A GENTLEMAN said to another, with whom he was riding, as they passed a fine mansion surrounded by beautiful fields, “What is the value of this estate?”
“I don’t know what it is valued at,” his friend replied, “but I know what it cost its late owner.”
“How much?”
“His soul.”
Then he continued: “The owner was once a Christian man. But as business increased, he gave less attention to religion and more to business. The cares of the world gradually choked the word. He began to neglect the Bible. Secret prayer was given up. The family altar was forgotten, as they did not have time to pray, owing to the rush of work. The owner ceased going to prayer-meeting. As he grew older, he loved money more, became more miserly, and began to hoard up his savings. He bought this large estate; built this mansion, which he never finished; sickened, and died. Just before he died, he mournfully said, ‘My prosperity has been my ruin.’”
How unspeakably sad! Immortal joy and unending happiness bartered away for a farm. What a bargain! Yet how many are paying this terrible price. Judas did it. Demas loved this present evil world, forsook the gospel, and turned traitor for money. The covetous fool in the parable did the same.
Are there any among us who are planning, unconsciously perhaps, to sacrifice a home in the new earth for the things of this earth? We hope not. Yet the seed of covetousness is in all our hearts; speculation is in the air. Some are increasing their earthly gain, and manipulating large financial schemes with one hand, while seeking to hold on to the truth with the other. Of course it is all to “help the cause” a little later on. They may do this. But they may lose their souls.
It is surely right to help the cause. And it is all right to lay plans to make money with which to help the work of God. Some are given a talent to do this. But the risk is great. Such need to pray for guidance. There is danger that, like the man in the incident related here, the love of the world will crowd out the truth, and eclipse eternal realities, and we at last perish because we are taken unawares.
There have been Demases all the way along, even among us. The spirit of money-making has entered into some hearts, and though they did not intend it so, their love for the message finally grew cold; they chose the world, and gave up the truth.
How much does it cost to do this?
The value of a soul.
“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36, 37.
Takoma Park, D. C.
Parents by Whom the Offense Cometh
By Lena Leonard Fisher
One naturally associates the vice of untruthfulness—for it is a vice—with the uncivilized, the criminal, and him who cares nothing for morality, to say nothing of religion. But that this sinful habit should be found to prevail very widely among loving and intelligent American parents is a shocking surprise. One would as soon expect a death sting from the kiss of a rosy babe. And yet it is almost impossible to ride a few blocks on a street-car, to journey for an hour on a railroad train, or touch elbows with mothers accompanied by little children anywhere, without hearing from their lips statements made to the little ones which are without a semblance of truth. The majority of these parents love their children, too, and would gladly, if need be, lay down their lives to protect them from bodily injury.
To accomplish ends wholly desirable and beneficial to the child himself a recourse to untruthfulness on the part of parents may at times seem to be helpful and consequently justifiable. But not so.
A child was once for necessary reasons left by her mother for some weeks in the care of others. The mother, whose heart was wrung at parting with the little one, in order, no doubt, to soothe her grief, told her that she would come for her the next day. All the next day the eager little face peered wistfully out of the window, watching all passers-by in the hope that the loved figure of the mother would be among them. At evening time, after a day's hopeless vigil, the disappointed child said, in a hard tone and without tears, an expression of sullen despair on her face, “My mother lied to me. I will never believe her again.” Could this mother have seen her child in this crisis of justifiable, resentful bitterness, she would have clothed herself in sackcloth and bowed her head in the dust.
Again: untruthful statements are sometimes made to children from an entirely selfish standpoint on the part of the parent, and solely for the purpose of accommodating his own convenience. Glaring examples illustrative of this are of every-day occurrence.
More than once mothers traveling with young children on railway trains have been heard to threaten to “throw you out the window,” in order to keep a little tot from taking uncertain and perilous journeys through the aisle of the coach. But such a mother, settling back comfortably in the seat with her novel open before her, has paid dearly for her selfish time of quiet by the scared face and sobbing breath of the conquered child beside her, whom she should have loved too well to crush and frighten with a lie.
