“The call of the hour is answered by the coming of the man.”—“Testimonies for the Church,Vol. VI, page 332.”
The call of the hour! What is it? How and by whom is that call answered?
The call of the hour is this: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” The answer to that call is: “Here am I; send me.”
The crisis of the ages is upon us. The only means in all the universe that can possibly prepare men to meet that crisis is God’s eternal truth. “His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
That truth which is the light and hope of the world comes from but one source—“the Father of lights.” “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
To every one into whose heart God has caused His light to shine, the call is given: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come.” To all who “were sometimes darkness, but now are . . . light in the Lord,” having been “called . . . out of darkness into His marvelous light,” the trumpet call sounds: “Ye are the light of the world;” “Go ye into all the world;” “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see,” and be turned “from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.”
This is the call of the hour, and this call can be answered in one way only,—“by the coming of the man,”—by those who have received this light, coming forward with the hearty, cheerful, sincere response, “Here am I; send me.”
Brethren, this call should be answered by us, and that without delay. We are living on “borrowed” time. The message comes to us, declaring that had we done our duty, had we answered the call of the hour as we should, the crisis would have been met and the controversy ended before this. Years ago the Lord sent His servants to the world with the message: “Come; for all things are now ready.” “The hour of His judgment is come.”
By half-heartedness, the very people who have received such great light, and on whom have been laid such tremendous responsibilities, have hindered the work of God, and delayed the coming of Jesus to bring the consummation of all things. But, thank God, this condition of things cannot continue forever. God has decreed that the reign of sin shall be broken. The cursed thing shall be brought to an end, and entirely and forever blotted from this fair universe. And although because of the hardness of our hearts, and the long-suffering of God, this work has been delayed, the cheering message comes, “There shall be delay no longer;” for “thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.”
It is said that on one occasion Napoleon appeared before an army of seven thousand men, and called for seven hundred to step forward who would follow him in a perilous charge on the enemy. In an instant, the whole army of seven thousand stepped forward, as one man.
Brethren, the call of the hour that comes from our great General is not to a part of His army, but to every one in His ranks. The call is for the very best service it is possible for every one to render. The call is for a stronger, more intelligent, and more efficient ministry. The call is for a far larger and much more capable and successful army of Bible workers and canvassers. The call is for the consecrated service of men endowed with business talents. The call is for earnest, well-informed, converted teachers, to aid in giving the children and youth of this people a Christian education. The call is for true, pure-hearted, unselfish physicians and nurses to minister to a sick, dying world. The call is for the cheerful, honest return to God of tithes and offerings from the gifts of His love bestowed upon us.
This is the call. And this call can only be answered by the coming of the man.
Brother, will you answer this call from your great Leader? As you ponder this question, remember that the call is not for men only, that it is not for numbers. The world is full of men. The call is for new men, clean men, earnest men, persevering men; for men who know nothing about failure; for men whose vocabulary excludes the word “can’t;” for men who would prefer death to defeat; for men who will resolutely press the battle against all obstacles to the very gates of the enemy.
Brother, the call of the hour is for this kind of men; no others need apply. A clear understanding of this point will clear up what is a great mystery to a class of people who cannot understand why they are not eagerly laid hold of when there is such pressing demand for hundreds of workers. The trouble with so many is that they are not workers. I do not mean that they are altogether inactive. They may keep up sufficient motion. But the call of the hour is for something more than motion. A wave of the sea keeps up motion, but it never gets anywhere. It rises and falls, it advances and recedes, and there it is, just where it started. The call of the hour is for good, common-sense, sanctified, earnest work; and this pertains to personal development and preparation for service, as well as to busy activity in the varied lines of work. Brother, ponder the following statements from the Spirit of Prophecy:—
“The ministry is no place for idlers. God’s servants are to make full proof of their ministry.” “The Lord has need of men of intense spiritual life.” “Anything less than active, earnest service for the Master gives the lie to our profession of faith.” “We are doing a work in the world, but we are not showing sufficient activity and zeal. If we were more in earnest, men would be convinced of the truth of our message. The tameness and monotony of our service for God repels many souls of a higher class, who need to see a deep, earnest, sanctified zeal. Legal religion will not answer for this age. We may perform all the outward acts of service, and yet be as destitute of the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit as the hills of Gilboa were destitute of dew and rain.”
