They Call Us by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 10, 1914

“They Call Us”

By W. A. S.

Timely Paragraphs From the Fields for This Week of Prayer Season

Was there ever a time when the call to rise and shine and give the message to the world was more pressingly urgent? From all quarters of the earth the correspondence addressed to the Mission Board tells of an awakening among the people and an inquiry after the truth. Here are a few paragraphs.

From Dr. Riley Russell, of Korea:—

The present fulfillment of prophecy in Europe is not hindering, but hastening, the work in the Orient. I never in my life have seen the message take hold of people, both Christians and heathen, as it does today. Yesterday, Sabbath, I baptized seven adults in a brook near the Yellow Sea. Our native churches are astir. Farmers are going canvassing. It is easy to get an audience. One foreign missionary stopped me in the railroad station the other day and asked me what the conditions mean. After a short talk, in which I endeavored to show him the fulfillment of the prophetic word in these events, he seemed to be convinced that our view is the correct one. I could only think of Luke 21: 13. These things are certainly turning to us “for a testimony.”

From the Bahama Islands. Elder James H. Smith writes:—

Since the war broke out, the people of this island have been stirred and are inquiring as to what these things mean. They come to Seventh-day Adventists to find out.

Elder O. E. Reinke writes from Petrograd, the Russian capital, saying:—

Thanks be to God, the work is onward, and we are all of good courage in the Lord. The present condition has deprived us of ten laborers in the East Russian Union, and I think the same number in the West. At this place I am the only laborer left. But our church elders in all four churches are very active. We are encouraged to learn of the interest the American brethren take in making provision to help us financially when necessary, and to know that their united prayers are offered to God in our behalf in Europe. Though the outlook may seem dark, the eye of faith looks beyond and grasps the promise of Christ in Luke 21: 28. The workers are all well and of good courage, and hard at work.

From Riga, in western Russia, Elder J. T. Boettcher, vice president of the European Division, writes:—

We never have seen such an interest for the message in Riga since we have been here. Our meeting hall is crowded on Sundays and during the week. We baptized twenty-five during the last quarter, and about the same number are awaiting baptism. I do not believe that our work will stop because there is war or any other kind of trouble in the world. This is the very time that we have been expecting to come upon the world; and since it is upon us, I shall believe what I have been preaching. We are “looking up,” as Luke tells us to do as we see the signs fulfilling. However, there is a big work yet to be done, and the Lord must help his servants to do it quickly. It cheers my heart to know that our dear people in America are mindful of us. I am passing your messages on to the other workers in Russia, and am sure their hearts will be gladdened in this hour of trial.

Down in the East Indies, Elder Detamore tells us that the workers have never seen a time when so many who had heard of the message were making earnest inquiry concerning the future. He says:—

There is a general feeling of unrest all over our field. You may imagine that these masses who cannot read much, and who are made up of so many different classes having no standard of right, are hard to control when things are in a turmoil. I am wondering what effect this war will have upon the finances of our work in America. If our people become aroused, perhaps it will bring more money to the mission treasury. Certain it is that one dollar invested now will be worth more than five a little later.

Then, pleading for three new workers for definite posts that have to be filled, he adds:—

You will think I am a regular beggar, I fear; but if you had been with me on this last trip, among the millions and millions who know not of the saving grace of God, but who are in the darkness of this terrible Mohammedan religion, perhaps the hardest to meet of anything in the world, I feel confident that you would not blame me for putting in this pitiful plea in behalf of these poor souls for only three men and their wives. God is now moving upon hearts as I have not seen him do before since I have been in the field, and all our men are as busy as they can be.

From Bolivia, in the heart of South America, Brother O. G. Schulz writes:—

The shades of the European war are stretching even to this inland country. There is no more importation or exportation. Large offices have shut their doors; mines have closed. Thousands of men are without work. Though it looks pretty dark in the whole world, we all believe that the dark clouds have the sunshine behind them. The interest is growing everywhere.

Of the faithfulness of our brethren and sisters in the very midst of the troubles we may catch a hint from this note, which Elder Guy Dail sends from Holland. He had come in communication with the elder of our largest company in Brussels, Belgium. In this great city and its suburbs we apparently have three companies. He writes:—

All the brethren in the three churches of the capital are getting on well. Brother Klingbeil was able to secure flour for our baker brother there, so none have come to want for bread. The tithes of the church, over which Brother W. presides, and the offerings last quarter, were better than the quarter before. Some very intelligent persons are newly interested in the truth.

In remote places, away beyond the reach of the alarm of war, the Spirit of the Lord is reported by our workers to be manifestly awakening hearts. Elder W. H. Anderson, of the Barotseland Mission, beyond the Zambesi, tells of a recent trip among the villages, recruiting students for the school. He says:—

I wanted only sixty boys, but they kept coming. I turned them back, and still they came from more remote parts, and still I turned many back, telling them we did not have food for them. But they still insisted on coming, and after I had turned back a hundred there were eighty-seven to come on to the school with me. Then when I arrived at the mission, I found that some had heard of the school, and fearing I was not coming for them, had walked the two hundred miles, to be sure to get to the school in time. In all the years that I have been in the mission field, I have never seen the natives so eager for the school as they were in the kraals that I have just visited. I am sure that with a little effort we could have found a thousand boys for the school. But we now have more than we can teach and do them justice. These natives all come from a section where there are no missionaries of any society at work. You will notice that we have sent in a call for means to open a new work at Lusakaas next year; but we have not the slightest hope that with this terrible war on, you will be able to respond at this time.

From among the Indians of Lake Titicaca, Peru, Brother F. A. Stahl writes:—

Elder Maxwell has visited us and baptized fifty-one more. Now there is a

church of over two hundred, and not one has gone back. We believe in the keeping power of Jesus. At the opening of our school the enemy bribed and threatened, but to no avail. Now many of the very people who were in opposition are coming to visit us, and they all say “Esplendido!” Prominent persons in some quarters want us to come and teach their Indians as we have those in this district. They have so much trouble with stealing, and say they are helpless. “O that we had such Indians as you people are surrounded with!” they say. “Do come and teach our Indians the same way.”

We must close these words with a message from Elder J. C. Raft, of the Scandinavian Union, sent from Copenhagen, Denmark:—

A terrible pressure is resting upon everybody. Great uncertainty exists, and great uneasiness seems to have taken hold of most of the people. All our ministers are now engaged in public work. There certainly has never been such an interest to hear the message as just now. The work in Finland is going forward. Owing to the war, permission must be obtained for public meetings, but everywhere officials are very kind, and permission has been granted with remarks like these: “You go ahead and hold all the religious meetings you want to;” “Yes, you may hold meetings, for you proclaim the true doctrine.” Give our greetings to the brethren and sisters in America. The fact that our American brethren stand firmly united with us greatly helps to inspire our people here. Hearty thanks for this interest and willingness to sacrifice for our help.

Thus from all the four quarters of the earth come the words of cheer and of appeal. We know that this throwing open of the doors, and this call for more workers to answer the cry of need, will inspire earnest prayer and liberal gifts for missions during the coming week of prayer.

W. A. S.