A most cruel and needless illustration of the point in mind was seen a short time since in a street-car in a large city. Two well-dressed and intelligent-looking women were sitting side by side, one of them with a lovely little girl of possibly three years of age in her lap. Although strangers, they fell into conversation, which naturally enough drifted in the direction of their families and children. The conversation in its entirety was an interesting study as to the ideas of the two participants in the rearing and training of children. The little girl, in the meantime, as it was at the close of the day, had become drowsy, and in spite of the periodic efforts of her mother to keep her awake, had at last dropped to sleep before the corner which was to be their destination had been reached. Just before it was necessary for the mother with her child to alight, she said to her neighbor: “Ruth is sound asleep, and she is so heavy to carry for two long blocks, I shall have to awaken her;” and leaning over the sleeping child in her arms, she said plainly and deliberately: “Wake up, Ruth, we must get off here. If you don’t, mother will get sick and die.” And turning to her neighbor with a smile on her face, this mother said: “O, I can make Ruth do anything if I only tell her that!” Ruth certainly was awake. She put one tiny arm up as if to protect her mother from some evil blow, and then sat very straight and very rigid with wide-open eyes full of terror. She no doubt walked the two long blocks home without any trouble whatever to her parent. But sad indeed the heartless falsehood told a credulous, trustful child by a selfish, untruthful mother. . . .
To preserve inviolate the confidence of their children should be the strenuous endeavor of all parents. The attainment of this end is worthy of the continuous effort of a lifetime. By no other agency is the absolutely unvarying, unchangeable11love and veracity of our Heavenly Father made so real to the child mind as to see it exemplified in the attitude of his own parents toward him. For a parent to tamper with the truth, even where the end sought is the child’s ultimate good, is not to be approved. That any parent would, from a purely selfish standpoint, and for the purpose of furthering his own convenience or comfort, deliberately lie to his child, is to be unequivocally condemned. But for a parent, for his own momentary amusement, by a deliberately concocted lie to cause a violent revulsion of feeling of fright and horror in his child, thus at once striking a death-blow to the natural fearlessness which a child has of the wonder world in which he lives, and to the sweet filial confidence in his parents which God has implanted in his heart, is a crime certainly but little less than the taking of life itself.—Lena Leonard Fisher.
A Thankful Heart
By Henry van Dyke
WHATEVER gifts the hours bestow, or
great or small,
I would not measure
As worth a certain price in praise, but
take them all
And use them all with simple, heartfelt
pleasure.
For when we gladly eat our daily bread,
we bless
The hand that feeds us;
And when we walk along life's way in
cheerfulness,
Our very heart-beats praise the love
that leads us.
— Henry van Dyke.
What Is Home?
RECENTLY a London magazine sent out one thousand inquiries on the question, “What Is Home?” In selecting the classes to respond to the question it was particular to see that every one was represented. The poorest and the richest were given equal opportunities to express their sentiment. Out of eight hundred replies received, seven gems were selected, as follows:—
Home—A world of strife shut out, a world of love shut in.
Home—The place where the small are great, and the great are small.
Home—The father’s kingdom, the mother’s world, and the child’s paradise.
Home—The place where we grumble the most and are treated the best.
Home—The center of our affections, round which our heart’s best wishes twine.
Home—The place where our stomachs get three square meals a day and our hearts a thousand.
Home—The only place on earth where the faults and failings of humanity are hidden under the sweet mantle of charity.—Christian Advocate.
Harvest-Time in Korea
By C. L. Butterfield
C. L. BUTTERFIELD
FRIDAY evening, October 8, we were made glad by the arrival of Brother and Sister Wangerin, of Wisconsin. They had had a pleasant and quick trip. Elder W. H. Smith sent word by them from Japan that he would take a boat from Kobe direct to the east coast of Korea, and that the boat would touch at Fusan on the eleventh. So to-day I am on my way from Seoul to Fusan to join him, and together we shall go to Wonsan, where he expects to locate.
