Review and Herald, Vol. 82, No. 46.
Out of the Old, Into the NewPage 1
Earlier text: Without Natural AffectionSHANG-TSAI HSIEN.— We have been greatly interested in reading the reports of the General Conference, and gratified, as well, at the turn the conference took toward the mission fields. To those interested in China, and inquiring for literature on this country, I would recommend the two books by A. H. Smith, “Village Life in China,” and “Chinese Characteristics.” Every missionary of China who reads them will say that he pictures every phase of China and Chinese life as well as language will portray it. We agree with you that we must plan for other provinces besides Honan, and we are looking toward our neighboring provinces. But placing ten or twelve workers in Honan has a different meaning, toward spreading the message in China as a whole, from placing that many workers in Kwang-tung or Fukien. Honan represents fifteen provinces, or five sixths of China, while Kwang-tung represents from one eighteenth to one tenth, and Fukien one eighteenth. It is the language that sets the boundaries to missionary progress in China. The province of Kwang-tung is practically as foreign to the fifteen provinces speaking Mandarin, as Japan, as far as language is concerned. The dialects of Kwang-tung, Kwang-si, and Fukien are not understood at all in the fifteen northern provinces. The plan to get workers located in districts where the three dialects are spoken is a good one. Brother Hankins is learning the Fukien, and the workers at Canton, the Cantonese, which is the language of Kwang-tung and southern Kwang-si. Other mission societies have been canvassing China, and adding recruits so rapidly of late that there is scarcely a vantage-point left. We will necessarily have to encroach on another man's so-called “territory;” for China is divided among the missions. To thus encroach means war, and the man who goes must be prepared. His sword—and it is a good one—is the Word of God. But if he can not understand the language, he can not use his sword. As a result, he loses ground. The Honan workers, with the language, can push out into fourteen other provinces, and do active work at once. And as soon as we get recruits sufficient, it is our idea to open up work in the other Mandarin provinces. Just three weeks before the death of J. Hudson Taylor he was within thirty miles of my station, and learned of our work. This great man had the privilege of hearing of a church that will reap the true in heart in the land where he spent his life.17 The hot summer has been depressing. Although I have not been well all of the time, I have managed to keep going, and not make any break in my work. The German Work in North America
By G. F. Haffner
THE work of the Lord is still progressing among the many German-speaking people in North America. Here and there we hear of souls accepting the truth, yet we are not satisfied with the progress. We would like to see the work grow with greater power. We would be glad to see all our German workers engaged in the German work. Some have left the work, and are spending all their time in the English work. Let such return and take up this work. Let the conference presidents and committees encourage their German workers to stay in that branch of the work. If a conference has no Germans in its territory, then let the German laborers go where there are people of that nationality. Sometimes our ministers excuse themselves from this work because they do not get a good hearing, and are not so successful as when they labor among the English. For the same reason their work has not been appreciated very much in some instances, and they have felt inclined to work among the English until they had the confidence of the conference committee. Now I think it would be well to remember a few things:— First, that the foreign people are very much scattered, and have to be searched out. The Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah: “I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of rocks.” This is especially true with the foreign people in America. Seldom can we get many out to our meetings, while in English we can get a good attendance almost anywhere; and those of our German brethren who can speak the English just as well as the German, or sometimes even better, find it easier to work among the English, and so they leave this work and start in the English. Second, we are in America, where the English language is the language of the land, and the young people soon become Americanized, and would rather go to an English meeting than to a German one. This is especially true where they are scattered among the English. So you see a German worker often works under great disadvantage. He should hunt out those who do not understand English, and give them the message. I would not take the position that he should never preach in English. If he goes to a place where the people are mixed, and, failing to get an attendance at his German meeting, begins to hold services in the English, and gets a good hearing, and an interest is awakened, I think he surely ought to stay and finish the work. It is well when our ministers can speak both languages, then they do not need to disappoint any one. Thirdly, let us remember that the Lord, in a special sense, holds us as German laborers responsible for the giving of this message to our German friends. Let us keep this always in mind. Let us remember that there are thousands upon thousands who can speak no other language, and they must be warned; and who should warn them?