p. 24 | Review and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 40. (8/12/1915)

Earlier text: Colporteurs’ Summary for June, 1915

The New “Gospel Workers”

This book, from the pen of Mrs. E. G. White, is just from the press, and is full of the most helpful and timely instructions, not only for regularly employed conference laborers, but for every Seventh-day Adventist; for each member is to have some part in the closing work, and the study of this book will be especially helpful in enabling one to labor to the best advantage and most successfully.

The book is divided into twelve sections, and each section is subdivided with appropriate headings, as follows:—

SECTION I

Called With a Holy Calling

In Christ’s Stead — The Sacredness of the Work — The Field Is the World — The Minister’s Responsibility — The Outlook.

SECTION II

Ministers of Righteousness

Christ Our Example — Christ as a Teacher — A Lesson for Our Time — Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.

SECTION III

The Needed Preparation

Young Men in the Ministry — The Youth to Be Burden-Bearers — Education for Missionary Work — Young Men as Missionaries — Voice Training for Workers — “Study to Show Thyself Approved” — Canvassing as an Education for the Ministry — Bible Study Necessary to Efficiency — Young Ministers to Labor With Older Ministers — The Young Minister.

SECTION IV

Qualifications

Consecration — Tactfulness — The Grace of Courtesy — Propriety of Deportment — The Social Relations — Decision and Promptness — Gathering the Fruit — A Dream — Essentials to Service.

SECTION V

The Minister in the Pulpit

“Preach the Word” — Breaking the Bread of Life to Souls — Preaching Christ — Righteousness by Faith — Counsel to an Evangelist — Practical Suggestions — Carefulness in Manners and Dress — Public Prayer.

SECTION VI

The Under-Shepherd

The Good Shepherd — Personal Ministry — The Shepherd’s Work — Bible Readings With Families — The Value of Individual Effort — A Division of Labor — The Minister’s Wife — The Minister in His Home — “Feed My Lambs” — Prayer for the Sick — Teaching the People to Be Liberal — The Support of the Gospel — The Influence of Diet Upon Health — Ministers to Teach Health Reform — How to Present the Principles of Health Reform — The Minister and Manual Work — Our Duty to Preserve Health — Danger From Overwork.

SECTION VII

Helps in Gospel Work

Bible Study — Secret Prayer — Faith — Courage — How God Trains His Workers — Take Time to Talk With God — Our Greatest Need. Self-Examination — Self-Improvement — The Holy Spirit — Development and Service.

SECTION VIII

Dangers

The Danger of Rejecting Light — A Warning Against False Teaching — Sound Doctrine — Fanaticism — Self-Confidence — Words of Caution — No Respect of Persons With God — Seclusion — Ministers and Commercial Business.

SECTION IX

Methods

Labor in the Cities — Counsel Regarding the Work in Cities — Medical Missionary Work in Cities — The City Mission Training School — Thoroughness — Meeting Opposition — Discussions Not to Be Sought — Defective Methods — The Temperance Work — Religious Liberty — Our Attitude in Regard to Politics — Work for the Jews — Importance of the Camp Meeting — Less Preaching, More Teaching — Sowing and Reaping.

SECTION X

Conference Responsibilities

Conference Presidents — Ministers and Business Matters — Care for Workers — Houses of Worship — Examination for the Ministry — Ordination — Business Meetings — Proper Remuneration for Ministers — A Wise Distribution of Means — Economy in Mission Work — The Regions Beyond.

SECTION XI

In Relation With One Another

In Contact With Others — Varied Gifts — Unity in Diversity — The Spirit of Independence — Consideration for Those Struggling With Difficulties — “Consider One Another.” — Church Discipline.

SECTION XII

Closing Words

Power for Service — The Reward of Service.

This book is printed on an excellent quality of thin paper, thus making it convenient to handle or carry; and is bound in two styles: full cloth, $1.00; flexible leather, $1.50.

Holding to the Fundamentals

It should be remarked in connection with the article “Contending for the Faith,” in the Editorial department, that any additional light which the Lord may be pleased to reveal from his Holy Word will not contravene the light which has already been given. There are certain fundamental, well-defined principles which lie at the foundation of this movement. They are plainly taught in the Scriptures of Truth. They constitute the basis of faith in the third angel’s message. Any theories which may lead away from these fundamental principles should be discarded at the outset as unscriptural, and therefore unsound.

Dr. Lyman Beecher once warned a class of young divinity students to beware of speculation. He stated that he had sometimes indulged in it, but before venturing out into the great sea of speculative philosophy he had made fast to some stump of doctrine which had stood on the shore and resisted the wind and tide for long years. Then he cautiously ventured forth. If there came along a breaker and overwhelmed him so that he lost his footing, he pulled in on the rope and soon got back to solid ground.

Let us make fast to the landmarks, the great fundamental principles of the truth of God; and when we find that our study is leading us away from these principles, let us pull in on the rope and get back to firm footing once more.

