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Review and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 21.

Starved into the Work
Earlier text: Progress in Manchuria

The Pitt Theater Meetings in Pittsburgh

By B. G. Wilkinson

THE auditorium of the Carnegie Library, Homewood, Pittsburgh, Pa., a splendid hall, seating about six hundred people, was hired for the Columbia Union Conference, March 13-20. This was used for the day sessions of the conference and for some night work. There was an excellent attendance at our business sessions, including about two hundred and fifty delegates and visitors, and a number of our Pittsburgh brethren and sisters. In addition we had special night sessions.
We had planned to secure one of the big auditoriums in the city for the two Sunday nights, the one preceding the session and the one on which it closed, for the presentation of the truth. Not being able to do this, we took up a list of theaters, and at last secured the Pitt Theater, which is considered the largest and most modern in the city. Mr. Patch, the manager, made an appointment to meet us the next day at eleven o’clock.
Mr. Patch was greatly surprised that we should want the theater for a Sunday night meeting, as he said his regular price was $100. He asked us what we wanted it for, and what subjects we intended to discuss. We told him we believed that this colossal war which is going on in Europe is a subject of prophecy in the Bible, and we thought the people of Pittsburgh ought to hear about it. That was why we wanted the theater. He replied, “I am glad of that, because I think the people of America need awakening; and if they need awakening on any subject, it is this one.” He said he was an American born and had traveled all over the world, but thought the Americans were the most luxurious, pleasure-loving, indifferent nation on the face of the earth, and that they certainly did need an awakening.
He let us have the theater for the two nights for $150. Moreover, he offered us the use of his libretto, and gave us two pages in which to advertise our meetings. We also advertised quite thoroughly in the newspapers. Elder D. A. Parsons did thorough work in advertising, while Elder F. H. Robbins carried forward full preparations for the coming union conference session.
At the appointed time Elder A. G. Daniells presented the subject of the evening, “The Call to Arms: Is America Yet to be Involved?” The theater seats 2,000, but that night there were fully 2,500 present. Before the lecture we took up an offering, which amounted to $131.45. We had little cards distributed to the audience, asking all who wanted to have this lecture in printed form to write their names on the cards and give them to the ushers as they passed out. When the meeting closed and we looked over the cards, we found that 700 persons had left their names as desiring to receive a printed copy of the evening’s lecture. Among them were three ministers, one leading lawyer of the city, and other prominent men.
A meeting was advertised for the next Sunday night. During the week Dr. Morgan, of Philadelphia, who plays the great pipe organ in the John Wanamaker store, one of the largest organs in the world, offered to play for us, and give a special recital in the theater, which he did. Dr. Morgan was formerly professor of music in the Pittsburgh University, as well as organist for Trinity Episcopal Church, and has many friends in the city.
The meeting held in this theater was said by some to be the largest religious meeting ever held in Pittsburgh. More than three thousand people crowded the theater, filling every seat and all available standing space. It was estimated that more than a thousand were turned away that night.
As one result of these meetings we have about fifteen hundred names of prominent people to whom to send literature, give Bible readings, etc.
The third meeting was held in the Pitt Theater Sunday night, April 2. This meeting also had been well advertised, and a good audience was out. The third gallery had only a few in it, but the main auditorium and the second gallery were filled; in all, about seventeen hundred people. An usher who knew Pittsburgh people well, said that the boxes were occupied by some of the best people of the city.
The Lord blessed Elder Daniells in the presentation of the message. The subject was, “After the War, What?” Many expressions of appreciation were heard after the service. The collection amounted to $84.63. Many more names were handed in for reading matter on the lectures.
It was deeply regretted that Elder Daniells could not be secured to carry on the Sunday meetings. However, as he had previous appointments in Maine, the West Pennsylvania brethren decided to select a substitute speaker, and do the best they could to carry on the work. An effort is being made to get in touch with those who handed in their names, in the hope that some interested ones may be found.
B. G. WILKINSON.

Appreciation

By GEO. O. STATES.