—Those who can speak to them in their own tongue. May our German laborers take courage and push the work as never before. May they stand together and feel their responsibility to give this message to the German people in America. May our conferences encourage them to remain in this work, although they may not see such great results as in the English. MOLINE.—During the past summer, I have been teaching a Bible and training school in Chicago. The object of this school was to educate our people, and enable them to give Bible readings. It was begun by Elder Luther Warren at the close of our camp-meeting; but, his health failing, he was compelled to leave, and I filled his place until September 15. The conference, recognizing the good it was doing, has planned to continue it through the winter. Elder Warren hoped to take charge of it about the first of November. Since leaving Chicago I have spent the most of the time in Moline. A good interest has been awakened by the efforts of our Bible workers, and by the influence of the Tri-City Sanitarium. Quite a number are keeping the Sabbath, and still others are investigating. Last Sabbath four were baptized, and six were added to the Moline church. Some others expected to go forward at that time, but were prevented by sickness. Others, who are keeping the Sabbath, are not sufficiently instructed on all points of our faith. The sanitarium is a real help religiously. There is no proselyting; but the truth is lived, and this course is making friends for us. The interest is spreading, and our workers here have much to encourage them. The International Publishing Association
By A. T. Robinson
“Remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee.” JOHN W. DRAPER, in his “Intellectual Development of Europe,” says: “The history of the Reformation does not close, as many European authors imagine, in a balanced and final distribution of the north and south between the Protestant and the Catholic. . . . Macaulay and others who have treated of the Reformation have taken too limited a view of it, supposing that this was its point of arrest. It made another enormous stride, when, at the American Revolution, the state and the church were solemnly and openly dissevered from each other.” The act of those brave and far-seeing men who signed the Declaration of Independence—this crowning event in the great Reformation of the sixteenth century—made this new world an asylum for the oppressed millions who have flocked to our shores from over the sea. The discovery of America was not an accident. Its shores were discovered at an opportune time. Just before the last final message of the everlasting gospel became due,—a message destined to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people,—God’s providence prepared this nation to be the cradle of that message. Here men and women came from every nation that the sun shines upon. Merging every national difference, this heterogeneous mass of mankind grew to be one great people, one mighty nation, the power and influence of which has been a source of amazement to the peoples of the old world. Here in this new world where men had learned to sink national differences in the one common interest of becoming a great nation, the truth of the third angel’s message had its birth. How fitting that the message to be heralded to all nations on earth should receive its mold in this land, where it has found a response in the hearts of living representatives from all other nations. It has been in the direct providence of God that men of other nationalities, receiving this message here, should carry it to their respective countries. Our Brethren From Over the Sea
Not to speak of other nationalities in this country, according to the United States census of 1900, there are 2,600,000 Germans, 559,212 Danes and Norwegians, and 473,905 Swedes; while since 1900 every week has brought to this country ship-loads of people who speak foreign languages, about 400,000 coming annually. To meet the needs of this people, there was begun several years ago in Battle Creek, Mich., the publication of the Hausfreund (German), Sendebud (Danish-Norwegian), and Sions Vaktare (Swedish).18 Soon after the burning of the Review and Herald Office in Battle Creek, Mich., the publication of these papers was transferred to College View, Neb., where for a time they were printed by the Union College Press. Steps Toward Organization
At the Nebraska annual conference and camp-meeting held in Grand Island, Sept. 6-16, 1903, the following brethren assembled to consider how best to serve the interests of the people of these and other foreign nationalities resident in the United States: E. T. Russell, W. C. White, I. H. Evans, N. P. Nelson, Lewis Johnson, S. F. Svensson, J. J. Graf, Theo. Valentiner, A. Swedberg, C. A. Thorp, J. Wallenkampf, L. A. Hoopes, Fred Johnson, F. H. Westphal, J. Sutherland, and A. T. Robinson. From the minutes of the Grand Island meeting we note action taken on the following points:— “In our study of the situation we find the following conditions:— “There are in the United States many hundreds of thousands of Germans, Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians, to whom the closing gospel message must be presented by evangelists of their own nationality, or by literature in their own tongues. “That in order to revive and maintain a general and successful work throughout the West, there should be selected a center where there shall be maintained not only a school for the education of evangelist canvassers, but also a well-organized publishing house whose business it shall be to issue our foreign periodicals, and also to print, advertise, and sell tracts, pamphlets, and books on all phases of our message. “That College View, Neb., is the most favorable place for such a publishing enterprise. “That a publishing society be incorporated which shall be a non-stock and non-dividend-paying organization, to carry on this work. “That the name of this association be The International Publishing Association.” The second annual meeting of the association was held in College View, Sept. 5, 6, 1905. From the minutes of this meeting, we quote the following extracts from the annual statement of the president, E. T. Russell:— Quotations From the President’s Address