“Those in the service of God must show animation and determination in the work of winning souls.” “If those now entering the field as laborers feel that they may relax their efforts, that, self-denial and strict economy, not only of means but of time, are not now essential, the work will retrograde. The workers at the present time should have the same degree of piety, energy, and perseverance that the leaders had.” “Without this spirit, the laborer will only mar and deface the cause of God. The work is really retrograding instead of advancing as God designs it should. Our present numbers and the extent of our work are [should not be] not to be compared with what they were in the beginning. We should consider what might have been done had every worker consecrated himself, in soul, body, and spirit, to God as he should have done.”
This is the call of the hour, and the call is answered by the coming of the man of this kind. Thousands of such men are wanted at once. Who, in the ranks of our great Leader, will answer this call now by a full surrender of all the talents of mind, body, and money, which that Leader has intrusted to him? Let every one step forward.
A. G. DANIELLS.
Removing Stumbling-Blocks to Prepare the Way
Now is the time to “prepare the way of the Lord,” and one essential part of this preparation is to remove the stumbling-blocks. Everywhere there are a great many of these that ought to be taken out of the way.
THE WEEK OF PRAYER.
By L. A. S.
THE Week of Prayer is not a lenten season, during which we are to try to be good enough and earnest enough in the work of God to balance up our lack of piety and earnestness during the preceding portion of the year. Any such conception as this is pure paganism.
Nor is the Week of Prayer a season set apart for the purpose of attracting the attention of God, and persuading Him to act in our behalf by exerting ourselves to an unusual degree in prayer-making and outward acts of devotion. This conception also is purely pagan.
God is not moved by our arguments, nor is His ear gained by our much speaking. It is not His part to be moved toward us; it is we who need to be moved toward Him. “God is love;” He was love from the first, and always will be love, and His attitude toward the human family has ever been that of infinite love; but we need more and more to become partakers of His nature, and to assume an attitude of greater love toward Him and His sacred cause. We should make a special effort to this end during this special prayer season.
God has rightly related himself to us, but we have not rightly related ourselves to Him. There is no good reason why this should be so. God desires and asks that this condition of things be changed, and that without delay. The Week of Prayer is a season when those who appreciate the importance of their privilege and duty in this respect will make most earnest efforts so to relate themselves to God that they will become unobstructed channels of His power and grace.
The Week of Prayer is not a mere elevation in our spiritual life, up which we are to mount for a few days, and then descend to our former level; but it is a stepping-stone to higher ground in Christian experience and service. The Christian pathway leads ever upward to higher ground. We may fail to realize this truth, but it is so. We may not see this higher ground, but it is there. We may see some around us who are on higher ground than we, but the higher ground to which God calls us stretches far up beyond their feet. On the heights we see “the man Christ Jesus;” to Him alone we must look to know the truth.
The apostle Paul did not count himself “to have apprehended,” but he pressed “toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3: 13, 14.
The prayer that is offered in the courts above for God’s Church on the earth is, “That ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness;” “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places;” “that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Such is “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” to us, now, during this Week of Prayer. He has not planned that there shall be any delay in filling us with His fullness. There will be no delay if we do not hinder Him. God does not ask us to accomplish all this, or any part of it; He only asks that we shall no longer hinder the doing of it by himself. And He is able to do for us “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” How wide shall we open the door of the heart to Him on this occasion? How large an inlet, and outlet as well, shall we provide for His fullness?
L. A. S.
A GENUINE REVIVAL.
By W. W. Prescott
It seems fitting that our minds should be directed to the meaning of this call to prayer. It is not simply to stir the emotions for a few days; it is not simply that there may be a brief rousing up of the spiritual life; a call to a revival, a call to a united seeking of God at this time, has, or ought to have, a meaning to this people that the very same call might not have to any other people.
