The Week of Prayer by Arthur G. Daniells

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 10, 1908

The Week of Prayer

By Arthur G. Daniells

The week of prayer for 1908 is upon us. Never have we had greater reason for devoting a week to thanksgiving and supplication to our Father in heaven than at this time. The Lord has been very gracious to his people during the year just closing.

The year 1908 will go into history as a panic year in America, and a revolutionary year in many parts of the world. But amid political and commercial upheavals, God’s people and cause have enjoyed a large measure of blessing and prosperity. The statistical reports now coming in from all parts of our world-wide field show the greatest progress in all features of our work that has been recorded for years.

The manifestation of such love and care and power should lead every one connected with the cause of the third angel’s message to take an active part in this week of praise and prayer. While we should not forget the goodness of the Lord during the past year, we should send up earnest, united prayer for the continuance of these blessings. From a human view-point, the outlook is alarming. Complications of a most serious character are taking place in all parts of the world. The Lord alone can control affairs so that his cause can prosper. But we know from his Word, and from what we have witnessed, that he can do this. And earnest, united, unceasing prayer should be made by God’s people for the triumph of his cause.

With such praying there should be a full consecration of all we are and all we have to him for service. The cause of God must have the time, the service, and the means of his people. It would be folly to pray for the advancement of this work, and refuse to give it our service and our means. All should be laid upon the altar for the Lord to use as he sees best. With such a consecration, we may confidently look for great progress.

This week of prayer should be accompanied by a large offering. One of the greatest, most pressing needs of the cause at this hour is more money. The doors to all lands are open to us. A few of our consecrated workers have entered them. They have found such great fields for service that they are sending back to the home land the most pressing appeals for more laborers. Many consecrated workers stand ready to go to their aid, but the money is lacking to take them. The gap between the small band of overworked missionaries in the field and the large band of volunteers ready to go to their aid is a pitiful sight. It should cease to exist. The strong, efficient workers ready to go should not be held back longer.

But that gap can not be closed without funds. One object of the Thanksgiving-Ingathering has been to help close this gap. We praise God for the response that is being made to this call. And now our own people should come forward with the largest week-of-prayer offering we have ever made. Were we to let this offering drop, the Ingathering from Thanksgiving week would not be to the cause what we have planned. We appeal to our people not to make

such a serious and grievous mistake as to let the week-of-prayer offering fail. Let ministers and church officers give this due attention. Let the brethren and sisters who have been prospered step to the front and lift. It would be a defenseless mistake for our people to fail to join in swelling the donations to missions for 1908 to the highest point ever reached in the history of our cause.

Let us all take this to heart, and pray and give during this week of prayer as we have never done before.

A. G. DANIELLS.