The Council of the North American Division Conference
By G. B. Thompson
No question which has come before the council, created greater interest than that of pushing the evangelistic work in the Division Conference by raising up and establishing churches and companies everywhere. The burden of bringing souls to Christ is resting upon the assembled servants of the Lord, and we believe that we are on the verge of the greatest soul-winning campaign which we have ever seen in this land, and that thousands will be brought into the truth. This is the keynote of the council. Brethren L. R. Conradi, W. J. Fitzgerald, and R. C. Porter stated that the strong campaign being organized in this country to raise up churches and bring men to Christ was having an uplifting influence in other lands. The following-named brethren were appointed a committee to bring recommendations before the council on this question: R. D. Quinn (chairman), A. R. Ogden, B. E. Miller, E. K. Slade, A. J. Clark, W. A. Westworth, C. S. Longacre, B. W. Brown, H. M. J. Richards, W. H. Branson, John Isaac, C. A. Burman, G. F. Enoch, W. J. Fitzgerald, A. J. Haysmer, J. E. Fulton, P. A. Hanson, F. W. Paap, G. B. Starr, R. E. Harter, E. T. Russell.
M. E. Kern, secretary of the Missionary Volunteer Department, gave a most interesting report showing the results achieved by the department in behalf of our young people. God has surely been blessing this work in a special way. Most encouraging growth in various lines is seen. We reproduce here the following from the report:—
Report of the Missionary Volunteer Department
Without giving full statistics, the growth of the North American Division is shown by the following comparative statement:— Largest number of societies reporting in this territory before the organization of the Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,768
Offerings to foreign missions (in one quarter) . . . . . . . . . . $1,217.93
Offerings to home missions (in one quarter) . . . . . . . . . . $1,513.41
Largest number of societies reporting since the organization of the Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684
Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,618
Offerings to foreign missions (in one quarter) . . . . . . . . . . $4,401.85
Offerings to home missions (in one quarter) . . . . . . . . . . $2,234.98
The following table gives a few of the items of our report during the two years—July 1, 1913, to June 30, 1915—since the organization of the Division:—
Missionary visits . . . . . . . . . . . 265,890
Periodicals sold and given away . . . 1,289,119
Tracts sold and given away . . . . . . 1,441,027
Offerings for foreign missions . . . $34,025.55
Offerings for home missions . . . . $15,151.65
Conversions of young people reported . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,157
Reading Course certificates issued . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,547
Standard of Attainment certificates issued . . . . . . . . . 1,380
At the time of the last General Conference, Miss Erickson conceived the idea of a Missionary Volunteer goal. Accordingly one was set for 1914. That God has blessed our efforts is shown by these figures:—
AIM RESULTS
Young people converted 1,500 1,766
S. of A. certificates . . . . . . . . . 500 676
R. C. certificates . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 1,913
Money for missions . . $25,000 $19,289.77
Each point was passed except the financial goal, and there is no doubt that our young people gave more than $25,000 to missions last year, but some confusion in the matter of reports prevented a proper showing.
An Educational and Missionary Volunteer Council was held at St. Helena last June, with a limited delegation representing every union conference in the Division, except one. This was the first general Missionary Volunteer meeting (except department meetings at General Conferences) since the Mount Vernon convention in 1907. The Lord greatly blessed this meeting. The keynote of the council was, “Deeper Consecration and Greater Efficiency,” and there was not a discordant note during the ten days we were together.
This council passed several important resolutions, which appear in the report of the council, and ought to be studied by all of us.
Our great perplexity, now as ever, is the problem of leadership. The last General Conference, among other resolutions, passed the following:—
“Resolved, (a) That our conference officers and school faculties encourage promising young people to prepare for this line of the Lord’s work. . . .
“(d) That all conferences make a special effort to build up this department of their work by a careful selection of secretaries, in counsel with the union and General Conference Missionary Volunteer Departments, and by having secretaries who have been reasonably successful remain in office long enough to enable them to build up a strong work.”
And still the procession of secretaries passes along. The Year Book is out of date before it is off the press. This is partly due to the lack of well-qualified leaders, perhaps; but I think the failure is largely due to the fact that many conferences do not recognize the importance of continuity in this work. It is true, we have few well-trained secretaries. This work is new, and we must train them in the field. How important, then, that one who gives ordinary promise of success should be retained in the office long enough to get a training and make a success of the work. It seems to me that this question of leadership is one of the greatest questions confronting us today in all departments, and especially in the Missionary Volunteer Department.