A TYPICAL KOREAN FARM-HOUSE
I was somewhat surprised this morning to see so many men engaged in the rice harvest. It seems only a few days since I was watching the men prepare these fields and plant the rice. But harvest is here. The first frosts, telling us that winter is fast approaching, have appeared and given a brownish tint to the trees and grass on the many mountains. As I pass through these fertile valleys, I can see hundreds and thousands of laborers—men and women—gathering in the rice.
While looking at these fields, I think of the great field—the world—“white already to harvest.” In this harvest we also see that the first frosts—the gray heads of those who saw the last great sign hung out in the heavens—have come, with many other indications, telling us that the winter, when the harvest of the world will have been reaped and the sheaves gathered into the garner, is just before us. But where are the reapers? As we look at Korea, with its millions; Japan to one side, with her tens of millions; China on the other side, with her hundreds of millions, and then think that we have sent only about fifty workers to all these millions, we can but say, “The laborers are few.”
Those who have large farms know something of the anxiety they have when they see the grain ripe, ready to harvest, and wasting because of a lack of laborers. In the great wheat fields of the Dakotas, when the grain was wasting because of a lack of men to gather it, I have known of the young ladies, from offices and homes of the great cities, going out and working to save the wheat that was wasting. Where are the young men and women to-day that should be out in these great fields gathering precious sheaves for the Master? I believe if our people in the home land could only see with their own eyes what we among these millions see, they would give as never before some of the large farms; give some of the valuable horses and cattle; give some of those bank accounts; yes, and give their sons and daughters, to help save the precious fruit of the harvest of the world.
As winter draws on, harvest becomes more difficult, and much is lost. And so it is in our work. As we draw near the end, it becomes more difficult, and thousands are daily filling Christless graves.
We are indeed grateful for the help we have received in Brother and Sister12Wangerin. They were twenty-five days on the way, and were quite tired when they reached us. Having to leave this morning, I had only a little time to visit with them, but I told them to take time to rest before beginning their language study. But as I was leaving, Brother Wangerin reported that they would be ready to begin as soon as they could get their baggage unpacked. They see something of the great task before us, and realize that every day counts. I feel sure that God will abundantly bless them here.
I wish you could see the field I have just seen from the car window. The product looked like cucumbers on trellises. Many were more than a foot long, and two or three inches in diameter. I have just passed more that must have been all of four inches in diameter.
It is nearly three hundred miles from Seoul to Fusan. Then it is about five hundred miles by sea to Wonsan. That means two or three days of sea-sickness for me. We hope to find a suitable place for Elder Smith to locate for this winter and open up work on that coast. I look for Brother Oberg in about a month. I hope some man and his wife can come before the end of the year, to take charge of the school work.
We are all well, and enjoying our labors. The work in Seoul is opening up nicely. Miss Mimi Scharfenberg is laboring among the churches.
Remember the little company here in Korea, in your prayers, that God may make us successful in gathering the precious grain in this great harvest-field.
Soonan.
The Efficacy of Sudden Prayer
I HAVE a thousand times tested the efficacy of sudden prayer in moments of difficulty, when confronted with a little temptation, when overwhelmed with irritation, before an anxious interview, before writing a difficult passage. How often has the temptation floated away, the irritation mastered itself, the right word been said, the right sentence written! We are to do the best we can and trust results to God.—Selected.
NOWOROSSIISK, RUSSIA
Russia—Conferences at Zarazin, Noworossisk, and Odessa
By J. T. Boettcher
J. T. BOETTCHER
The conference at Zarazin was held October 14-17. Our first service was disturbed and interrupted by the police. We have always spoken through an interpreter. While Elder L. R. Conradi was conducting a Bible study, interpreted by Brother Gobel, a policeman who was present went at once to the telephone, and informed the chief of police that German was being spoken. The answer came back immediately that only services in the Russian languages would be permitted. One can imagine how we felt. We informed the congregation that we must go to the police station, and that no further meeting could be held until we returned.