On what basis and for what purpose shall we ask for special gifts from heaven at this time?—Not simply to satisfy our own longings—although it is God’s purpose that our longings shall be satisfied; not simply to gratify our own feelings—although when we do seek for His blessing on the right basis, it will gratify the highest and best feelings of which we are capable; but there should be one very definite purpose when we ask God for great things; and that is that His purpose and His will, His desire concerning us and His work, may be met at this time; that is, if the fact that here is a separate people called out from the world has any meaning whatever, it means that God purposes to accomplish a special work now, and that He has raised up an instrumentality for that purpose.
Every other thought ought to be swallowed up in this one united aim, that the work for which this people was raised up may be carried forward to completion, and that there may be a union of heart and soul, a union of desire, and a union of effort.
Power is needed for work; blessing is needed that something may be done; the gospel of the kingdom, the gospel of the soon coming of our Lord, must go quickly to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, with a convincing and converting power.
For this, and in view of this, this whole people need a great revival, a great quickening, a power that shall give promise that the work committed to us shall be done, and shall be done quickly.
Let us ask what is involved in the idea of a revival. That which rests merely upon a little emotion will quickly pass away; when the feelings merely are stirred, they are soon quieted; and that is especially so in this time; for if there ever was a time when every influence tended to lull to sleep every spiritual aspiration, it is this very time. It seems as though the very atmosphere was charged with that which deadens all spiritual life. There must be a change; there must be a mighty awakening, if we are to have a well-grounded hope that the work which God has to be done in this generation is to be accomplished.
Read the scripture in Isa. 57:15: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
To revive is to give new life, to make to live again. What causes a revival?—It is the indwelling presence of Him who is the life. That is the only thing that can cause a revival. There may be stirring, there may be outward activity, there may be the appearances of something done; but the only thing that can really cause a revival—that is, a living again, a new measure of life—is the giving of life. And so if we genuinely desire a revival, we must seek for a new measure of life, a new giving of life. He is the life; He is the fountain of life. When there is a new gift of life, there is a larger measure of His presence, and His presence is by the Spirit. The giving of His presence is the giving of the Spirit; that is, the giving of His life. When we ask for a revival, a real spiritual awakening, it is asking for the gift of the Spirit, the Spirit of life. It is seeking for the outpouring of that vivifying power, never to be separated from His own personal presence, and that must be within.
This experience of spiritual life is a real experience. There is something definite about it. It is a power that dwells in one. It is bringing one into fellowship with the eternal life and the eternal power. It is not making one in himself a source of power; but it is putting him in touch with all power. It is bringing him into the current of life-giving power, so that power may be revealed in him and through him—not his own power, but the power that is the gift of God by the gift of His own life. So, then, an effort for a revival is the definite experience836of opening the way, removing hindrances, letting the chambers of the soul be open to life and true blessing, and then submitting the will to God’s will, that He may be glorified in imparting a new measure of life, and that for service.
It seems to me that the ninth chapter of the book of Ezra sets before us a picture which has in it a very emphatic lesson for us at this time. Remember that at that time the people of God had been called up out of captivity for one definite purpose, and that was that they might go up and restore and rebuild Jerusalem, that the city of God, the sanctuary of God, the service of God, might be restored, and that God’s people might take their place again as His own people, separate from the heathen. God gave them favor for that purpose; His blessing was upon them for that purpose. There was something to be done, and they were called out for the doing of that thing. And all the favor that God gave them with the kings of the earth, and the blessing that He put upon them, the opening of the way, the removing of all hindrances, the holding in check of all opposing forces, was all with reference to one thing, and that was that that work which would glorify God in the restoration of His city and His people might be accomplished.
Now after they had received these favors and blessings for this work, see what happened to them: “Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands. Yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.”
God’s restoring hand had been upon the people, and they had been brought up, and He had given them favor with kings, had opened the way, had held in check opposing forces, for this one purpose, that He might again have a separate people, to accomplish His work in the restoration and the building of His city. But they went back to old habits, and mingled themselves with the people about them. When Ezra, who was a prophet of God for leading this whole people, heard that that thing had been done, he rent his clothes, and plucked out his beard, and sat down astonished,—astonished that such a thing could happen after the experience that God had given that people.
“Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice. And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God, and said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
“And now for a little space grace hath been showed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
“And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth forever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.
“And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations?”
After God has called us out, and delivered us, and set us to work, shall we again turn aside, and mingle with the people and with the customs about us? That is what delays this work; and a revival is needed,—a revival of the presence of the Spirit and power of God with reference to the restoration of God’s work in the earth, the giving of His message, the sending out of the cry, “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him;” and that not simply in word of mouth, but in the very experience of all this people.
Now there ought to be, yea, there must be, a revival,—a revival of a definite spirit, and a revival of a definite experience,—among this people. That is the thing that is needed to-day. It is because that vivid sense of the nearness of the Lord’s coming has been largely lost, and because so many are saying in their hearts, “My Lord delayeth His coming,”—that is what takes off the keen edge from this message. May God revive this definite spirit in our midst. It is what we need,—that vivid sense of the nearness of that greatest of all events in the whole history of this world, the coming of Jesus in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. That time is near. We need a definite revival by the Spirit and power of God, that we may be quickened and aroused, and furnished with the sinews for this work anew, that this message may go forth in the spirit and power of Elias, to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.
W. W. PRESCOTT.
THE WORSHIP OF GOD.
By L. A. S.
The only true view of God is obtained by faith. The Second Commandment strictly forbids making any likeness of the supreme Being whom men are to worship, and who alone is entitled to their worship; because the attempt to worship God through a man-made representation of Him would surely lower man's conception of his Creator, and so pervert man's worship, and lead to the most evil results. How much depends upon a correct conception of God in the mind of the worshiper, is demonstrated by the awful picture presented in heathen lands, where the systems of worship have led men to the lowest depths of error, sin, and degradation.
The worship of God in spirit and in truth elevates man to a higher plane of life; it brings man nearer to, and makes him in character more like, the divine Being. But this result comes only from the worship of God in truth, and the worship of God in truth means a true conception of Him on the part of the worshiper. If this is lacking, the result which follows will be just the opposite; the worshiper will not be elevated, but degraded.
But it is not enough on our part to have no graven image nor likeness of God before our faces as the medium of our worship. We must not merely look not at the forbidden image, or likeness, but we must look unto Him. This He instructs us to do. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” And how can we look unto God, “whom no man hath seen, nor can see”? Faith solves the problem. By faith we, like Moses, endure “as seeing Him who is invisible.” And “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” His word is the truth. And therefore the view of God which is obtained by faith—that is, by His word—is the true one. And seeing Him thus by faith, we can worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Let us not therefore attempt to carry on the worship of God apart from the word of God. A special season of prayer and devotion must mean, if it is understood aright, a special season of study of the Scriptures. If we are to be changed into a closer likeness to the divine Pattern, it must be by beholding Him, through the revelation of himself that He has given us.
If we would worship God in truth, we must see continually “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
L. A. S.
Editorial Notes.
By L. A. S.
SUPERSTITION is religion without faith.
AN ounce of assistance is worth a pound of criticism, and more.
TALENT and enterprise count for but little in the cause of God unless coupled with the evidence of unselfish sincerity.
THE “loud cry,” however loudly it may be sounded, will be inaudible to the one whose ear has refused to hear the “still, small voice.”
GOD is not looking to see how great a profession of faith you will make now, but to see how much evidence of your faith you will show by your works.
CHRISTIANITY is a religion which lifts man up to God; paganism is a religion which, in the minds of its adherents, degrades God to the level of fallen man. L. A. S.
Antigua, British West Indies.
By D. E. Wellman
When our rooms were ready for public services, we were perplexed to find that the people would not come, even though we had advertised. We decided to advertise still more extensively, taking up subjects of special public interest; since we have done this, we have not failed to have a full house when the weather was favorable.