DURING the long years that I have been deprived of attending most of our camp meetings and other public gatherings, being much of the time unable to attend the Sabbath services, I have often thought I was in danger of not keeping up with the message.
There have been times when it has been hard to keep from yielding to feelings of discouragement. During all these years I have been a constant reader of the REVIEW. Many times, when the waters of affliction seemed to overwhelm me, I have opened the REVIEW, and found some encouragement in the editorial section, or in some general article by our aged veterans, that seemed just what I needed.
At times it has seemed to me that our people were conforming more and more to the customs of the world, and I have felt that I myself was imperceptibly backsliding. Then I have taken up our church paper and read something that had the old-time ring, and have said in my heart, “God has not forsaken this people. He will guide the old ship Zion through all the breakers into the haven of rest; and whether waiting or sleeping, I propose to stay with the message.”
My health was such that I could not attend the quarterly meeting the last Sabbath in March, and I was wondering why I was deprived of that blessing. Sabbath morning, April 1, I opened the REVIEW dated March 30, and to read so many interesting articles was certainly inspiring. I thought, “Why not write a few words? Maybe there are others whom the Lord is allowing to pass through the deep waters whom I might help.”
A few articles in that REVIEW helped me so much that I will briefly mention them: First, “The Conversion of Peter.” His following afar off, his denial, his fall, his weeping, and the tender message, “Tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee,” have always appealed to me. My life being so full of mistakes, it has always been such a comfort to read the account of Peter’s mistakes, and how the Lord accepted him, and made of him a powerful laborer.
The article, “Two Discarded Practices,” brought to mind the time when, over sixty years ago, my mother, who is awaiting the first resurrection, used to walk into the little schoolhouse in Jackson County, Michigan, and quietly lead my brother and me to our seats. The leader of the meeting would read a few verses, and talk to us about the present truth and the nearness of the coming of the Lord. Oh, it was a living reality back in those days!
Dear brethren and sisters, I am glad I can truthfully say that I can see a change for the better coming over our people. For some time I have heard “the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees.” Let those of us who have regretted what seemed to us a departure from old-time godly customs, be careful not to get too much into the habit of faultfinding, but stand by right principles, and try to bring about a change as God sees best.
“Developments of Our Work in the Eastern States,” was certainly an inspiration to me. I will remember when that article, “The East and the West,” was first read to our little companies, and the counsel was followed by removing the office from Portland, Maine, to Battle Creek, Mich. “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” Certainly as we as a people have followed the counsel given through the Spirit of prophecy, we have prospered.
Although I had read Sister White’s article, “Secret Societies,” a number of times when it was first published, I read it again with deep interest. I am free to admit that I have seen nothing among our people that I have worried over more than what seemed to me a departure on this question. I have not had the patience to wait for the Lord to bring about the needed changes, but have had too much of the spirit of steadying the ark, instead of waiting to let things work out.
Dear brethren and sisters, I never expect to engage in active warfare as in the years gone by, but one thing I can do, and that is, abide by the stuff and pray for those who are carrying heavy burdens.
GEO. O. STATES.

Back in the Philippines

By R. A. Caldwell

MANILA.— Since returning from Australia, I have had many blessed experiences. As it is the cool season, I have taken some provincial trips, working with four different books in five provinces. Some of the books, being new to me, I had not sold before, even in English. In returning from a recent tour I spent eight and one-half hours on the train, securing in that time five signatures. With one of our health books my record for two weeks was one hundred and twenty orders. For two days I worked in the towns with “Patriarchs and Prophets,” taking sixteen orders one day, and seventeen the other. Most of these were taken at government headquarters. Now is the time, while a stable government exists, to sow the seeds of truth in this barren field. The per cent of my orders I am able to deliver here compares very favorably with my recent work in Sydney.
R. A. CALDWELL.

The Source of Happiness

“Do not search for the cause of unhappiness in the things about you, for all happiness lies within. Search for it, and you will find it.”