When we arrived there, we had to wait some time before we obtained an audience, and then our efforts were in vain. The chief of police insisted that only Russian should be spoken, although we informed him that most of the people who come to hear us were German. At last we asked him to at least allow us to proceed with only our own people (Adventists) present. To this he consented. So we returned, and found all the people still there. Brother Kotz, from Africa, had been entertaining them with music. Much to our regret, we were obliged to send all those away who were not members of our church. We gave our members tickets of admission. Among those turned away was a Russian priest. In the afternoon he returned. I went to him, and told him that he could not remain. However, he had been to the police and obtained permission to attend, in case we were willing, and we gladly let him stay. It was quite interesting to see the policeman with the sword, sitting in one corner of the sofa, and the Russian priest with the cross in the other, keeping watch over us. The priest, however, became very much interested, and missed only one meeting during the entire conference, and before the close bought two of our large books. When I gave a temperance lecture, using the charts to illustrate, he was so pleased that he came forward to shake hands with me and thank me.
Our next session was at Noworossisk, October 21-24. The governor had given us permission to hold this conference, but at the last moment decided that he must ask the general governor in Tiflis, and consequently, when we arrived, our brethren were without that permission. We went to the governor, and explained the situation to him, whereupon he at once telegraphed to the general governor. In the middle of the night we were aroused by the police, who informed us that the permission had come, and we could go ahead. But here also we were not to be spared difficulties. Everything went off well until we began to read resolutions concerning our finances. Then the chief of police jumped up, and went to the telephone to ask the governor if we were allowed to take up collections. During his absence from the hall we worked as fast as we could, taking pledges and cash. When he returned, he stepped to the front, and forbade our taking up any collections, or reading any resolutions concerning finances, threatening to close the meeting if we did so. So we shall be obliged to go from church to church to work up the finances, as this conference came short in 1908 about two thousand rubles. Also, because of the presence of the police, we could say nothing of our school matter, and so received no money for that.
THE DOCK AT NOWOROSSISK, RUSSIA
During the social service on Sabbath, a Jewish brother was relating his experience. He told how, although he was a Jew, he had wanted truth, and had gone in search of it—first to the Lutheran church. Not finding it there,13he had gone to the Greek Catholic. Here, too, he had found error. At this point the policeman jumped up again, and came to my side. I was leading the meeting. Knowing what he intended to do, I quietly had the people sing a psalm, had a brother offer prayer, and then told them that, as they had been together a long time, it would be well to take a recess. This was all done before the police found a chance to close the meeting.
Three brethren from Mt. Ararat were with us here. They came hundreds of miles to attend, and their eyes fairly shone with joy as they listened to the preaching of the message.
The evening after the Sabbath we ordained Brother E. Gnedin to the work of the ministry. As he is a Russian, we could not ordain him in our public hall with the policeman present, but did so privately. He has been in the truth twelve years. We now have two ordained Russian ministers in our union.
The canvassing work goes hard in the Caucasus, because there are so many different nationalities living here. In the past we have paid some of the colporteurs; but, finding it bad policy, we shall not do so in the future. Dr. Vahon Pampaian goes from here with Elder Conradi to Turkey. The doctor has labored hard among the Armenians, and has met with some success. Another brother will continue his effort.
Sabbath, while I was taking a walk on the piers [seen in the illustration], which reach far out into the sea, I looked at the beautiful city of Noworossisk, surrounded with hills on three sides, the Black Sea in front, and thought how much might be done for this people if there could only be liberty to preach the truth of God. But I realized the fact that I was in Russia, where the Word of God is still bound.
