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An Earnest Appeal

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 2, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 59.

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An Earnest Appeal

By A. G. DANIELLS; I. H. EVANS; W. A. SPICER; G. B. THOMPSON

LOMA LINDA, CAL., Nov. 22, 1915.
To Our Devoted and Beloved People in North America, Greeting.
The General and North American Division Conference Committees, with representatives of the cause of present truth from this and other countries, numbering more than one hundred and fifty, in session at Loma Linda, Cal., greatly desire that the inspiration and spiritual uplift of this world's council might reach all our people.
Isa. 54:2, 3, is certainly now being fulfilled, especially in foreign mission fields, where hundreds, yea, thousands, from the midnight of heathenism are rejoicing in the saving power of the third angel's message, some of whom have recently been ordained to the gospel ministry, and nearly one thousand of whom are workers in the different departments of this cause. Surely we can now say, in the words of the psalmist, “God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” Ps. 74:12.
A new time has come. A new thing is taking place. The hour has struck which calls upon us to “enlarge the place of thy tent, . . . stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.”
The work in the Far East has outgrown all plans that have heretofore been laid. A measure has just passed the council, forming the Orient, Australasia, and the Pacific island world into a great Far Eastern Division.
This council feels profoundly impressed that, as stated in “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IX, page 117, “The work of God in this earth can never be finished until the men and women comprising our church membership rally to the work, and unite their efforts with those of ministers and church officers.”
We therefore make this appeal to you to arise, and, with us, rally to meet the demands of the great opportunity which the opening providence of God has placed before us.
We appeal to you personally, individually, to push the Harvest Ingathering campaign right up to the end of the year. The Lord has promised that “the wealth of the Gentiles” shall come to us. The great Far Eastern world is calling loudly for means. “The world is to receive the light of truth through an evangelizing ministry of the word in our books and periodicals.”—Vol. IX, page 61.
“Let us now, by the wise use of periodicals and books, preach the word with determined energy, that the world may understand the message that Christ gave to John on the isle of Patmos.”—Id., page 62.
Surely here is a great opportunity for every member of the church to engage in this blessed ministry, by placing the message-filled Harvest Ingathering Signs in the hands of the people, and soliciting from them donations for our mission work.
“The battle cry is sounding along the line. Let every soldier of the cross push to the front.” “A work similar to that which the Lord did through his delegated messengers after the day of Pentecost he is waiting to do today.”—Vol. VII, pages 17, 33.
We are deeply solicitous that our soon-coming week of prayer, December 11-18, shall be an occasion of deep searching of heart, putting sin out of the life, and earnestly seeking God for the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The time in which we are living demands it. In Australia, South Africa, and some other countries there are already stringent laws compelling every boy above the age of fourteen years to take military training. This takes the boys of our people away from their homes and their parents at that tender age, and throws them into wicked associations. This is a terrible trial to our people in those countries. The conditions foretold in Volume IX, pages 43 and 44, are rapidly developing. We may be sure that similar experiences await us in this country. Let us, in this time of peace, enter into a covenant with God, that his protection may be thrown around us and our children when the time of test comes to us.
We do not know how to express in words the deep anxiety of our hearts that our people rally to the financial support of our missions, and that every church in this country meet its full apportionment of twenty cents a week per member for the year 1915. The needs of the ever-widening mission fields demand it. Surely they are worthy of our best efforts.
Dear brethren and sisters, will you not join with us in seeking a fuller consecration of our lives to the Master, and in a great soul-winning campaign that will end in the speedy finishing of this work? May God richly bless you in your response to this rallying call.
By unanimous vote of the council in regular session.
A. G. DANIELLS, Pres. Gen. Conf.;
I. H. EVANS, Pres. N. Am. Div. Conf.;
W. A. SPICER, Sec. Gen. Conf.;
G. B. THOMPSON, Sec. N. Am. Div. Conf.