In many cases the leadership of this department is merely nominal. A Missionary Volunteer secretary who is also secretary of the conference and the tract society, as well as Sabbath school secretary,—or, I should say, a conference and tract society secretary who is Sabbath school and lastly Missionary Volunteer secretary,—writes: “We need help, and we need it badly. This department is not so well established as the Sabbath school work, and so needs some one to be going out among the churches and building it up. I hope help will soon come.”
Personally, I believe that the plan which some conferences have of choosing the Missionary Volunteer secretary by appointment rather than by election, makes for inefficiency. Under these conditions, it is most easy to let the matter pass by until after the camp meeting. The secretary should be elected early in the meeting, that he may make the camp meeting the basis of his year’s work. I do not believe that those who are appointed feel the same responsibility to the people which they otherwise would feel, or that their office has the stability which it should have.
But the first requisite is efficient leaders who have time to lead. We have been told that to deal with youthful minds is the nicest work ever assumed by human beings. We are wont to apply this to the work of the teacher in our schools, but it is as applicable to that of the field secretary. If it is a nice and delicate work to train and develop youthful minds in the school, surrounded by the school atmosphere and almost entirely under the guidance of a strong school faculty, how much more is it a delicate work to exert a strong influence on those in the unstable period of youth, surrounded by worldly influences, and to lead them to Christ and into a place in our work. I believe a man should have a calling, and should follow it until he learns how to make a success of it. We ought to choose for this nicest of all work those who have a special fitness for it. It is a strenuous and delicate work—reaching the young people where they are.
And I want to tell you, my dear brethren, that it is before our schools have a chance to influence our young people, that we lose them. At the Panama Pacific Exposition I noticed a demonstration of an orange sorter. The oranges came rolling down a trough, which gradually widened at the bottom, so that the small ones dropped out into a box, the next larger into the next box, and so on. How many thousands of our young people have dropped out of sight before the school had any chance to influence them!
With all our educational efforts we are reaching only about half our young people. There are many thousands of them who have dropped out before our school system had any chance to influence their lives for God and eternity. It is for this half that I plead.9It is the work of the Missionary Volunteer Department to lay hold of these young people where they are, fix their attention upon the things of God, and direct their minds to a preparation for the Lord’s work. For this work we need the strongest young men that our colleges can give us,—educated and refined young men, evangelists, with the ability to organize and educate,—and it is a short-sighted policy which does not demand and secure them.
In closing, I must say that our courage is good. “The prospects are as bright as the promises of God,” and we look for the day of preparedness speedily to come when we shall have a well-trained army of Missionary Volunteers ready to move at a moment’s notice.
Report of the Home Missionary Department
The Home Missionary Department, though organized since the last General Conference, is showing encouraging progress. From the interesting report of F. W. Paap, the secretary, we glean the following:—
In all sections of the field there is manifest a deepening interest in this department of our work. We surely have reached the time of a great awakening.
In the following extracts from the Testimonies is set forth our responsibilities and the importance of this home missionary work:—
“The leaders in God’s cause, as wise generals, are to lay plans for advance moves all along the line. In their planning they are to give special study to the work that can be done by the laity for their friends and neighbors. The work of God in this earth can never be finished until the men and women comprising our church membership rally to the work and unite their efforts with those of ministers and church officers. . . . There should be a well-organized plan for the employment of workers to go into all our churches, large and small, to instruct the members how to labor for the upbuilding of the church, and also for unbelievers. It is training, education, that is needed. Those who labor in visiting the churches should give the brethren and sisters instruction in practical methods of doing missionary work.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. IX, pages 116, 117.
“If the families around you are opposed to the truth, strive to lead them to yield to the claims of Christ. Work patiently, wisely, considerately, winning your way by the tender ministry of love. Present the truth in such a way that it will be seen in all its beauty, exerting an influence that cannot be resisted. Thus the walls of prejudice will be broken down.”—Id., Vol. VII, page 11.
