Untitled article by Arthur G. Daniells

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 1, 1910

Our Work for the Cities—No. 5

By Arthur G. Daniells

FROM the considerations to which attention has been called in this series of articles, it is plain that the earnest appeals which have come to this denomination in behalf of the masses in the cities, mean far more than we at first see and understand. This call means more than the appropriation of money to the large cities. It means more than the holding of tent and hall meetings by a few able speakers in our leading cities. It means more than to conduct city missions in a few large cities in the United States.

This call means all this and much more. It is a call to a broad, well-organized evangelistic campaign throughout the world. It is a call to do the most important part of all gospel work; namely, to preach the gospel.

When Jesus began his public work, he directed the people to the prophecy of himself which says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, ‘because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel,’” and he said, “This day is this scripture fulfilled.” During his ministry he selected men, and sent them out to preach the message of salvation; and when about to return to heaven, he commanded his disciples to go “into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Paul declared that it has “pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe,” and added, “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.”

The preaching of the gospel is the fundamental part of gospel work. It precedes all other phases of that work. It is that which makes disciples, and adds to the church daily such as are being saved. All other work is built upon this. All the administrative and institutional work of the church springs from the results of preaching the gospel. However good and important the administrative and institutional work may be, it can never take the place of the purely evangelical work. That must go on, or the other departments, growing out of its results, will become of no effect in advancing the cause of Christ.

In the history of our own cause we find lessons of great value regarding this question. The pioneers gave their lives wholly to the proclamation of the gospel as it was revealed to them in the three-fold message of Revelation 14. This led to the most earnest, prayerful study of the Word, and to a close and continuous association with the people. Their preaching convinced hearers, and led them to accept the message. As they pressed forward with their work, and believers increased, they began to feel the need of agencies which they could use to multiply their forces, efficiency, and results. This brought the printing-office, the school, the sanitarium, and organization. But all these were designed by the pioneers to be tools in their hands for the hastening of the work they had set themselves to do; namely, to preach the everlasting gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people in all the world.

It was never thought by those who launched these administrative and institutional features, that they could take the place of the evangelical work that had been carried forward; but the tendency has ever been for institutional work either to take the place of, or paralyze, evangelical work. The formal, business, mechanical duties, needed in the carrying on of organized work and institutions, are more compatible with the natural heart, and can be performed without special spiritual attainments; whereas, successful evangelical work can

not be done without much study of the Word, earnest prayer, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. For these reasons the tendency is to swing toward the formal, mechanical, official part of the work, to the neglect of the more spiritual, evangelistic phase.

Ten years ago a reorganization was called for. We were told that our administrative circle was too small, that the management of our world-wide work was being carried on by too few minds, and that as a result the progress of our cause was being hindered.

In response to this counsel we entered upon the task of thorough reorganization in our administrative methods in both conference and institutional affairs. Earnest, conscientious endeavors have been made by our brethren in positions of responsibility to adjust all these affairs in harmony with the counsel given; and any one who will give the situation as it was ten years ago, and as it is today, careful study, must admit that no mistake was made in the call for reorganization.

But in our efforts at reorganization we have not given due attention to the development of the evangelistic work. We have not given that phase of our cause the prominence it should have had. We have not emphasized this side as we should in our schools and conferences. We have not lifted it to the exalted place it should hold in the estimation of our young people. We have not made the earnest efforts we should to find and develop the most simple, economical, successful methods of working. Most important of all, we have not cultivated as we should the spiritual side of this work.

Now the call comes to take up this neglected work; for all this is involved in the call to enter upon this world-wide evangelistic work in the cities. While we deeply regret our past neglect, we respond most heartily to the call in behalf of the city evangelistic work. A committee of seventeen members has been appointed to give special attention to this work, and twelve thousand dollars has been appropriated to a number of conferences to develop the work in their large cities. Two city missions—one for the English and the other for foreigners—have been opened in New York City. Comprehensive plans have been laid for a forward move, which it is hoped will result in great good.

Sabbath, September 17, is to be a day of fasting and prayer in behalf of this movement. The undertaking is a tremendous one. Much more is to be done than is here suggested, and we are in deep need of divine help. Surely those who long for the success and speedy triumph of this cause will join in this effort.

A. G. DANIELLS.