“At this another annual meeting, it seems fitting to take a retrospective view of the work of the International Publishing Association. Perhaps not all that was expected or hoped for has been realized; nevertheless the association has been permitted to be an important factor in sending broadcast the message of truth for this time, for which we are grateful to God. “The German paper, Christlicher Hausfreund, had an average circulation of 3,800 copies a week, or about 200,000 copies during the year. The average circulation of the Danish paper, Evangeliets Sendebud, and of the Swedish paper, Sions Vaktare, was 2,250 copies a week, or 117,000 copies each during the year. Aside from the regular weekly issues, a special series of four consecutive numbers was printed last November, aggregating 15,000 in the German, and 10,000 in both the Danish-Norwegian and Swedish languages. The undertaking, on the whole, was a success; and according to the reports received, some souls were led to accept the truth through the matter presented in these papers. A second special number of the three papers, containing the “Open Letter Appeal to the Clergy” and other appropriate matter, was published during the months of February and March; and now plans have been laid to issue during the coming campaign a good twenty-four-page special number, with a neat cover page. The little German paper, Der Deutsche Arbeiter, has a monthly circulation of 1,200. “The editors have likewise been quite active in getting out a good line of tracts and pamphlets. “In some respects the work of the association seems brighter than ever before. I have reference to the job work that has come in, which will assist in making the enterprise self-supporting. But there are other features that are not so flattering. An unsettled feeling has existed in the minds of some connected with the association in the matter of perfect co-operation in the carrying out of the international idea, which means the blending of the interests of the three nationalities represented in the organization. Owing to a spirit of unrest which this feeling has created, the board of management has found that their efforts to advance the interests of the institution have been largely neutralized.” “Call to Remembrance the Former Days”
Some of the things alluded to in the president’s address at the last annual meeting of the association suggest a condition of things not so much to be wondered at when viewed in the light of the history of our people in the past. It is another instance where men equally sincere, equally honest and earnest, all aiming at the one object, the advancement of the message, have differed in their way of viewing things. If the history of this denomination should ever be written, there would stand out prominently the fact that many times differences of opinion have existed among the strongest minds in the denomination. Those differences, if carried to their logical results, would many times have brought confusion and disorder to our work; but thanks for the blessed gift that God has placed in the remnant church, whenever special issues have come, special light and instruction has come through the spirit of prophecy, which has led to united action and greater strength than could have been the result had not these special crises been permitted to arise. This was especially true in connection with the last meeting of the International Publishing Association. Many of our brethren came to this meeting with more or less apprehension. A wide-spread feeling had arisen that it was impossible for this work to be conducted as an international enterprise, and the opinion was entertained by many that at this time there should be a rearrangement of the work, so that each nationality specified would to a large extent control in the affairs of its own work. On the day the meeting opened, the morning mail brought several communications from Sister White, two of which were addressed “To the Brethren Connected with the Publishing Work at College View.” Several hours were spent in reading and studying these Testimonies. To show the tenor of these communications, we quote the following extracts:— “Why are many of us so weak and inefficient?—It is because we look to self, studying our own temperament, and wondering how we can make a place for ourselves, our individuality and our peculiarities, instead of studying Christ and his character. Brethren who could work together in harmony if they would learn of Christ, forgetting that they are Americans, Europeans, Germans, or Frenchmen, Swedes, Danes, or Norwegians, seem to feel that if they should blend with those of other nationalities, something of that which is peculiar to their own country and nation would be lost, and something else would take its place. My brethren, let us put all that aside. We have no right to keep our minds stayed on ourselves, our preferences, and our fancies. We are not to seek to maintain a peculiar identity of our own, a personality, an individuality, which will separate us from our fellow laborers.” “I approve of the efforts that have been made to establish our German and Scandinavian publishing work