A FURTHER word from Russia, this time from Brother Reinke, at Petrograd, is written May 25, says: “About a month ago our only Russian minister in this city was put in prison, and the library books of all four churches were taken away to be examined. The most of these have been returned. No one is allowed to visit this brother except his wife, and this only by special permission once a week. His money, books, etc., were taken away. He may be in custody for some time to come. Thus far I have been free from being visited. Last Friday an order was issued by the city governor to stop at once all our meetings in this city. Since the order was served on us not earlier than Saturday night, we were enabled to have a quiet Sabbath, and a most spiritual one, although not knowing what was awaiting us the next day. The same has been done in two other cities recently. No meetings are allowed. There is a tendency to close all the sectarian meetings in the land. The word of God in Rom. 8:31 is still true. “As one man, we seek at set times the Lord in fasting and prayer. Though there is a heavy pressure resting upon us, still we are quiet and confident that the great God, who permitted all this to come upon us, has a good lesson for us, and will in this his time turn all to our best good. He has ways and means by which to finish his work, and we trust him for them.”

Conventions and New Territory

AN interesting and profitable educational and Missionary Volunteer convention was concluded in Takoma Park last week. Representatives were in attendance from various conferences composing the Atlantic and Columbia Unions. Elder Meade MacGuire was present from the field, and together with Profs. Frederick Griggs and M. E. Kern, heads of the Educational and Missionary Volunteer Departments, and Prof. W. E. Howell, carried the burden of instruction. These brethren have now gone to a similar convention to be held in Graysville, Tenn.

F. A. Detamore reports a visit to Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malay Peninsula, where he spent a few weeks. This is new territory for the third angel's message. He baptized a young man and his mother, and had some Bible studies with other interested ones. It is hoped that a Chinese evangelist may soon be sent to follow up the work.

W. A. Spicer Leaves Cape Town

BROTHER W. A. SPICER left Cape Town July 24, on his homeward trip, after touring the South African mission fields.

Malaysian Mission Harvest Ingathering

THE MALAYSIAN MISSION reports $370 gathered as the result of their Harvest ingathering effort last year. This certainly is good. They purpose ordering a good supply of the Missions Signs for further work this year.

Mrs. Irwin Takes a Vacation

MRS. G. A. IRWIN is taking a vacation from her work at the Loma Linda Sanitarium, spending several weeks at the Washington Sanitarium in Tacoma Park. Sister Irwin has quite fully recovered from her severe fall of a year ago, and is enjoying excellent health.

R. T. Baer Appointed to Argentina

LAST week Wednesday, Elder R. T. Baer and family passed through Washington on their way to New York, en route to Argentina, South America. Brother Baer has been released from the presidency of the Chesapeake Conference, to take the presidency of the Argentine Conference, which has been without a president since the death of Brother Haak. These workers will receive a hearty welcome to their new field of labor, where the harvest is ripe and waiting for the reapers.

C. E. Peckover Trusts in the Lord

A LETTER from Elder C. E. Peckover, of Boulder, Colo., who is putting up a brave fight against disease, reports that his hope is in the Lord, and that he feels of good courage, although denied the great joy of his life in having an active part in connection with this closing work. Brother Peckover hopes that he is making some progress, although he is far from strong.

Annual Meetings in Denmark and Norway

WE have received from Brother Erik Arnsen an interesting report of the annual meetings recently held in Denmark and Norway. He says: “It was a source of great satisfaction to notice the reports presented at each of these annual meetings, showing that the war situation had not, as many of us had feared, crippled our work financially in the various conferences. Almost without exception tithes and offerings had increased, in some conferences very substantially. At the services the servants of God seemed to be impressed to speak to our people plain truths for this hour. The message of the Laodicean church received considerable attention. We have reason to believe that the meetings will prove a spiritual uplift to our people in these fields. May God give life and growth to the seed sown.” The complete report will be published soon.

American Bible Society Distribution Record

DURING the past year the American Bible Society distributed 6,388,717 volumes, which is an increase over the previous year of 1,137,541. This surpasses anything done by the society in its history of ninety-nine years. Since its founding, the society has circulated 109,908,608 copies of the Bible or parts of the Testaments. The large increase of the past year is partly due to the extraordinary progress in the missionary fields of the Far East. Translations of the Bible into the tongues of many peoples and revisions of old translations are going on vigorously and systematically. A new translation of the whole Bible in Portuguese, for use in Brazil, has been completed; a revision of a Bible translation in Spanish is going on, to be completed as far as the New Testament probably next year, and revisions for use of the Chinese and Japanese. Then work is progressing on the Scriptures in the tongues of the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, and the Zulus of South Africa.

J. E. Fulton Visits the Far East

ELDER J. E. FULTON, president of the Australasian Union Conference, in a company with Elder Daniells, visited Japan, Korea, and China, and he writes as follows from aboard a steamship in the China Sea, under date of May 19: “It has been a great privilege for me to go over this country with Brother Daniells. It has been a great eye opener to me. What a mighty work is to be done in this part of the field! How much the power of God is needed for finishing our work! Many of us are so self-satisfied, when we should be crying out to God for baptism of his Spirit, without which we can never accomplish the task before us.” Brother Fulton is now in America. He will visit some of our camp meetings and attend the General and North American Division Council at Loma Linda, Cal., during the month of November.