himself his great power, and reign.
The heavenly gates are again to be lifted up, and with ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands of holy ones, our Saviour will come forth as “King of kings, and Lord of lords.” Jehovah Immanuel “shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.” “The tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, . . . and be their God.”
But before that coming, Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations.” His kingdom will not come until the good tidings of his grace shall have been carried to all the earth. Hence, as we give ourselves to God, and win other souls to him, we hasten the coming of his kingdom. Only those who devote themselves to his service, saying, “Here am I; send me” to open blind eyes, to turn men “from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God,”—they alone pray in sincerity, “Thy kingdom come.”
NOTE TO LEADER.—Here take up the Annual Offering for missions, first giving opportunity for all to give their own selves to God. Dedicate the offerings to the Lord in prayer.
Praying Witnesses
Lesson for the Children—No. 7
Praying Witnesses
MEMORY TEXT: “Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8.
A little girl once came to Mr. Moody and asked him to pray that God would help her to win people to live Christian lives.
What does the word win mean? We win people by being kind and loving to them. We drive them from us by being cross and unkind.
Children may lead even grown people to Jesus. A little boy was seen weeping in a meeting. When asked what was the trouble, he said, “I wish you would pray for my mother.” A minister told him to talk to his mother that night about being a Christian, and said he would pray for them both. When the boy got home, he watched until bedtime for a chance to talk with his mother. When she told him it was time to go to bed, he started for the door, but came back, threw his arms about his mother’s neck, and wept as if his heart would break. She thought he was ill, and asked him what was the matter. He then told her that he was trying to be a Christian, and how happy he should be if she would be one. Then he went to his room. The mother could not rest, for God was speaking to her heart. After a time she started for the boy’s room, and when she came to the door, she heard him praying, “O God, help my dear mother to be a Christian.” The next day she was converted, and became a Christian worker.
Teach the children that they may have something to do toward answering the prayers they have already offered for others.
A witness can tell only what he knows. So if children would be witnesses for Jesus, they must first know him for themselves.
Tell the story found in Acts 4:23-31. So we should pray for power, that our words and lives may bear witness that will lead others to the Lord.
Explain how children may bear witness by their gifts, their lives, and in other ways.
A little Norwegian boy stood in a meeting, scarcely knowing what to say. Then with tears he said, “If I tell the world about Jesus, then he will tell the Father about me.” We shall need Jesus to witness for us when we are judged, so we should witness for him now.
Tell how one witness will make other witnesses, till at last the gospel will be given to all the world, and then Jesus will come. “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation.”
The subject for prayer after this meeting may be that God will bless our missionaries in all lands, and that more witnesses may be fitted to go to these countries.
Answers to Prayer
Lesson for the Children—No. 8
Answers to Prayer
MEMORY TEXT: “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” 1 John 5:15.
This closing meeting should be a glad one. The children may be permitted to tell of blessings given and of answers to prayer received during the week. Thanksgiving should be expressed for promises and blessings.
“We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks.”
Encourage the children to form the prayer habit. They should not receive the impression that during this week they have done their praying for a year, but they should continue to pray regularly, fervently, every day, and in faith.
Some may be discouraged and think God has not heard them pray because they do not see answers to their prayers immediately. Cite the case of Elijah praying seven times (1 Kings 18:42-45). Daniel prayed three weeks before the answer came (Dan. 10: 2, 3, 12).
Children must early learn to submit the will to God. “We know not what we should pray for as we ought.” “We sometimes ask for things that would not be a blessing to us, and our Heavenly Father in love answers our prayers by giving us that which will be for our highest good.” “To claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire is presumption.”—“Steps to Christ,” pages 110, 111.
The mother answers her child when she says No, the same as when she says Yes. God answered Moses’ prayer when he said No. Deut. 3:23, 25-27. Jesus answered the man who prayed to be with him, when “he suffered him not.”
“Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God.” We should continue to pray in faith till God says, “Speak no more unto me of this matter.”
If some have received answers to prayer during the week, let them relate the circumstances briefly. If none have such experience, examples may be selected from the Bible, if there is time.
The children may name the things for which they are thankful, and the teacher may suggest that in secret prayer they say “Thank you” to God, while they continue to pray for further blessings.
Why Take the “Review”?
By D. W. Reavis
In answering this question, we give only ten of the many reasons that might be given. Any one of these is of sufficient importance to justify the expense of the paper, and to insure ample returns for the time devoted to its careful reading:—
1. The REVIEW is the only general paper published especially for our church-members, and is ever adapted to their personal, spiritual needs.
2. It is the voice of the great advent movement throughout the whole world.
3. It rekindles and keeps aglow the spark of spiritual fire in the souls of its readers. It is a weekly reviver.
4. It is a strong, unifying factor, and a constant inspiration in the work of our world-wide message.
5. It provides spiritual food for all its readers, brings good cheer to them, and builds up their faith.
6. It keeps its readers in trying times from the common tendency to complain, to criticize, and to imbibe unbelief, and is in many other ways their best and truest earthly friend.
7. It keeps its readers intelligent upon all phases of our special work in all parts of the world, strengthens their faith, and fortifies them against discouragement in performing life's daily duties.
8. It is an impelling force in all denominational work, imparting spiritual vitality in the life, and creating a working devotion in the promotion and support of the message.
9. It is as a good shepherd sent out each week to feed the flock, to heal their wounds, and to strengthen their defenses against their foes.
10. In view of the general and the specific nature of the REVIEW, the scope and magnitude of the message it represents, and the environments of our church-members, it is not possible for them to keep fully up with the rapid progress the message is making in all parts of the world, and to grow and develop with it, and not have the REVIEW.
