p. 9 | Warming the Cities by Clarence Santee

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 11, 1908

Warming the Cities

By Clarence Santee

CLARENCE SANTEE

There is no branch of the work that has caused more perplexity than the problem of successfully warning the cities. There is no part that calls more loudly in its pressing need. To enforce what I would say in regard to city work, I will first give to you, in brief, some of the conditions that make the call most imperative that this matter be considered now.

We were told years ago of the conditions that would prevail just before the close of this message, and how the restraining hand would be removed. Speaking of the different elements of destruction, the “Spirit of Prophecy,” Vol. I, pages 82-85, says:—

“These wonderful exhibitions will be more numerous and terrible just before the second coming of Christ, and the end of the world, as signs of its speedy destruction.” “These fiery issues have been and will be his agents to blot out from the earth very wicked cities.” “Greater wonders than have yet been seen will be witnessed by those upon the earth a short period previous to the coming of Christ.” “In the day of the Lord, just before the coming of Christ, God will send lightnings from heaven in his wrath, which will unite with fire in the earth. The mountains will burn like a furnace, and will pour forth terrible streams of lava, destroying gardens and fields, villages and cities. . . . The earth will be convulsed, and there will be dreadful eruptions and earthquakes everywhere.”

This was written more than fifty years ago. Coming down to six years ago, I read in “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VII, page 83: “The time is near when large cities will be visited by the judgments of God. In a little while, these cities will be terribly shaken. No matter how large or how strong their buildings, no matter how many safeguards against fire may have been provided, let God touch these buildings, and in a few minutes or a few hours they are in ruins. The ungodly cities of our world are to be swept away by the besom of destruction.”

Some say that the Testimonies tell of things after they have come, but not before. But since that was written, six years ago, or more, men have witnessed its fulfillment in the shaking of cities, and their destruction by fire, in a manner that has never before been witnessed.

The prophet Jeremiah says: “Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.” “Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled; suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.” Jer. 4:18, 20.

They have reached this point; and we see San Francisco, Valparaiso, and Kingston shaken down; while a city of thirty thousand at the foot of Mount Pelee was laid silent in death with one blast of the sulphurous vapors of the burning mountain. Many thousands who inhabited these cities, are now beyond reach of help. These things did not happen this way. The cities are ripe for the judgments of God.

You will remember the article from the pen of the servant of the Lord in which this statement occurs: “The destroying angels are to-day executing their commission. Death will come in all places. This is why I am so anxious for our cities to be warned. There is a work to be done by canvassing in our cities that has not been done. . . . Now is our time to work.”

If God would warn those living on the other side of the flood by Noah, Sodom by Lot, or Nineveh by Jonah, he will as surely warn the honest in these wicked cities in these last days. He has a way that it can be done. There must be faith in the breast of him who undertakes it. How can it be done the most quickly and successfully? Concerning the city work, we read, in “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VI, page 32: “The Lord has instructed us that the camp-meeting is one of the most important instrumentalities for the accomplishment of this work.” But this will accomplish little unless thorough house-to-house work is done. The best results follow when faithful house-to-house workers take a package of tracts inclosed in an envelope, and one of our missionary papers, and leave one at every house where they will be taken, giving out a paper, and saying that they will call and get the package unless, after reading, the person with whom it is left desires to keep it; if so, he can have it for five cents. The next week these workers should go over the same ground with the next issue of the paper, and a second package of tracts, taking up the first. People are not so likely to destroy the packages if they know that you will

return for them.

The third week do the same, and ask those who show interest if they would like to subscribe for the paper, at the same time giving them the third number, and calling attention to different articles. Sell packages of tracts when you can. Continue this work from week to week, broadening your route. Many will tell you that they do not desire reading after the first week; so take package No. 1, and go on with it to others, and take a new paper. One of the best Bible workers we have had in Texas has been using a club of Watchman for months. As soon as two or three workers have all they can visit of interested readers, place a tent in the locality, the workers going to all who have stood by them in reading, and inviting them to come and hear. Unless the Bible worker takes up the paper work, she will find it slow work warning the cities, as she can hold but from one to two readings a week with each person, taking months to give a short line of this truth, and reaching but few families.

Giving readings, interesting the people, and getting permanent reading into their hands, will reach many more. Where a paper route has been successfully established, it will accomplish much good, but there are few who have the qualifications that make this permanent. Where we have persons who succeed here, they should feel that it is the work to which the Lord has called them, and should yield it for no other unless the call is unquestionable. I have found few who were successful in that alone.

You may ask, Have you tried the plan you have marked out?—I have. Encouraged by the president of a conference several years ago to enter an ultra-Catholic city of sixty-eight thousand inhabitants, I took some young people, untrained, for house-to-house workers, and quite thoroughly tried this plan. In connection with the house-to-house work, we had a tent-meeting. Every house in that city, almost nine miles in length, was offered reading. Many took it. Twenty-nine accepted the truth that summer, seven the next winter, and fifteen more the next spring. It was largely those who accepted reading who came into the truth later. These young workers became canvassers and did not know it. They sold many books.

We have left the paper work largely to the churches or to individuals. But I do not know any better way to use conference means than to supply the workers sent into our cities with our papers.

I read in Vol. VIII, page 31, of the Testimonies these words: “Let not the fields lying in the shadows of our doors, such as the great cities in our land, be lightly passed over and neglected. These fields are fully as important as any foreign field. God’s encouraging message of mercy should be proclaimed in the cities of America.”

In addition to our papers and tracts, different books treating on present truth should be placed in as many homes as possible. “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation” is a book that convicts if read. Scholars are attracted to it, and the uneducated find in it a key to open to their understanding the hard parts of the Bible. Our papers, tracts, and books must do the larger part in preparing the way in the cities; and the minister and Bible worker must watch and water the seed, and care for the tender plants.

Keene, Texas.