Throughout the field there is manifest a spirit of earnest cooperation. From nearly every conference in the Division we have had urgent invitations to come and join the leaders in organizing the churches for more active and aggressive missionary work. This attitude has been most helpful, and has assisted very materially in bringing about a changed condition. We see omens of a better day. Already several union conferences have appointed home missionary secretaries, who are devoting all their time to this work. This is also true in a number of local conferences. We shall welcome the day when this will be universally true.
Our ideal is far from being realized. While there are thousands of our church members at work doing what they can to win the lost, there are many thousands more who are doing comparatively nothing. We feel that we cannot rest until we have the entire church devising ways and means and executing their plans, whereby high and low, rich and poor, may hear the message of truth. Under no circumstances are we to be negligent. We are to labor for souls though we may regard them as unpromising.
The department has sought in every way possible to encourage and instruct our people how to do service for God. From the Word of God and from the Testimonies of his Spirit, much has been presented to show the need and importance of our doing personal work for those around us. Some can work in one way, some in another; but there is something for every one to do. We are told by the servant of the Lord that “if we are not active in the service of Christ, we are ranking with those who are in positive hostility against him; for we are in the position of stumblingblocks.”—An Appeal, page 30.
The sick and suffering are to be visited, and a kindly interest shown in them. Through this tender ministry their hearts will be softened and their souls won to the truth. We little realize the value of the opportunities afforded us every day of doing work for God. It is the plan of the department to encourage our dear people everywhere to make more of these opportunities. It is our constant endeavor to lead our people to know that a Christlike life is the most powerful argument that can be advanced in favor of Christianity. One writer has said, “Not all the books written can serve the purpose of a holy life.”
It is the duty of the church to demonstrate the power of Christian religion. When our people everywhere can be led to see this, these opportunities that come without number will be used to give the message in all the various ways represented in the activities of the department.
Several special campaigns have been launched, with fairly good results. The Signs weekly—a real soul winner—has received considerable attention, and an effort is being made through this department to place the REVIEW AND HERALD in every Sabbath-keeping family.
These and many other lines of work have been fostered by personal effort—correspondence as well as through the columns of our church, union, and local conference papers.
Fully two thirds of your secretary’s time has been spent in the field, as well as quite a little by your assistant secretary, Miss E. M. Graham, who is also secretary of the General Conference Home Missionary Department. In this way we have come in direct touch with the larger portion of the field. Three general home missionary conventions have been held,—one at Nashville, one at Takoma Park, and one at Mountain View. These were held in connection with the bookmen’s conventions, with good results. In many of the local conferences and churches, home missionary conventions have been held with very encouraging results.
The report from our field for the first quarter of 1915 shows a splendid gain in every line of missionary endeavor: 73,605 members; 11,278 reporting; 26,488 letters written; 11,717 letters received; 69,868 missionary visits; 24,188 Bible readings and cottage meetings held; 6,032 subscriptions taken for periodicals; 113,717 papers sold; 642,758 papers mailed; 22,413 papers lent or given away; 21,645 books lent or given away; 32,712 tracts sold; 500,077 tracts lent or given away; 57,753 hours of Christian Help work; 25,531 articles of clothing given away; 21,418 meals provided; 6,052 treatments given; 850 signatures secured to temperance pledge; $5,446.17 offerings for home missionary work; 911 conversions.
If 11,278 believers can through their efforts bring a saving knowledge of this blessed gospel message to 911 persons in three months, they could bring the light to 3,644 in twelve months; and if 11,278 could lead 3,644 to Christ in twelve months, 73,605 working as faithfully and earnestly, could win 23,686 for Christ in twelve months. Shall we not lay plans for advance moves all along the line? With a better organization in the union and local conferences and with efficient leadership throughout the entire field, we believe we shall see results of the greatest magnitude.
Recommendations of the Committee on Plans
The following recommendations of general interest have been passed:—
“SIGNS” WEEKLY
The question as to whether the weekly Signs shall continue its present size, or be reduced in size and price, was considered, and it was—
Voted, That we favor the Signs’ retaining its present size and price, and that it do not carry advertising matter.
UNION AND LOCAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS
We recommend,—
That the union conferences hold their sessions every four years, beginning with the present autumn and winter of 1915 and 1916, thus fixing the time midway between the quadrennial sessions of the North American Division Conference.
That the local conferences be held every two years, beginning with the year 1916.