Our third conference was held in the city of Odessa, October 28-31. As we did not receive permission from the governor to hold our conference at this place, we were obliged to use our own hall, which seats only about two hundred people. However, since the recent experiences, we were glad for a rest from the police, and concluded that the Lord knew best in not giving us the so much-desired permission. We had room enough. And, best of all, we had full liberty. We could take up collections, read resolutions and speak to them, and hold our social meetings unmolested. There was an excellent spirit, and one thousand rubles were given for the school.
Before our session, the priests wrote long articles against us. But as they told in these where our services were held, they only did free advertising for us.
The missionaries of the Greek church held a conference in Odessa at the same time as ours, and, had we had a public hall, would have made us much trouble. The evening after the Sabbath they sent a messenger with a letter, asking us to hold a debate with them upon the immortality of the soul. We took the letter, and wrote upon the back of it “Neh. 6:3” as answer, and returned it to them. They had also written a tract upon Col. 2:16, against us, and this they distributed at the door at the close of our service that evening. Our people took as many of them as they could get. On Sunday evening we took Col. 2:16 for our text, and the Lord gave us a grand victory.
We have now rented a large hall in this city, costing seven hundred rubles a year, and three workers will follow up the interest which has been awakened.
Riga.
C. E. RENTFRO
By C. E. Rentfro
Portugal
C. E. RENTFRO
About a year has passed since a report has been seen in the Review from Portugal. During this period the good hand of God has been over us, protecting us from dangers seen and unseen, in earthquakes, heat, and sickness. For this we praise our Heavenly Father.
Since the first of this year, we have held meetings in a small hall, on the ground floor, in quite a public place, and our congregation has averaged perhaps fifteen persons. More than one hundred have attended on Sunday nights. For several months we held three night meetings, and Sabbath services each week. Only one night had we a policeman at the door to help us keep back the disorderly element. No government license has been necessary, and even the usual taxes on our rent price are not demanded, although this is listed as a mission hall. A few nights ago we passed a place where some political speaker was condemning those in charge of public affairs, and saw the street and building watched by a large police force. This was only a few yards from our hall, on the night of our meeting. We enjoy the protection of holy angels, and are responsible only to the all-seeing God for our words.
In the month of January three sisters were baptized. On the fifth of June two brethren, heads of families, and one sister also followed in the steps of our Saviour in that sacred rite; and on September 25, seven other persons—two men, one boy of nine years, and four sisters. These, with one backslider who took his position again with us, make fourteen who have cast their lot in with the people of God this year. In all, we have twenty-five members in Portugal. There are a few others who keep the Sabbath.
We have endeavored to find work for the different members, thus to increase their interest, and also to leave ourselves free for other service. The young people's society has been distributing papers in the English, German, and Portuguese languages. In this the societies in the Eastern Pennsylvania, California, and Iowa conferences have assisted. The receipts for the three quarters just ended, obtained by the sale of papers and tracts, with subscriptions and offerings, amount to about twenty-five dollars. Expenditures for literature and a few small items were about twenty dollars. Three hundred thirteen papers were sold, 735 given away, 2,856 pages of tracts distributed among interested readers, and more than 453 hours of Christian Help work spent in treating the sick. This work keeps the members full of joy and peace.
The Sabbath-school is quite regularly attended by about thirty members, and often there are a few visitors. The primary division keeps two teachers busy. Two small cupboard doors, placed on chairs, serve as tables for the little ones. The work of fitting up with necessary articles goes slowly, yet the children, as well as teachers, are profiting by their experiences.
We have felt the hand of Satan among us, by sickness, accidents, and persecution, but have realized that God protects his children, in answer to their earnest pleadings. One of our colporteurs and his wife were very nigh unto death, on account of fever and the breaking down of their lungs; but God preserved their lives, so that they could rise from what were considered their death-beds, to be present in our Sabbath meetings. Our God responds to the prayers of his children who love him.