Anxious About Using Newspapers

By WALTER L. BURGAN

A most interesting letter has just been received from one of the brethren in Portland, Oregon, who has been having some encouraging experiences in writing for the newspapers of that city. He says:—
“I herewith inclose a clipping from the Portland Oregonian, an influential paper, especially influential because this State has only one large city and that city has only one morning paper; hence its circulation is unusually large throughout the State. Notice how the article preaches the second advent; then note the article in the Portland Evening Telegram of the Thursday before, March 9, and the catchy heading, ‘Says Turks Will Move to Jerusalem,’ and how its last three lines emphasize the nearness of the second advent.”
The article that appeared in the Oregonian, as referred to by our brother, treated on various conditions existing in the earth as signs of the soon coming of Christ, and also dealt with the millennium. A very attractive heading was written by the editor, as follows: “Millennium is Seen. Preacher Says Signs Portend Reappearance of Christ. Hatred of Nations, Wars, Divorce, Industrial Evils, and Earthquakes Called Portents.”
The article which appeared in the Evening Telegram was concerning the Eastern Question, as is indicated by the heading mentioned above. The striking sentence emphasizing the nearness of the second advent reads as follows: “This removal of Turkey is the most intensely important event spoken of in the Bible, because the next event foretold is the second coming of Christ in all his glory.”
Our brother then continues:—
“While all our advertising may bring a hundred people to hear the lecture, these reports are read by thousands. I do pray that our people all over the land may awaken to this much-neglected means of doing missionary work. It takes time, a great deal of time, but how can we better spend time than for Christ's cause? It takes persistence, for newspapers are whimsical and cold-blooded, and throw out a large percentage of the carefully composed write-ups. To keep at it, in spite of such disappointments, takes faith. But how encouraging to see an article published entire and read by multitudes!”
Our brother’s enthusiasm over the possibilities of reaching and eventually winning precious souls through newspaper work should be emulated throughout the field. It is true that our workers are appreciating this feature of our movement, but considerably more should be done to reach the masses through this medium. The ministers and evangelists have an open field, as far as having articles on the prophecies published is concerned, and no one should let an opportunity pass to warn the people, through the secular press, about the serious times in which we are living.
WALTER L. BURGAN.

What are You Doing?

By F. W. Paap

IN this time of awakening it is wonderful how the Lord uses humble, devout followers to communicate the light of truth to those in darkness. The work is to be done “not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”
The following letter, written by a German woman who is working among the Hungarian people of Toledo, Ohio, illustrates what can be done by every Seventh-day Adventist if a burden for souls rests upon the heart:—
“TOLEDO, OHIO, Feb. 19, 1916.
“DEAR BROTHER: I received your letter with the list of Hungarian Bibles. Please send me four Bibles at the price $1.25 each. If for this small number you can give twenty-five per cent off, please send me for the rest of the money some Hungarian tracts. I inclose the sum of five dollars. The Hungarians are nice, kind people. At every door to which I come they let me in, and many accept the Sabbath. The first time I called on one woman, she said she would like to listen to me a whole day. I read the Bible to her, and she accepted the truth.
“I have been more than five years in this country. I was reared a strict Roman Catholic, but accepted the truth in February, 1915. I wrote the truth home to my parents and sisters, and now my mother and both sisters are Sabbath keepers, but my father thinks he is too old to start to observe another religion. He is past sixty years of age.
“Yours very truly, “MRS. . . . .”
We are told in “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VII, page 10, that “the same intensity of desire to save sinners that marked the life of the Saviour marks the life of his true follower. The Christian has no desire to live for self. He delights to consecrate all that he has and is to the Master’s service. He is moved by an inexpressible desire to win souls to Christ. Those who have nothing of this desire might better be concerned for their own salvation. Let them pray for the spirit of service.”
Now is a favorable time. Souls are seeking for truth. God has called us out of darkness that we might communicate the light. It makes us sad to contemplate the awful loss caused by our failure quickly to seize and improve every opportunity to win souls to Christ. Shall we not redeem the time? We would urge upon every one the necessity of working wisely, considerately, winning his way by the tender ministry of love. In connection with every other means let us use freely our truth-filled literature.
We trust every member of this great movement will be encouraged to do more and still more in this blessed ministry of soul-winning. Be sure to register as a member of the home missionary society. Get a home missionary membership card and sign it, and then do something for somebody every day, and keep a faithful record of all work done.
F. W. PAAP.

The Bible Year

Assignment for April 30 to May 6

Influence of the Psalms

“Between the first verse of Matthew’s Gospel and the last verse of John’s Revelation there are two hundred and eighty-three quotations from the Old Testament. One hundred and sixteen of them are from the Psalms. It was the first book which the early church put into the hands of her young converts, the primer of her religious teaching. . . .
“With the music of psalms the shepherds and plowmen cheered their toil in ancient Palestine; and to the same music the Gallic boatmen kept time as they rowed their barges against the swift current of the Rhone. A psalm supplied the daily grace with which the early Christians blessed their food; and the same psalm was repeated by the communicants as they went to the Lord’s table. Chrysostom fleeing into exile; Martin Luther going to Worms; George Wishart facing the plague at Dundee; Wycliffe on his sick bed, surrounded by his enemies; John Bunyan in Bedford jail; William Wilberforce in a crisis when all his most strenuous efforts seemed in vain, and his noble plans were threatened with ruin,—all stayed their hearts and renewed their courage with verses from the Psalms.
“The Huguenots at Dieppe marched to victory chanting the sixty-eighth psalm; and the same stately war song sounded over the field of Dunbar. It was a psalm that Alice Benden sang in the darkness of her Canterbury dungeon; and the lips of the Roman Paulla, faintly moving in death, breathed their last sigh in the words of a psalm. The motto of England’s proudest university is a verse from the Psalms; and a sentence from the same book is written above the loneliest grave on earth, among the snows of the arctic circle. It was with the fifth verse of the thirty-first psalm that our Lord Jesus commended his soul into the hands of God; and with the same words Stephen, Huss, Columbus, Luther, and Melanchthon—yea, and many more saints of whom no man knoweth—have bid their farewell to earth.”—Henry van Dyke.

