p. 9 | Even in Troublous Times by William Ambrose Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 21, 1915

“Even in Troublous Times”

By William Ambrose Spicer

In Daniel’s prophecy of the rebuilding of Jerusalem he said, “The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.” Dan. 9:25.

The Lord’s work does not stop for troublous times. In the days of Ezra and Nehemiah we have the story of earnest work accomplished in rebuilding Jerusalem amid tumult and difficulty and opposition, the Lord’s providence overruling all, and his blessed gift of courage and assurance filling the hearts of the workers. So ever the work of God has moved forward in the earth, never stopping, never halting.

We find in the organ of the Church Missionary Society, of England, the evangelical mission board of the great Church of England, a report of the decision arrived at by the mission committee as to the shaping of their work during the crisis in Europe. Very earnest councils were held on the outbreak of the war, just at the season when new missionaries were to be sent out and plans laid for another year of missionary endeavor. As a result of the councils the Church Missionary Review for November reports the decision was,—that the right course was to carry on God’s work as much as possible as it would have been carried on if there had been no war. . . . On the strength of the former decision, the arrangements for sending out the autumn reenforcements had been completed, and some two hundred missionaries, including fifty-two new recruits, had been taken leave of on October 1 and 2.

This shows the spirit in which the great missionary societies are pushing forward their work. The whole missionary movement has assumed great proportions in this generation, in the direct providence of God, as we very well know. These agencies are spreading abroad the light of his Holy Word, and preparing the way everywhere for the message of Christ’s soon coming.

It will be noted that the new recruits in this great society, with an income, we believe, of upward of two million dollars a year, are listed at fifty-two for the year. It may be that some others had been sent out earlier in the year, though the general custom of the society is to gather the reenforcements of the year for departure to the fields in the autumn. It is surely a testimony to the vigorous development of our own missionary movement that an even yet larger list went out to our mission fields from the North American Division alone during the year 1914, the number being sixty-seven. All this is made possible by the devoted missionary giving throughout our churches, and by the increased resources developed in the mission fields.

We may find inspiration, too, in the testimony from the fields as to the prosperity attending the preaching of the message “even in troublous times.” Again and again during the last two or three years, while Mexico has been in almost a continual state of revolution, the reports from that field have told of ever-increasing interest in the truth. Never was such progress known in our work in Mexico as that which has come during these days of tumult. The hearts of the workers, even amid trials at times, have been filled with joy and courage at the evidences that souls were turning to God as never before.

From other lands, not immediately involved in the great struggle going on at present, we have heard continually reports of renewed interest among the people, and of a greater power attending the preaching of the message to convert souls. The times are troublous in many countries far removed geographically from Europe. Commercial connections are broken, financial affairs are passing through a crisis, the hearts of the people are troubled, yet the work of God moves ever forward.

And from our workers in the countries directly involved in Europe we have word that in a remarkable way the tithes and offerings of our brethren are keeping up, and they are finding ways of service and of pushing the message forward that we could scarcely have anticipated. From every one of these countries comes the word of courage, notwithstanding the fearful struggle going forward. Naturally there must be in the parts which are the scene of conflict great loss and trouble and distress to our believing brethren and sisters, as well as to others, but even in these regions we hear of their continued effort to hold together and to bear witness to God’s truth. These things are an encouragement to us as we look toward the future of this world’s troubled history. We hope and pray that the angels of God may yet gather up the winds of strife, and that comparative peace may come for a time at least; yet we cannot tell what the future has in store, save that the times will become increasingly troublous. Long years ago we were told by the earnest warning of the spirit of prophecy that the work not done in times of peace would have to be done amid war and great difficulty.

But one lesson we get out of the experiences thus far is that God’s work will not stop, even though trouble fills the earth. The assurance of Daniel’s prophecy regarding the Lord’s work at the beginning of the great prophetic period of the twenty-three hundred years is an assurance that the special work begun at the close of that great period will be carried through to completion. “The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.” W. A. S.