Editorial by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 8, 1910

Editorial

By Editor

Into the Market-Place

It is the eleventh hour in our work, and the Lord of the harvest is searching the market-places for laborers.

I am glad to see in the REVIEW the appeals from the brethren for strong young people to come into the Foreign Mission Seminary for a little time, on their way to the fields; so that, by study and association, the right decisions may be reached as to the fitness of each individual worker for the various places that call for help.

We had hoped to make up a good list of candidates in Europe. But the growing work in Europe and in the mission fields which are directly served from Europe, keeps our brethren here at their wits' end to supply the calls. The vice-president for the Asiatic Division hoped we might find some strong young evangelistic laborers for the Orient at this British Union meeting. There are some here—just the kind we like to send. But it is agreed that we can not, in justice to the home fields, draw out any more workers at present. This union has in recent times sent eight into East Central Africa, five to India, others to South America, and a number of workers have recently returned to the United States. Now, with a redistribution of the forces, for a united effort to press a vigorous campaign forward in every part of Great Britain and Ireland, every available worker is needed at his post. A little later the workers will respond; for they are here, and will be happy to go.

Young people of good experience in the work are needed in the Foreign Mission Seminary, to join in seeking God definitely to know just what particular call they are best fitted to respond to. We shall not fill all the posts and find no more need to call for workers. The more workers sent out, who are builders indeed, the more the field enlarges, and the greater the need. With the growing work in Europe, our training centers here are continually under pressure to supply the help called for.

The school at Friedensau has been enlarged, and yet, with all the increase in numbers, the presidents of German union conferences are praying earnestly for more laborers. In Scandinavia the school work has recently been enlarged. And here in the British Union, the brethren have just dedicated a fine new college building, the erection of which gives the British school its first real school building. Well may our brethren rejoice at this. And we of America rejoice with them; for this school, even without a proper building, has been sending well-trained young people into the distant mission fields, and now will be able to do still better work.

The building at the Watford headquarters is a model of the substantial and practical in school construction. The Lord has blessed the brethren as they have worked for the funds, and also the committee and the architect, Brother W. C. Sisley, in planning the details. The cost was just under twenty-five thousand dollars; and under one roof are accommodations for chapel, schoolrooms, and living-rooms for about eighty boarding students, and a hundred day students besides. The brethren in America raised ten thousand dollars toward the cost; and with the co-operation of the believers here and of the printing-office, the new building was dedicated absolutely free of debt.

There was a large attendance at the British Union Conference. While revision of lists leaves no great gain in membership, there has been actual gain, and the financial reports show splendid gains. Old believers and newer ones unite in dedicating themselves to God for the 'finishing of the work.' That is the phrase that rings in all our souls to-day.

The third angel's message wears well. Here were some of the first believers in Britain—from Ulceby, Grimsby, Southampton, Bath, Kettering, Wellingboro, and London, which, twenty years ago, made up about the full list of companies. And none are more earnest and hopeful for the speedy finishing of the work than these who have for thirty or twenty years been rejoicing in the truth. The message never grows old. It is alive, and lives and grows in the believing heart, becoming more precious every year that passes.

The importance of looking after the children in Sabbath-school and church is freshly emphasized with me as I meet again the children of the earlier days of our work in England. They were Sabbath-school children then. A few years only have passed, and here they are, nurses, teachers, Bible workers, ministers, bearing burdens in the cause. So ought it to be, with the passing of only a few years, with many thousands of children now in our Sabbath-schools.

But just now, this year and next, the calls must be answered by young people ready to go at short notice. I do pray for that the calls the brethren at Takoma Park are making for young people of good experience in the work to come to the Foreign Mission Seminary this year will be responded to, and that the Lord of the harvest will thrust out the right ones to answer present calls. Let every soul be sure he is in the market-place of the wide world's need at this eleventh hour.

Watford, England.

W. A. S.