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Thanksgiving

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 29, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 44.

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Thanksgiving

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

We are nearing our eternal release from the bondage of sin, and, just as God permitted the Israelites to take the wealth of the Egyptians in order that they might have the necessary means to build the sanctuary and carry forward the Lord’s work, so God would be pleased for us to gather means from the world around us to carry forward the closing work of this great message.
The “God of Israel” is not dead, and he who anciently “gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required,” will go before his people during our Thanksgiving campaign, and will give them such things as they require to carry forward this glorious work.
All the silver and the gold belong to the Lord, and he can impress those not of our faith to give of their money to support his work in the earth, just as easily as he can impress our hearts to go forth and ask for money.
Let none feel timid about asking strangers to give for the support of our foreign missionary work. The Lord has promised that “strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,” and “the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls.” Why not give them an opportunity to fulfil this prophecy next month by going to these strangers with the special number of the REVIEW AND HERALD, showing them that the Lord has a mighty work going forward in the earth, and that he needs their money to accomplish it?
It was the wealth of the heathen, united with the faithful work of God’s people, that anciently enabled Nehemiah to complete the building of the wall in fifty-two days. Nehemiah depended upon this help from strangers, or he would never have made the following request before he started in his work:—
If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah; and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city.
Nehemiah did not hesitate to ask a heathen king not only to aid the Lord’s work himself, but also to have the governors assist in the work.
For years we have read Isa. 60: 1-5, and have expected the time would come when “the wealth of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.” Why not see the beginning of the fulfilment of this prophecy in a marked manner next month by going to the strangers with the special REVIEW AND HERALD, giving them a chance to “minister unto thee”?
This is a new departure in our work, an advance move, an evidence that we are nearing the completion of the work. Let us go forward, brethren, press the battle to the gates, and share in the final triumph of the third angel’s message.
S. N. HASKELL.