SABBATH SCHOOL WORK
Whereas, The second million dollars to missions was given by our Sabbath schools in a little less than three years and one quarter; and,—
Whereas, The speedy finishing of the Lord’s work in the earth requires more liberal giving; therefore,—
We recommend, That the new Sabbath school financial goal be, “The third million dollars to missions by the close of 1916.” (It is understood that this gives a period of a little less than two years for the raising of the third million dollars.)
That the Sabbath School Department be authorized to prepare a Sabbath school manual dealing with all phases of this part of the work.
EDUCATIONAL WORK
Whereas, There is need of broadening our educational work and extending it into the homes, giving such instruction10as will create a deeper interest in child welfare, and a greater appreciation of the importance of Christian education, and an atmosphere of Christian home culture and refinement; therefore,—
We recommend, That the Department of Education and the Missionary Volunteer Department of the Division Conference take steps to create such a general educative movement throughout our churches and homes, bringing out as rapidly as consistent a number of small leaflets emphasizing the importance of Christian education, home culture, and reading, in an inexpensive form, for general circulation.
MEDICAL
Whereas, We should put forth additional efforts to develop interest on the part of our churches in the fundamental principles and unfolding light pertaining to healthful living, and also seek a closer sympathy and cooperation on the part of our people in medical missionary work, as represented by our health institutions, be it—
Resolved, That the first Sabbath in April be designated as Health and Temperance Day, and that a suitable program be arranged by the Medical Department for use on that date; further,—
That a collection be taken on this day for the needy sick, the same to be held and dispersed by the local conference as a relief fund for such as the family or local church are unable to care for; further,—
That such needy sick as are supported by church funds and as are recommended by our conference officers, be cared for by our sanitariums at the uniform rate of seven dollars a week, which shall cover board, room, treatment, and medical attention, with special nursing at cost, and a nominal fee of ten dollars where surgery is required.
That the domestic labor required in the nurses’ training course shall not occupy more than six months of the regular training period.
That a careful survey be made of the training schools for nurses now being conducted in connection with our sanitariums, with a view of determining the qualification of applicants accepted, the extent of the faculty, the facilities provided, and the nature of the curriculum, both theoretical and practical; and that a report be rendered to the spring convention with a view of unifying the work of these schools.
Whereas, There is need of greater uniformity and closer cooperation between our medical institutions in order to obtain greater efficiency and more economical management; and,—
Whereas, This last year three local medical conventions were held, from which recommendations were referred to, and committees appointed to report to, a later general convention, where final consideration could be given to effecting definite plans for this department of our work, we recommend,—
That such medical convention be called in the spring of 1916, time and place to be designated by the North American Division Conference Committee, said convention to be attended by the medical superintendents and business managers of all our sanitariums, together with the officers of the North American Division Conference, and such members of its committee as may arrange to attend.
G. B. THOMPSON, Secretary,North American Division Conference.
The Great Wide Sea
By J. S. WASHBURN
J. S. WASHBURN
In that glorious nature psalm, the one hundred and fourth, where the footsteps of the eternal Creator are traced in all his works, are these impressive words:—
“O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.”
The sun arises out of the waters, gleams on the crest of the waves, and sinks down at evening into the depths. Solemn night settles somber and dark on the lonely waste of waters. Thus day follows night, and night succeeds day. Though rushing with railway speed over the sea day after day, yet no land, no limit, appears to our sight. Truly the sea is “great and wide,” apparently boundless, fathomless, fit symbol of eternity and of the infinite love and power of God.
“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters: these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” Ps. 107: 23-31.
How Mighty the Sea!
How frail the strongest ship that man has ever built! Wintry night has brought from the arctic northwest an icy blast laden with sleet and snow. Westward bound, the great “Oceanic” struggles with the terrible head wind. How she trembles and reels under the terrific blows of the mountainous billows! Now tossed high on the crest of the sea, while waves thunder and winds roar and shriek, the ship, with constant creaking and strain, trembles for a moment, then plunges with quiver and convulsive groan down into the depths.
How frail is man and his greatest work in the mighty grip of the great sea! Yet the eternal God holds all the sea depths in the hollow of his hand.
“The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.” Ps. 93: 3, 4.
