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Our Obligations to the Cause of God

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 28, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 48.

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Our Obligations to the Cause of God

By W. T. Knox

The psalmist, contemplating the Lord's dealings with him, and the many mercies bestowed upon him, was led to exclaim, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?” While David's life had the full share of the vicissitudes common to the lot of man, yet in them all he found it in his heart to render praise to his God for the blessings so freely granted; this, too, whether sitting upon the throne, surrounded by his courtiers, admirers, and friends, or fleeing from his enemies led by an unnatural son and a disloyal servant and false friend. In all circumstances, he found abundant occasion to praise the Lord; and in summing it all up, he reached the conclusion that “goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,” whether in the midst of the green pastures of plenty and the peacefulness of still waters, or in the turbulent scenes of warfare, or even in the presence or the shadow of death; and as he thought upon the question raised in his mind, notwithstanding he had gathered a fabulous store of gold and silver, brass and iron, wood and stone, for the building of the house of God, yet he was constrained to admit that there was nothing he could render in return for the benefits received but to “take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord,” or, in other words, to continue to place himself in a receptive attitude toward the mercies of God.
It is fitting that we frequently review the Lord's dealings with us. How manifold are his blessings! He not only gladdens our hearts by the material blessings that are renewed to us day by day, and by the spiritual blessings bestowed so abundantly, but also by the wonderful successes attending our efforts in cooperation with him in giving to the world a knowledge of his truth and purposes concerning man, which are so soon to be accomplished.
CHAPEL, OFFICES, AND PRINTING PLANT, SHANGHAI, CHINA
CHAPEL, OFFICES, AND PRINTING PLANT, SHANGHAI, CHINA
REAR VIEW OF HOMES FOR FOREIGN WORKERS IN SHANGHAI, CHINA
REAR VIEW OF HOMES FOR FOREIGN WORKERS IN SHANGHAI, CHINA
FRONT VIEW OF HOMES FOR FOREIGN WORKERS IN SHANGHAI, CHINA
FRONT VIEW OF HOMES FOR FOREIGN WORKERS IN SHANGHAI, CHINA
Nothing brings greater comfort and courage to his people than to see the wonderful progress made in our missionary efforts during the past two decades. Country after country has been entered by the messengers of truth, many of them previously lying in the grossest darkness of heathenism. In some of them to-day we have a strongly organized and progressive work established, and there remain but a very few of the nations of earth that have not witnesses of the truth among them. This has not been accomplished without self-sacrifice on the part of the faithful workers who are pioneering this great movement, in many instances at the cost of health, and even life.
But ever God's cause has been onward, until now we can by the eye of faith see a completed work in this generation. But this can be accomplished only by the continued sacrifice and greatly augmented devotion of the people of God. This spirit the Lord will honor with his blessing, and crown with success.
The Mission Board is greatly rejoiced that through the liberality of the people, they have been able to supply our brethren in these difficult fields with some facilities to render their work easier. Modest printing plants, school buildings, and dispensaries have been established, and the health and the lives of our brethren in heathen lands have been made a little more secure by the sanitary homes that have been provided. This work is only begun, however. We must expect, with our ever-expanding missionary effort, that renewed appeals for more homes, more means, and more consecrated men and women to enter the fields will be made upon us. All this will be to us, however, but additional evidence of the soon-coming final triumph of God's message, and the going home of all his people.
During 1912, we have undertaken to secure in mission offerings $500,000, in order that the work might be properly cared for. The first of November, with but two months of the year remaining, we find we have $200,000 of this amount yet to raise. The General Conference Committee, in planning for the work for 1913, has recently appropriated $525,000 for this purpose, and the appeals for additional help are still being received from the fields. In view of these things, it would be well for each one, in these closing days of the year, which are so generally characterized by at least formal thanksgiving, when the full fruitage of a prosperous year is fresh in our minds, with the urgent needs of the cause we love before us, to join with the psalmist in his query, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?” The Lord gives us answer: “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase.” The blessings of the year, the great need inthe world for the light and salvation of God's truth, all call at this time for far greater devotion and more bountiful liberality than have yet been seen among us.
W. T. KNOX.