A GENERAL SURVEY by W. A. Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 26, 1908

A GENERAL SURVEY

By W. A. Spicer

OF THE FIELD

Survey of Our Mission Fields

IN every continent increasing thousands are taking up the cry of the soon coming of the Lord, and giving the message, “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.”

What is the meaning of this movement? The answer is found in Rev. 14: 6-14. Nearly two thousand years ago the prophet was given a view of the closing gospel work in the last days. He saw a movement rising and spreading “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” bearing the message, “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” Of the people giving that message, he wrote: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

MARKETING GRAIN AT THE SOLUSI STATION, MATABELELAND

When the hour of God’s judgment came, in 1844, this movement began, and the Seventh-day Adventist people, keeping the commandments of God, the fourth commandment included, have been raised up in the providence of God to bear the warning of the judgment hour and the message of Sabbath reform to the world. When that message has been carried to all nations, “then shall the end come,” as the Saviour has promised.

EMPLOYEES OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRACT SOCIETY, HAMBURG

What John the Revelator saw in vision, we see fulfilling before our eyes to-day. Observers looking on are impressed by the wide extension of the movement. The New York Christian Advocate (Methodist) said, not long ago: “Small though the denomination still is, it has its missionaries scattered through every region of the globe.”

In Europe our work has a foothold in every country except the little principality of Montenegro, and now Europe is joining our North American organizations in sending missionaries and money into the great mission fields of the world.

From Europe our line of mission stations stretches out into Siberia and Central Asia and Turkey. Mission stations in Japan, Korea, China, Burma, and India complete the circuit of Asia, though there is in the line many a wide gap to be filled in speedily.

Australia and New Zealand constitute a strong union conference, which is now sending means and missionaries into Polynesia and the East Indies.

This work is pushing into Africa from the north and west and south and east. In every country of South America, permanent work is established, save in Colombia and Venezuela, where only initial steps have been taken. In the West Indies, and in the Catholic fields of Mexico and Central America, four thousand Seventh-day Adventist believers are carrying forward an aggressive work.

Thus in every continent, and in the islands of the sea, the message of the soon coming of the Lord is being proclaimed. The more widely it is spread, the more urgent are the calls for help.

Thus from far Sumatra, of the East Indies, comes the cry of a Battak lad seeking a training for service: “My mind is fully made up, and it is this: This message ought to go to my people.”

From a remote interior point in Chile, South America, a letter came to the Valparaiso office: “Dear brother, no one visits us here, no one enlightens us, no one explains to us, neither do we understand what we should do.”

From over in Korea came the message to our superintendent in Japan: “We now believe and desire to be baptized. Dear brother, when you read this, hasten and take a boat and come to us.”

Among the Santal hills of West Bengal, India, the people thronged our medical missionary workers, asking help for loved ones. Kneeling, and grasping the feet of a nurse, a woman cried, saying, “My poor husband! can not you help him?”

A heathen African woman wept as she came to one of our native teachers, saying, “I am a great sinner. Can God receive me?”

An old Chinese woman inquired anxiously of one of our missionaries, “I have been a sinner for sixty years. Can I be saved now?”

From an unevangelized field in Japan one of our Japanese brethren had the message, “Come and teach us about the true God.” He says: “I sent the word, ‘I will come.’ This word was like a signal-gun: soon invitations came from all directions so that I could not answer them all. Day after day, from early in the morning until midnight I continued to teach. It was like throwing a piece of bread into a pond among hungry fishes.”

The spokesman of a delegation from East Bengal said to our missionary in Calcutta: “We must return to our village, and what shall we tell those who sent us here? How soon can you send help?”

An African village sent the word to one of our stations in Matabeleland: “If you send teachers here, we will become like little children again, so that we can learn. O, send us teachers!”

PROTESTANT MISSIONARIES AND CONVERTS IN PORTUGAL

The king of one of the Fiji Islands said to our workers: “Push ahead this truth, and let it be established here. Let it come. Be not afraid of those who oppose.” What encouraging words!

Thus we hear the Macedonian cry from all the ends of the earth, calling for this definite message of the soon coming of Christ in power and glory. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” W. A. SPICER, Secretary of S. D. A. Mission Board.