at College View. I hope that plans will be devised for the encouragement of this work. The whole burden of the work must not be left with our foreign brethren. Nor should our brethren throughout the field leave too heavy a load on the conferences near College View. The members of these conferences should lead out and do their best, and all should come to their assistance.” “Our German and Danish and Swedish brethren have no good reason for not being able to act in harmony in the publishing work. Those who believe the truth should remember that they are God’s little children, under his training.” “If we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tender-hearted and pitiful,—if we would do this, brethren, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where now there is only one. But though professing to be converted, we carry around with us a bundle of self that we regard as altogether too precious to be given up. It is our privilege to lay this burden at the feet of Christ, and in its place take the character and similitude of Christ. The Saviour is waiting for us to do this. Christ laid aside his royal robe and his kingly crown, and his high command, and stepped down, down, down, to the lowest depths of humiliation. Bearing human nature, he met all the temptations of humanity, and in our behalf defeated the enemy on every point.” “Christ recognized no distinction of nationality or rank or creed. The scribes and Pharisees desired to make a local and a national benefit of all the gifts of heaven, and to exclude the rest of God’s family in the world. But Christ came to break down every wall of partition. He came to show that his gift of mercy and love is as unconfined as the air, the light, or the showers of19 rain that refresh the earth. The life of Christ established a religion, in which there is no caste, a religion by which Jew and Gentile, free and bond, are linked together in a common brotherhood, equal before God. No question of policy influenced his movements. He made no difference between strangers and neighbors, friends and enemies. That which appealed to his heart was a soul thirsting for the water of life.” The reading of these Testimonies brought light, joy, and comfort to the hearts of those assembled. Those addressed to the brethren connected with the publishing work at College View were read in the evening, and by special request read again the following morning. The cloud that began to lift the night before, seemed to rise higher and higher until the darkness was dispersed, and the light of God’s countenance rested upon the assembly, lighting up anew the future pathway of the International Publishing Association. During the remainder of the day the annual business of the association was speedily accomplished. The utmost love and harmony prevailed, characterizing the action taken on every measure brought before the association. A financial statement was presented, which showed the business of the association had been conducted along safe and economical lines. The idea had quite largely prevailed among the members of the board of counselors that the institution had been running behind. The treasurer’s report showed the opposite, quite a substantial gain having been made during the year. Among the recommendations passed were the following:— “Whereas, The General Conference endeavored to raise a donation for the assistance of the International Publishing Association, and,— “Whereas, There was realized from this donation only about half the amount which the General Conference had anticipated would be raised, therefore,— “Resolved, That we petition the General Conference Committee to assist the International Publishing Association in raising five thousand dollars to cover obligations already contracted in equipping the International Publishing Association. “That said International Publishing Association pledge itself to co-operate with the General Conference in every way possible to secure said funds.” Central America
By H. C. GOODRICH
BELIZE, BRITISH HONDURAS.—I have just returned to Belize from the Bay Islands. I am well, and am thankful for the many blessings which I enjoy. The Honduranian government has refused to allow New Orleans steamers to come to their ports, so for a while we have had no mail. But as Belize is free from yellow fever, and has been for some time, Honduras ports are now open to Belize vessels, and mail comes here all right. Brother Allen has gone to Bonacca to recruit. Brother Cary is with me, and will try canvassing for a while here in British Honduras, and some on the Guatemala coast, before going to the expense of a trip to the city of Guatemala. I left French Harbor, and called at Carib Point, Jonesville, Calabash Bight, Port Royal, and Hellene, also visited a settlement over on the north side of the island. I held meetings in each place, and found many interested hearers, and a few inquirers. Along this southern coast of Ruatan there are three towns where boats are built and repaired, and not a blacksmith in either. This is a fine opening for a good workman. The towns are about seven and eight miles apart, and now they have to send forty or fifty miles for their work, and then suffer a great deal of inconvenience. If some young blacksmith with a wife who could teach, could settle at French Harbor, I believe the opening would be a profitable one. Experiences in the Field
By W. L. MANFULL
“LET canvassing evangelists give themselves up to be worked by the Holy Spirit. Let them by persevering prayer take hold of the power which comes from God, trusting in him in living faith. His great and effectual influence will be with every true, faithful worker.”