Although this is a most difficult field, already we begin to see fruits of our labor, and expect an abundant harvest by and by. Four men kept last Sabbath, and another will unite with us to-morrow. Three of these are men with families. Two are shoemakers837and one a tailor, so they are quite independent. One of the other two is a bright-minded young man of real worth. I think I can persuade him to canvass later on. The fifth man is of middle age, comes from a strong Roman Catholic family; his father is a government pensioner, having been for years an officer; and several of the family are in government employ now. He attended meetings from the first, but largely to criticise, and press me with hard questions, but this was suddenly brought to an end, when he was led to study the truth.
One of the shoemakers above mentioned, came to the service for the first time. In the course of my remarks, I referred to the wording of the Fourth Commandment in support of the record in the first chapter of Genesis, making several of its statements very emphatic. That is all I said concerning the seventh day, but the word of God burned its way to his very soul, and he at once decided to obey.
Many others are convinced of duty, and we are confident that some of them will be obedient. One of these is a white man, a leading clerk in one of the stores, a man of good ability and Christian experience. He has done some public work for Christ. He is helping us all he can, being a good singer. I hold private studies with him and three other young men.
Mrs. Wellman is busy visiting the people, and holding readings with the women. One woman has kept two Sabbaths, and several are at the point of decision.
D. E. WELLMAN.
ARE WE THANKFUL?
By S. H. Lane
There is not a reader of this article but has many and urgent reasons for gratitude to God for mercies and blessings received during the past year. Many have been blessed with health and prosperity, and have enjoyed spiritual and temporal blessings to that extent that should they try to enumerate them, they would be incapable of so doing.
Are we thankful that the special truths for these last days have been pressed home upon the hearts of the people as never before, by voice, tongue, pen, and press, so much so that in our own land and in other countries new companies have been brought into the truth, new churches formed, and new Conferences organized? Through the diffusion of truth, Christ’s kingdom of grace has been strengthened and built up, and to the same degree Satan’s kingdom is endangered, hedged about, and blighted. As this deceiver sees precious souls rescued and blood-washed from sin, and cleansed by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, and as he further discerns in these once sin-darkened souls, character being reared like a mighty citadel which he himself is powerless successfully to assault and capture, he is enraged, and has come down in mighty power, knowing that he has but a short time in which to work. Are we thankful for this?
Every month out-going missionaries have embarked for remote parts of the great harvest field to gather in souls for the heavenly garner, to carry to heathen lands the message of salvation. Are you grateful for this?
Every soul born anew of the Spirit’s holy power, every evil cast down, every sermon preached, watered by the dews of divine grace, hastens the coming of the King in His beauty. He has tarried long in the distant country, and His return may be expected soon. He is watching and inspecting our work now; and when He does come, He will abundantly reward His faithful ones; and as the final result of that coming, righteousness and everlasting peace will be permanently enthroned. Let us watch for that coming as the worn, storm-beaten night sentinel watches and longs for the appearing of the morning.
Are we thankful for all these things? If so, shall we not especially manifest it by a faithful attendance at all the meetings during the Week of Prayer? Shall we not fully consecrate ourselves to God? and shall we not donate liberally to the support of the work? Are you planning for this? If you have not the ready means, will you not plan and execute vigorously now to obtain means? Times are prosperous, work plenty; shall we not work and obtain some means to aid the Lord’s needy cause? We are aware that many are in limited circumstances, and can give but little, and some may feel that they can donate nothing, from the fact that they do not possess to give. Possibly before you accepted the truth, you were addicted to the use of tobacco. Did you ever see a time then when you were so poor that you could not obtain it by some plan? Let us be just as diligent now to plan to obtain an offering for the Lord, as we were then to obtain means for that which was not bread. Are you not thankful that that bad habit and many others have been swept away by the truth? Every dime and dollar aids now as never before. Who will show thankfulness by sacrifice?
S. H. LANE.
MISSION BOARD CORRESPONDENCE.
By A. G. Bodwell
Mexico City, Mexico.
I am much encouraged by some of the experiences I am having here. One lady, with whom I was holding a reading on the Sabbath question, said, after we had studied the first and second chapters of Genesis, and were studying the Fourth Commandment, “Why do we not keep the Sabbath?” I told her that I did. She then asked me several questions in regard to what constitutes Sabbath-keeping, and said that she would keep the Sabbath as soon as she moved into her own home.