We are working to be able to warn this people of the soon coming of Jesus, and we ask the prayers of God's people in our behalf in this needy field.
Caxias.
Harvest Ingathering for Missions
By A. J. S. Bourdeau
“Thy people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy power, in holy array.” Ps. 110:3, A. R. V.
Special Campaign Week, Nov. 1-6.
Full Campaign Period, Nov. 1 to Dec. 31.
IN our mail received during the four days ending Tuesday, November 30, were orders calling for 7,130 copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW,—an average of 1,782 copies a day.
Mrs. C. L. Bennett, of South Dakota, sends in her “Official Solicitor’s Card” containing the names of eleven persons who donated $4.75 to missions. This, as will be seen, is an average of forty-three cents for each person.
Elder R. A. Underwood, president of the Northern Union Conference, reports that our English church in Minneapolis, Minn., has already circulated three thousand copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW. He says: “Some of the aged sisters have been out. Sister Bernstein took thirty-five copies and secured five dollars. One sister who was on her back and could not go out of the house, and some others who could not leave on account of cares in the home, have solicited from persons who have come to them, and have secured all the way from one dollar to four dollars.”14
Brother A. J. Bristol of the Review and Herald Periodical Department reports a donation of $1.50 to missions on the part of a firm with whom he has been doing business.
Brother D. K. Royer, secretary of the New Jersey Conference, reports another interesting item in connection with his personal work in behalf of funds for missions. He says: “From four persons to whom I talked I secured $3.50. I expect more, of course, as I am still keeping at it.”
Brethren Frank Hayes and N. D. Staughton, employees of the Review and Herald Publishing Association, have just received a check for ten dollars from a large firm to whom they had sent a copy of the Missions REVIEW, accompanied by an explanatory letter.
We have recently received a number of large orders from our workers in foreign fields. Our Chinese Mission orders two hundred fifty more copies of the Missions REVIEW. One of our brethren in Burma (a government prosecutor) orders four hundred copies, and a sister in another part of Burma sends for two hundred copies. The same mail brought orders for fifty additional copies from other parts of India.
We are pleased to note the systematic way in which the Harvest Ingathering Campaign was carried on by our church in Minneapolis, Minn. Writing of the matter, Elder R. A. Underwood says: “The church was divided into about twelve companies, each with a leader; and they have done more thorough work than they did last year. The city was divided into sections, different ones being assigned their territory. We believe that a large donation will come in from the entire field this year.”
Up to November 24 Sister T. D. Gibson, of the Minneapolis (Minn.) church, had secured in donations the sum of $74.25. She solicited from house to house and in the large office buildings in the main part of the city. The largest donation she received from any individual was one dollar, many being ten-cent pieces or twenty-five-cent pieces. She has circulated in all about three hundred papers, and has thus received an average of nearly twenty-five cents a copy. This is indeed a splendid record, and will prove an incentive to other active workers located in our large cities.
Brother C. H. Jones, manager of the Pacific Press Publishing Association, has just sent us the following interesting item concerning the progress of the campaign in the Mountain View (Cal.) church: “Our office was closed last Monday, November 15, and nearly all the employees went to the little towns in the Santa Clara Valley. We had some very interesting experiences. Thus far the donations amount to about one hundred fifty dollars. I have secured about fifty dollars from various merchants with whom I am acquainted, and expect still more.”
A. J. S. BOURDEAU.
The North American Foreign Department
By Ole Andres Olsen
It is well known to all that in the United States and Canada there is a very large foreign population, yet probably none of us, till we investigate the figures, are aware that so many of these peoples have come to North America.
The immigration from Europe to this continent began to be counted about 1820, but the number coming was small, averaging about eight thousand each year; but it is a matter of interest that from the year 1844 the statistics show that a rapid increase began, and for a number of years every succeeding year showed a large advance over the previous year, till we come to 1862, at which time there was a backset. But this soon changed, and the influx from all parts of Europe became greater than before, till in 1907 we saw 1,285,349 coming to our shores from all parts of Europe and Asia.