I have been working in the canvassing field a part of the time the last two months, and have fully realized the truthfulness of these words. The Lord has truly blessed me in putting the books in the homes of the people. I worked fifty-three hours at Wagoner, I. T., and took one hundred and forty dollars' worth of orders for large and small books, and I have just finished my delivery. I delivered all but two helps and six copies of “Bible Readings.” Owing to malaria, I went from there to Afton, I. T. It is not considered very good territory, but the Lord blessed me with success. I put in one hundred and fifty-one hours, and took $390.70 worth of orders. I did not feel like reporting my work here till I made my delivery, for that is the part that tells. Last week I finished my first delivery of three hundred dollars' worth of books, and although I was delayed two weeks in getting my books, and some prejudice had arisen, I lost only fifteen orders. I had some good experiences, and in many places I could see the special hand of the Lord in my work. The Lord has greatly blessed most of the workers in this conference, and we do praise him for a humble part in his work. In my last three days of delivery, I took ten extra orders for “Bible Readings.” One of these was from a government employee, a well-educated man who was here looking after his farm. How I wish those in our ranks who are practically doing nothing could have a burning zeal and ambition to see our literature in every home in this country. What precious experiences they could have! I trust that many will take hold of this work, and in the day of God hear the well done said to them. W. L. MANFULL.
Mena, Ark. Young People's Day in the Lake Union Conference
By ALLEN MOON; W. D. CURTIS
FOR some time God has been calling upon the church to “arouse from its lethargy, and see what manner of service is demanded in this time of peril.” He says, “Very much has been lost to the cause of God by lack of attention to the young. . . . The church has a special work to do in educating and training its children.” The messages which have been sent are full of instruction concerning this important work. Does not loyalty to the truth which we profess to love so much, demand that we give this important subject careful and prayerful consideration, that we may learn how to perform our long-neglected duties? That we may study the Lord's plan for the organization of our young people and the lines of work to which he has called them; that we may be aroused from our lethargy, and meet the mind of God by heartily engaging in the work of educating and training our youth for the Lord's work, it has been decided to set apart Sabbath, Dec. 2, 1905, to be known as “Young People's day,” and thus observed by all the churches in the Lake Union Conference. Appropriate articles prepared by our leading workers, and a reading from the Testimonies, will be sent to each church: also a suggestive program, with topics for consideration at the meeting, and instruction for making the necessary arrangements for the day's service, will be sent to the churches in due time. The Lord has told us that “much has been lost” by delay. Let us resolve that “there shall be delay no longer,” and let us make the most of this occasion. It has been well said that “lost opportunities can never be recovered.” Will you allow it to be recorded opposite your name, in the books of heaven, that another opportunity of discharging a long-neglected duty has been lost? As far as possible the young people should be given a part in the services of the day. Help them to feel that the Lord has a place for them in his work, and that he is calling them to service. Let all pray for the success of this meeting, and work for it as though their life depended upon its success. ALLEN MOON, Pres. Lake Union Conf.;
W. D. CURTIS, Ed. Sec. Lake Union Conf. Pacific Press Campaign Day
By E. R. Palmer
WEDNESDAY, October 18, was a great day for the employees of the Pacific Press and the other members of the Mountain View church. It was also a great day for the people of the Santa Clara Valley, for a distance of about forty miles, stretching from South San Francisco nearly to San Jose; for the third angel's message, in the hands of scores of earnest workers, knocked during that day at nearly every door in the beautiful valley. A grand spirit of co-operation and enthusiasm inspired the movement. The leaders did not remain at home. Although they were pressed with work almost beyond measure, through the special burdens of the missionary campaign, yet they could not remain at home, and bid others go to the field. Therefore, early Wednesday morning found a solid, well-organized little army marching out from Mountain View, scattering itself all through the valley. Its territory was subdivided; leaders were appointed and persons selected to form each company. Some of these went to the towns along the railway lines, and others, known as the “wheel brigade,” took up the territory between the towns and back to the foot-hills. The editors of the Signs were in these companies, also Brother Jones, the manager of the