Missionary Volunteer Department

M. E. KERN . . . Secretary MATILDA ERICKSON . . . Assistant Secretary MRS. I. H. EVANS . . . Office Secretary MEADE MACGUIRE C. L. BENSON J. F. SIMON . . . Field Secretaries

Home Missionary Department

E. M. GRAHAM - - - General Secretary
F. W. PAAP - - - N. Am. Div. Secretary

As a Volunteer

By W. S. Brown; Chas. H. Gabriel

No. 15.

As a Volunteer.

W. S. Brown.
COPYRIGHT, 1907, BY CHAS. H. GABRIEL. E. O. EXCELL, OWNER.
Chas. H. Gabriel.
1. A call for loy-al soldiers Comes to one and all; Soldiers for the con-flict, Will you heed the call? Will you an-swer quick-ly, With a read-y cheer,
2. Yes, Jesus calls for soldiers Who are filled with pow'r, Soldiers who will serve Him Ev-'ry day and hour; He will not for-sake you, He is ev-er near;
3. He calls you, for He loves you With a heart most kind, He whose heart was broken, Bro-ken for man-kind; Now, just now He calls you, Calls in accents clear,
4. And when the war is o-ver, And the vic-t'ry won, When the true and faithful Gather one by one, He will crown with glo-ry All who there ap-pear;
D. S.—Je-sus is the Cap-tain, We will nev-er fear;
FINE.
CHORUS
Will you be en-list-ed As a vol-un-teer? A vol-un-teer for Je-sus,
Will you be en-list-ed As a vol-un-teer?
A sol-dier true! Oth-ers have en-list-ed, Why not you? O why not?
From “Inspiring Hymn Booklet,” E. O. Excell, publisher.

A Field of Opportunity at Home

By Steen Rasmussen

THE immigration problem is one of vital interest to the American people. While in the presidential chair, Mr. Roosevelt once made the statement that he considered it, with the possible exception of that of the conservation of the natural resources of the country, our most important problem.
If the immigration problem is of so vital interest and importance to the nation, it ought to be of no less interest and importance to every true Christian, and in a special sense should it appeal to every sincere Adventist believer. Gigantic efforts are being put forth by the government to mold and shape these incoming millions into good and useful citizens. Numberless societies and organizations, of a political, social, moral, or religious character, have been created with a view of bettering the conditions, usefulness, and environments of the immigrant. Neither money nor effort is spared in solving this tremendous problem which confronts us on every hand.
In the course of time, this question has taken on an even more perplexing aspect. The immigrants of the earlier day came primarily with the purpose of becoming permanent dwellers, and being for the greater part agriculturists in their home country, they generally settled in rural districts and became farmers; but circumstances have so changed that the recent immigrants follow to a great extent a very different course, and instead of settling in the country, flock to the cities and other industrial centers, with the result that these have become overcrowded with humanity. Lured either by wages or some other bright prospect, these newcomers have entered upon occupations for which they are in most cases ill adapted.
A few figures will be of general interest. During the decade 1905-14, a procession of over ten million people has been marching into our country. This is more than a million each year. While the immigrants a quarter to half a century ago came mostly from Northern and Western Europe, we now find that the great majority of the immigrants of the last ten years or more have come from Southern and Eastern Europe. With their limited education, a great percentage of them being illiterate, and their many superstitious ideas, they naturally present a far more difficult problem than do the people who come from the well-educated and Protestant countries of Germany, Great Britain, Scandinavia, etc.
By looking over the annual reports of compiled by the Commissioner General of Immigration, we are almost staggered to find that nearly one half of these 10,000,000 people who came during the period already mentioned, have been the residents of but two countries, namely, Italy and Russia. From Russia alone (this includes Poland) came 2,015,000. This vast number of people from one country would outnumber the population of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana combined, or equal that of Petrograd, the capital of Russia. The Italians numbered 2,311,000, or nearly as many as the total population of the State of California. Similar conditions apply to other nationalities, such as the Hungarians, Austrians, and Balkans.