In 1900 we had in the United States, according to the government statistics, a foreign population of 25,850,980 more than one third of the entire population at that time, and since then about 7,802,030 more have come. There are cities and States where the majority of the population consists of foreigners. In Greater New York we have forty-four nationalities represented, and they constitute sixty-seven per cent of the entire population. There are other cities that have equally large proportions of foreigners, and even more. These things are matters that must be taken account of in connection with our plans to bring the last message to all the world in this generation.
There is a wonderful providence in the fact that this closing phase of the gospel work had its beginning in America. This was by no means an accident or a mere happening. God, in his all-wise providence, had reserved this Western world for a special work in connection with the closing message. The foregoing statements regarding the foreign population in this Western world bear out this idea fully, for in no other part of the world but right here could this have taken place.
It is also a matter of interest to note that it is in the very time of the last phase of this message that we have seen this great influx of people from other parts of the world to these shores, just as if the providence of God was sending them here to get the light of the truth and to receive the message of salvation before the final close of this world's history.
It is a fact of great interest that the immigration of these people to this country has, to a large extent, been the means of their being brought into contact with the last message, some of whom have accepted the truth, and then in turn have taken it to the people of their native land. This has been true of the Scandinavians, the Germans, the French, and many others. This is as God would have it, and in this way the work of the message is being greatly hastened to its final conclusion.
At the present time the work among the Germans and Scandinavians, both here and in Europe, is well advanced, and has become a source of strength in the message. But there are among us hundreds of thousands representing many large nationalities for whom but very little as yet has been done. Indeed, we have right at our own doors a foreign mission field of the greatest importance. We may question if in our efforts to reach out after people afar, we are in danger of overlooking the multitudes whom the providence of God has placed at our very doors?
Realizing all this, and seeing the importance of this very situation and the responsibilities resting on us because of this large foreign population in our midst, the General Conference has found it necessary to form a special department, to develop the work of the message among all these peoples. This is the reason for the formation of the North American Foreign Department of the General Conference.
That there is a great work to be accomplished through this department no one will question for a moment who has given the subject even a casual thought. Workers will be needed, city training missions must be established, and means must be forthcoming to carry on this work. We must earnestly work and pray that God will raise up laborers who will feel a real burden for the thousands and hundreds of thousands of these people of foreign nationalities in our cities, and we need also to pray for money with which to carry forward this work. I trust that we may sense, more and more, what the Lord would have his people do in this time of urgency, when the end of probation is so near at hand. O. A. OLSEN.
N. S. ASHTON
By N. S. Ashton
Pennsylvania
PITTSBURG.—Many will, doubtless, be interested to learn of the progress of the work in Pittsburg. After returning from General Conference, I began to prepare for the summer’s tent effort. We needed a new tent, as the one we had last year was worn out; but our conference was not able to buy one at the time, so I started out to solicit money for a new tent.
We secured the tent, which cost $214, and had it pitched, lighted nicely with electricity, and ready for meetings by the third of July.
The tent was located in a beautiful residence district, and the audiences were very good, especially on Sunday nights, when the seating capacity was not sufficient to accommodate all the people. Elder J. E. Veach helped share the burdens through the effort. Eighteen promised to keep the Sabbath and identify themselves with God’s people. We have had one baptismal service, at which time nine went forward in the solemn ordinance; eight of these came out under the tent effort.15
We expect to have another such service soon, at which time as many more expect to go forward. Sixteen young people have been added to our Sabbath-school, besides the older ones, with the result that our donations have doubled since the tent effort; our church donations have almost doubled also. Our present church building is becoming too small for our own people, and we are beginning to feel the need of a more commodious building. We feel to thank and praise our Heavenly Father for his prospering hand in the work of this great city.