Pacific Press, H. H. Hall, and the writer. In nearly every case the wives of the workers spent the day with their husbands. Children were left with those who could not go, and nearly all who could be spared from home set out for the work. The children also had a part; and Brother Bourdreau, missionary secretary for California, who is also leader of the Young People's Society in Mountain View, had his forces almost without exception in the field. The day was beautiful, and it was improved to the utmost. Dinner baskets were taken along so the workers could remain all day. I imagine that every reader of this article says, “What a splendid thing that was for every one to go out on a single day like that.” Indeed it was splendid. Now what is good for Mountain View is good for your church. Why not meet together as a church, with the young people and children, and plan for a day like this? or perhaps you could plan for a week's special campaign, or plan for one day in each week during the winter months, dividing up the territory. Some persons can take a whole township. There are instances where individuals have worked even a whole county thoroughly. According to the territory and the number of members, divide up the work as best you can, and plan for something definite and strong for every member.20 The good work is moving on splendidly. It has been well organized, the material at hand is the best in the world, and the message we have is the greatest message that has ever been given. Nothing on earth at present compares with it in importance. Who will join us in organizing more perfectly for thorough work during the winter? E. R. PALMER,
Sec. Gen. Conf. Publishing Com. Walla Walla (Wash.) Sanitarium
By I. A. Dunlap, M. D.
Believing that our brethren and sisters in general, and those in the Walla Walla school district in particular, will be interested in the changes and work going on in Walla Walla College, we have thought best to let them know through the Review just what we are doing. When our college was built, fourteen years ago, it was the only school of importance among our people of the Northwest. We expected it to have a very large attendance, and we built accordingly. It is true that the number of our people is increasing, but it is also true that we are getting several primary and intermediate schools started in the district, which necessarily divides the attendance, so that our school has not reached the attendance that we expected, and this large excess of room has placed a burden of debt upon us that was hard to bear. It has interfered with the best workings of the school in several ways, chief among which is the fact that much money that should have been spent in supplying the institution with appliances of various kinds, and in helping worthy poor students, has been used in paying interest and debts. We have been told again and again that we should have a sanitarium in connection with each of our larger schools, both as a means of helping poor students to work their way through school, and for promulgating health principles among the students, as well as giving them an opportunity to learn how to care for the sick and afflicted. After the main building of our sanitarium in Spokane burned last year, and it was finally decided not to rebuild there, it occurred to us that now was the time to walk out in the providence of God by starting sanitarium work in connection with Walla Walla College. Inasmuch as the fourth floor of the main college building was built for rooming students, but has not been used for some years, and also in view of the fact that at least one floor of the gentlemen's dormitory has usually been unoccupied, and sometimes more room than that has been vacant, it was suggested to turn the gentlemen's dormitory into a sanitarium. The Spokane Sanitarium was a conference institution operated by the Medical Missionary Board of the conference. That board met in joint session with the college board, and a council of the Pacific Coast workers called to consider various phases of the work. At that meeting it was decided to let the gentlemen students occupy the top floor of the main building, and turn their dormitory over to sanitarium work. During the summer several thousand dollars' worth of furnishings and apparatus that had belonged to the Spokane Sanitarium was shipped here, and installed in the dormitory. Other appliances were added from the sale of real estate of the Spokane institution until we now have a nice, well-equipped sanitarium in good running order, and a larger number of patients than we had any reason to expect during the first weeks of a new institution. Thus we have a nice brick sanitarium containing thirty-five rooms, heated by steam, lighted by electricity, and supplied with hot and cold water from top to bottom. It is nicely furnished throughout, and includes among its treatment apparatus an electric-light bath cabinet, a hot-air bath outfit, a static (X-rays) machine, a vibrator for giving mechanical massage, electrical appliances for the giving of the various electrical treatments, a Russian (steam bath) room, and a good corps of