What Has Been Done?

Some one will very likely raise the question, What has been done for these people by this denomination, and what are we doing for them at the present time? We have believers among nineteen different nationalities, and some work is being carried on among fifteen of these. There are today in the United States and Canada 280 foreign churches, with a total membership of 10,600. Should we, however, exclude the Germans and the Scandinavians from this list, these figures would be reduced to nineteen churches and a membership of 765. That is to say, among more than twenty million people of foreign birth or parentage, we have not yet reached a membership of one thousand.
Naturally the next question to present itself is, What can we do to remedy this appalling situation? These people certainly need the gospel of salvation just as much as the foreigner abroad, and it is a recognized fact by nearly all religious organizations that the foreigner here is more easily reached than the foreigner at home.
We shall briefly point out a few rays of light that are beginning to penetrate this terrible darkness. At the time of the fall council of 1915 a very important action was taken by the General and North American Division Conferences in regard to foreign literature. It was unanimously recommended that steps be taken, as soon as demands should warrant, to issue regular periodicals in the Russian, Serbian, Hungarian, Polish, Bohemian, Italian, French, Yiddish, Bulgarian, and other languages. A substantial beginning has already been made, as eight-page monthly papers, containing Sabbath school lessons, have been started in the Russian, Italian, Bohemian, Serbian, and Roumanian tongues; also thirty-two-page magazines appear regularly every quarter in the Italian and Bohemian; and these will be followed by others.
During the year 1915, our 160 foreign workers reported 1,025 new members, with sixteen new churches organized. One of these is an Icelandic church, at Winnipeg, Canada. The membership of our Italian church in Chicago has been increased to forty. Other churches, such as the Bohemian-Slavic in New Jersey, the Russian in North Dakota, the Roumanian in Ohio, the Serbian-Roumanian in Canada and in Missouri, have also made some encouraging progress. Our work among the Jews has also met with good success.
Another important step in the advancement of our foreign work at home is the establishing of the International Branch of the Pacific Press Publishing Association near Chicago, Ill. It is our belief that this removal will mark an important epoch in the rapid extension of the message to all these nationalities in this country.

Individual Effort

However, these periodicals mentioned cannot circulate themselves. Their circulation depends upon the effort and interest of somebody. While, of course, our foreign believers will do all in their power to circulate these truth-filled papers among those speaking their respective languages, we believe that every true Christian man or woman, whether foreign or native, should be an active home foreign missionary. Do not think that your duties are done when you have attended a missionary meeting, made your offering to the regular mission funds, or perhaps offered a prayer for the missionaries. This in itself is good, but there is another thing which is of greater importance, and that is that you yourself be a home foreign missionary.
To illustrate, we shall briefly mention the experience of a Christian woman in one of our large cities. She felt that she ought to do something to improve the religious condition of the foreign people in her neighborhood. She was as busy as other women, with her home and her children, but she managed to give a little time to this service. She began visiting the foreign districts of the city, and first selected the Italian. On her visits she took with her some small delicacies, flowers, etc., for sick mothers and children, and she also secured work for some of the unemployed men. Gradually she won the confidence and love of these people whose language she could not speak.
Having no religious books, tracts, or papers in the Italian language, she always took with her some Bibles and Testaments in the tongue of the people, and distributed them as she had opportunity. She always had a smile and a word of cheer for each. She also secured some young women helpers in her own church, who were glad to assist her in her work of visiting, and finally she got her pastor deeply interested. By his aid and the help of an Italian teacher she soon managed to open a Sabbath school for children, and in less than a year a prosperous mission was in operation. It grew rapidly, and is today a gospel center in an Italian colony.
This is one Christian woman's work for alien women, in the form of personal missionary effort. This same work is possible not to one only, but to hundreds and thousands of men and women in our churches throughout the land. The home is the point of approach, and a Christian man or woman has the key to unlock the door.
Will not some one who reads these lines, and who feels a burden for the salvation of these “strangers within our gates,” follow this noble woman's example, and be an ambassador for Christ?
STEEN RASMUSSEN.
Continue reading: Home Missionary Work in the Regions Beyond