p. 547 | OUR CHURCHES by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 8, 1881

OUR CHURCHES.

By John Norton Loughborough

BY ELD. S. N. HASKELL.

THE characters of those settling in the border states east of the Rocky mountains, and those in California bear a strong resemblance. They are usually of the enterprising class. They have had some definite object in coming to the western world to live. It has been in the pursuit of health, to better their financial condition, or because they are tired with the same routine of many generations. They thus break away from old associations, and seek some new country, and form new acquaintances. Whatever may be the motive that leads them to leave the home of their childhood they manifest different traits of character than those who occupy the old homestead where their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers lived and died. To such the trees, shrubs, and the very rocks are endeared by former associations, and become additional ties to hold them where they are. For such to leave the home of their forefathers and seek a new country, thousands of miles distant, would give an aching heart this world could not relieve.

To become Christians and embrace the present truth does not always change the desire to find some different location to live. Many of the churches on the Pacific Coast are composed largely of this class. A company of believers is raised up and continues a few years, and sometimes but a few months, when some move away, until at last the church organization is no more.

There are reasons why cities like San Francisco and Oakland are missionary fields, and the churches must be kept supplied with new recruits, which do not exist to the same extent in the country.

If our brethren felt to a greater degree the responsibility of keeping up the church organizations by their presence and personal influence, and realized that upon this depends the salvation of souls and the general prosperity of the cause, it would to some extent remedy the difficulty. The question of moving from a church where their numbers are few, should be one of serious consideration. It should not be one of personal interest simply to gratify selfish feelings, but the question should be, Will the move better glorify God, and advance the cause we have espoused? We are not our own but have been purchased by the precious blood of Christ, and have yielded ourselves to be his servants and serve him. There are therefore moral claims that we should recognize in our moves.

Our brethren and sisters should be instructed in the missionary work, to labor for the salvation of others. The missionary work is more than to simply give away a few tracts and papers; individual cases should be made especial subjects of the united prayer and personal labor of the church. The deepest sympathy should be felt on the part of the church for those whom they labor. And personal responsibility should be cultivated. This will give a spirit of rest and stability that will strengthen and build up the cause in the various localities where companies of our brethren live.

Again, when an interest is once awakened, and a few have been led to take their stand, they should not be left and a new field opened until they have become established in all points of present truth. If it is possibly consistent, a meeting-house should be built and paid for. This will give permanency to the work. Much is lost in leaving the work too soon. And if a meeting-house is built, the time for it is when the first interest is the highest, after a sufficient number have taken their stand to warrant it. God's building should not be left in debt. Better mortgage your homes, than the house dedicated to the worship of the Creator of the heavens and the earth. A public house of worship free from debt will have an influence to gather those of our faith as well as others.

Another consideration is that of selecting fields of labor. Our ministers, those of experience especially, should consider those churches that have become weakened by loss of members. Ten added to a healthy, working church, where they may be educated to labor, are worth more than twenty in a new field, left to themselves, without having been thoroughly converted.

If a large proportion of our ministerial labor were spent in our churches in California during this coming winter, bringing the members up upon the different features of our faith, and at the same time obtaining additions to the membership, it would be well. The members of our churches should second the efforts of the minister by proper missionary effort. There is no reason why the membership of the California Conference cannot be doubled this present Conference year. While the cause itself becomes far more permanent, by proper effort.

This is true missionary work; it is the work of the gospel. Better educate a hundred to labor for others than simply convert a hundred to theory, without a spirit of labor for others. God will second every wise and judicious effort to build up his cause on earth.

He will bless his ministers, and encourage the missionary workers. Let the new field be prepared by our missionary workers, with the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and other reading matter, while our churches see that they come up individually upon every feature of our work, feeling a responsibility for each other, and we shall see of the salvation of God.