trained nurses to operate these appliances. The best of it all is, we are not in debt for any of it. For six years we have had a nurses' training class as one of our college courses. For the last year Dr. W. B. Holden has been doing our surgical work in connection with that class, and we have had an excellent patronage in that line. He still operates for us in our new sanitarium. This no doubt has much to do with our present patronage, and we are glad we have a place in this section of the country where our people can have a chance to get their surgical work done, and at the same time be putting their money into the cause. In concluding, we must say that our experience is the same in this work as it has been in all God's dealings with us; when we came into close relation with him and established our sanitarium in connection with the college as he told us to years ago, he not only blessed in the sanitarium work, but the college work is prospering as it has not for years. The ladies' dormitory is now full, two in a room, except three rooms on the fourth floor. Two of those have been spoken for by students who are expected within a few days. The fourth floor of the main college building has not held the gentlemen students, as was expected, but they have filled the fourth floor of the sanitarium, and the overflow is being located in a large cottage belonging to the school. Thus with the school and the sanitarium, the college buildings have scarcely a vacant corner. All this helps to meet the running expenses as well as to pay interest and debts. And we think we can safely say that Walla Walla College has a better financial outlook than it has ever had. To Church Officers—An Example of Leadership
By E. R. Palmer
The present experiences of God’s people in the last battles and campaigns before the Lord’s coming are parallels in nearly every particular to the experiences and campaigns of ancient Israel in their march from Egypt to the promised land. After their forty years of wandering on the very borders of Canaan, all of which are so strikingly similar to our delays at the very entrance of the eternal kingdom, a note of courage and assurance was sounded in the ears of God’s people, as recorded in the first chapter of the book of Joshua; and from that time there began a vigorous campaign with rapid marches and conquests until all Israel passed over Jordan and inherited the land. To those who will read carefully the first few chapters of the book of Joshua, it will be evident that during that campaign the elders were in the lead. Note the following words:— “And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; and as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest), that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground, . . . until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.”
What leadership this was! The priests whom God had set as instructors and responsible guides and shepherds of the flock went in advance, and with no flinching, actually dipped their feet into the waters of Jordan before the waters began to part, and their feet stood firm on the dry ground in the midst of Jordan until all Israel had passed over. That was leadership, faith, courage, confidence, and belief that God would part the waters. They did not stand back in a safe place, nor sit on the shore and wait for the waters to pass, nor exhort Israel to plunge in. They dipped their own feet in the waters, which then parted; and after thus beginning in the right way, they did not walk out on the other side, and beckon Israel to follow. They remained with their feet firm in the midst of the stream until all Israel had passed over. Note all through these chapters how Joshua and the priests remained with the people. The priests were the chief campaigners in taking Jericho. It is said of Joshua, after sending certain companies of men to points of advantage before the assault on Ai, that he “lodged that night among the people.” What a world of suggestion as to leadership lay in that little incident! A great battle was on, and Joshua, the mighty man of God, felt that he must be with the people during those few hours left before the fight; and not only did he lodge with the people, but he went with them the next day to battle, and even denied himself the glory there might have been in taking Ai with his own picked men. Instead of that he led the men who were to flee at the right time and then later turn upon their enemies, thus directing with his own hands the most trying and difficult feats of the battle. Such leaders are needed just now in every church. Leaders who know the times, who can sound the note of courage, and who will take their position in the front, dip their own feet in the Jordan, and stand firmly in the middle of the stream until all Israel has passed over. The good old REVIEW may continue to present the missionary campaign, and a few leaders may write continuously upon21 the subject; but after that we must depend upon the local leaders, the officers in each church, to marshal the forces and win victories for the Lord of hosts. E. R. PALMER,
Sec. Gen. Conf. Publishing Com.