He calms its furious ragings with a word of command, as a mother hushes her restless child. “Peace, be still;” and the billows sleep placid and mild. He sets bounds to the sea, and stays her proud waves.
How the raging waves, foaming, picture to us the wicked, who cannot rest, but ever foam out their own sin and shame. And yet how the unfailing flow, the endless resources of the sea, are used by the Lord to illustrate the boundless stores of his righteousness, sufficient for every need, the mighty depths of his judgment.
How Beautiful the Sea!
The silvery moonlight glistens on the peaceful waters, and lo, as I gaze, the very heaven of beauty looks up from the deep. Wondrous mirror of the bright hosts of stars and all God’s glory shining from on high! The bright sunshine lights up a living country full of moving mountains with gleaming snow peaks, which curl and fall with feathery lightness, while in the spray for a moment shines out a lovely rainbow, lost in an instant, to reappear and vanish again. What ceaseless, endless change of scenery!11
How Wonderful the Sea!
For ages this mighty reservoir of a world’s life has tossed its waves incessantly; rolled its mysterious tides regularly, daily, up and down every shore; sent its deep, strange undercurrents (rivers in the sea) to many lands, laden with heat and moisture; and received all the rivers of the world, yet is never full. Constantly, in answer to the sun ray’s call, it sends up its moisture, to be given in rain and dew o’er all the dry land. How generously does the sea bestow life upon all the earth!
How Terrible the Sea!
Not only life, but grim death is there. Into its awful depths, mighty navies, merchant ships, the wealth of ages, have gone down forever. How many are sleeping the last long sleep, deep in its caverns! How cruel, how relentless, the sea! With shuddering I gaze into its depths. What tales of anguish unspeakable, of grave, sad, last good-bys, might these waves reveal!
But, oh! we may patiently wait till at Christ’s words of life the sea shall give up her dead, and, all her terrible secrets revealed, her mysteries disclosed, the faithful sleepers awake to stand triumphant, with harps of gold, on the crystal sea, the sea of life, before the throne of God.
Philadelphia.
Rest
By ELIZA H. MORTON
ELIZA H. MORTON
An artist sought upon his canvas broad
To paint a thought of rest. He sketched
a lake —
A still, lone lake, afar among the hills.
He made the water fast asleep, and all
Around as though it were the grave;
as if
Stagnation on the face of nature sat.
'Twas rest, but not the rest in life we
need.
Another painter took his brush, and flung
Upon his canvas water thundering down
A precipice; and o'er the waterfall
He sketched a tree, bending out o'er the
foam;
Within the fork of that frail tree he
placed
A robin in a nest, and one could hear,
Almost, its song of trust. Aye, that was
rest.
'Mid dangers all around, the bird has
wings.
And so have we, if we but trust in One
Who has the power to keep our minds in
peace —
The One, the only One, to give us rest.
“Have Faith in God”
By F. A. ZAPPE
F. A. ZAPPE
“Ask, and ye shall receive.” “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.” “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
To those who will comply with the simple conditions of receiving, this promise is made. The One who is mighty to save from sin and sinning has pledged his word, and it cannot fail. It is easier for heaven and earth to pass than for one tittle of his promise to fail. The Lord has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” If we come with true contrition of heart, we need not feel that we are presumptuous in asking for things which our Lord has promised to give to those who ask in faith. When we ask in faith for the blessings we need, that we may gain a complete victory over sin and perfect a character after Christ’s likeness, the Lord assures us that we are asking according to a promise that will be verified.
Jesus earnestly desires us to appreciate the mercy and loving-kindness of God. As an illustration of our need and of our Father’s willingness to give, he presents before us a hungry child asking earthly parents for food. “What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” No earthly parent with his heart full of parental affection, would refuse to give food to his child who is hungry and asking for bread. Will God do less for his child than we do for our own children who ask for the necessities of life?—No. Why, then, distrust and dishonor God by imagining that he will not respond to our appeals for help? Our heavenly Parent does not tantalize his child by raising his expectations only to disappoint him. He does not promise to us good and life-giving food, and then hand us a stone.
True, it is possible for our earthly parents to turn away their hungry children, but remember our Father above can never reject that prayer of faith which comes from the needy and longing heart. Does the way seem dark and discouraging? Does it seem as if the Lord has forsaken you? Hear the message that comes from the Father’s heart of love: “Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.”