At another place where we give Bible readings, the young lady is a teacher in one of the government schools, and several of her friends attend the readings. One young lady is a telegraph operator. She grasps the points of truth quite readily. Several nights ago, after I had finished a reading on the “Manner of the Second Coming of Christ,” I began to ask them questions to see whether they were comprehending the points brought out. To my surprise, the young lady operator outlined nearly everything that we had studied. It did me good to hear her tell it in Spanish. Then the school-teacher said that she was afraid to meet her Lord, and wanted to know how to prepare to meet Him. We directed her to several passages of Scripture, and after reading them she said, “It is truth because it is what the Bible teaches.”
I had quite an interesting experience this week in my paper work. I met a man on the street and took his subscription for the paper. He did not have the money with him, but told me to call at his office. I went the next day, and as he was out, his son asked me to wait until he returned. When I told him the object of my visit, he said he wanted to subscribe for an English paper, so I secured his order for the Signs. These people belong to a wealthy family, close friends of the president, and I am glad to have both an English and a Spanish paper going into their home. I hope to become better acquainted with them.
Of course the work moves slowly here, but I believe we shall see some of these people take their stand for the truth. I sold four hundred and fifty papers in one day. This is the best that I have been able to do with the paper in one day.
A. G. BODWELL.
Constantinople, Turkey.
By L. R. Conradi
I REACHED here safely October 20, and have held a very good five-days’ meeting at Bardizag, Asia Minor, where I baptized eight persons on Sunday. Sister Baharian acted as interpreter, but as she had no regular passport, she could not accompany me to another church in that region. I had no difficulty, as I have a Turkish passport.
To-morrow I leave for Smyrna, where I intend to remain a few days. There are several believers there. Then I expect to go to Jerusalem, and to remain in Palestine until Brother Jesperson arrives. He sails from Genoa, Italy, soon.
I will spend the first part of December in Egypt. Elder Baharian has been refused the permission to leave for Egypt, but we are trying now to have him go to Smyrna. All are agreed that he must try to get away, so that he can actively engage in the work. When Brother Krum comes here, he can visit the Sabbath-keepers, baptize the believers, and establish the churches.
Our German Union Conference shows quite an increase again. During the last quarter about one hundred and fifty were baptized and received into the church. The work is advancing all along the line. L. R. CONRADI.
Waterford Church Organized; Building Project Underway
WATERFORD.—The following report appears in the Welcome Visitor of Dec. 12, 1901: “The meetings here closed October 27, the result being a church organization of seventeen members. Since that time we have been trying to erect a house of worship. There are difficulties to be met in most enterprises, and we meet them in this also. The people are poor, and not much money can be raised, but all show their interest by their willingness to work. We had some difficulty in regard to the location of the church. These things are now in the past, and the foundation will soon be completed. Most of the saw logs are cut, ready to go to the mill. We go to the woods for our material, in order to obtain it as cheap as possible.
“It is a source of encouragement to see the interest the children have, and how they look forward to the time when the church-school building will be completed. There is no public school in the vicinity in which the church is being erected, and all (even those who are not Adventists) are anxious to see the building completed. All work willingly. We hope to see many souls from this neighborhood saved in the kingdom. Pray for the work at this place.
“JAMES H. SMITH,
W. W. MILLER.”
C. A. BEESON
By C. A. Beeson
NICKERSON.—Since my last report I have visited Caldwell, Wellington, Wichita, Hutchinson, Turon, Preston, and Nickerson. The stay at these places has been from one to four days. In some places I have not been able to hold any meetings, but the Lord has blessed the short visits.
At Wellington and Wichita I enjoyed a short visit with the church schools. I was much pleased with the interest manifested by both teacher and pupils. May the good work go on.
I feel that I must say to our people, Prepare to attend the canvassers’ institute that is to be held at Hutchinson some time in January. This will be a feast. Our church-members should attend this school and engage in the study of our books, and thus become trained home canvassers. In this way a long-felt need would be supplied. Watch the Worker for particulars.