“No grief can touch us but it touches him;
With closest pang it wounds the heart divine;
The pruner’s knife, that cuts the branching limb,
Touches with living pain the living Vine.
“Closer than mother’s love for her babe sweet,
Closer than lover’s love for one held dear,
Closer than friend’s or brother’s,—more complete,—
Is Christ’s love for his lonely followers here.”
Seeing that he is faithful and of great compassion who has promised, “Ask, and ye shall receive,” let us come before him as a little hungry child comes to its parents, and “ask in faith, nothing wavering,” believing that the Lord will do exactly as he has promised. Let us forever stop our doubting, and come boldly unto the throne of grace, unto him that giveth liberally and unbraideth not, and find grace to help in time of need. “For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.”
Faith in God is our only shield. This is the only thing that can lead us out of this wilderness of sin and give us the complete victory. The prayer of faith is the only prayer that receives a reply from the throne of God. The petition of faith is the only key that can be used in unlocking that great storehouse wherein are stored the boundless resources of our omnipotent Helper. Our Father longs to bestow his rich blessing upon his hungry and waiting children. Shall we comply with the conditions of receiving? “The gifts of him who has all power in heaven and earth are in store for the children of God. Gifts so precious that they come to us through the costly sacrifice of the Redeemer’s blood, gifts that will satisfy the deepest craving of the heart, gifts lasting as eternity, will be received and enjoyed by all who will come to God as little children. Take God’s promises as your own, plead them before him as his own words, and you will receive fullness of joy.”
Philbrook, Minn.
“Now I Know That Thou Fearest God”
By D. H. KRESS
D. H. KRESS
HEROES are not made on the field of battle nor in a time of crisis; they are merely then made manifest.
The tares and the wheat grow together until the harvest. The time comes when all can discern between the wheat and the tares.
In the church both the evil and the good are planted. It is often difficult to distinguish between them; but the peculiar tests that are permitted to come to the church, will enable the universe, angels, and men to discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that has not served him. God imparts to us means, then permits us to be brought face to face with difficulties in connection with his work. He permits his institutions to get into financial embarrassment, then he says to each member of the church, “Lovest thou me?” Here an opportunity is given for all to manifest their love. The true disciple cannot endure to see God’s cause or its institutions or its agencies naked or hungry, while he is clothed and fed. I was naked, the Saviour says, and ye clothed me; I was hungry, and ye fed me.
The service of God demands sacrifice. God called Abraham to offer up Isaac, the one in whom all the promises centered. Here was a test. The words were whispered to Abraham, Lovest thou me? Abraham made the offering, he gave all; then the angel of the Lord appeared and said, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” Then the angel of the Lord said, “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, . . . and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”
God’s blessing today will rest upon those who will demonstrate before the universe, before angels and men, that they love God better than all else. The time has come, it seems to me, when all should be laid on the altar, the time when we should “bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.” Why is it necessary to bind it?—Because at the very time when it is most needed, we may be tempted to withdraw it. We may be tempted to erect commodious12dwellings or make promising worldly investments. But this is a delusion; the time is coming when no further need will exist for money. Many will then offer their means to the Lord’s cause, but it will be too late. Now is the time to heed the admonition, “Sell that ye have, and give alms.”
Can we not in some way wipe out our entire indebtedness speedily, and thus remove a reproach from God’s cause and give our institutions a chance to live? Young men and young women should be in training, should be receiving an education, to take part in this closing work. Shall we not encourage these young people, even at a great sacrifice on our part, to qualify themselves for usefulness? We shall be in need of church-school teachers, tract and missionary society workers, bookkeepers, nurses, doctors, workers for our health restaurants and treatment rooms, canvassers, etc. There is a place for every young man and young woman who desires to have a part in the work. God has established educational institutions among us where young men and young women may receive the help they need to fit them for usefulness.
We are living in the time, as it were, of the eleventh-hour call. There can be no excuse now for any one’s saying, There is nothing to do, no one has hired me. God calls all to go into active service or into preparation for such service, and says, “Whatsoever is right I will give you.” God has need of young men and young women. Like Abraham, fathers and mothers may be called upon to make a sacrifice of their only child. But we cannot afford to withhold from God his own.