For a Quick Work by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 2, 1905

For a Quick Work

By W. A. S.

ALL along through history Providence has planned in advance the agencies for special times. When we read of the closing days of God's work in the earth, that he will finish his work and cut it short in righteousness, “because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth” (Rom. 9:28), we may know that as truly as we live in the last days, we may see about us preparations for a quick work in carrying the witness of the gospel to the world.

That is exactly what we do see as the characteristic of our time. Everything is moving rapidly. Divine providence has supplied facilities for quickly getting over the ground with the message of the coming kingdom. Given the old-time power and consecration, with the new-time shortening of distances and the multiplication of facilities, and truly we shall see the word fulfilled that at the last a very short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

A missionary writer has said:—

The extension and improvement of the steamship service has benefited the church as well as secular enterprises. Europe is twenty days nearer America now than sixty years ago, five days nearer than twenty years ago, and two days nearer than ten years ago. Sixty years ago it required sixty days for the mails to go from Bombay to London; now it requires considerably less than one third that time. It took Carey nearly five months to go from Dover to Calcutta in 1793. One can make the trip now in three weeks. Judson's trip from Salem to Calcutta in 1812 consumed eleven months; and as late as 1859 it took Bishop Thoburn four months to go from Lynn to Calcutta. Now one can go from New York to Calcutta in a month. Moffat was three months in 1817 on the way from Gravesend to Cape Town; now the voyage lasts less than two weeks. These developments mean an immense saving of time to the missionary force.

And now railway enterprise is turning earnestly toward the great unevangelized regions of Asia and Africa. It all points toward a soon-finished work in the evangelization of the world. The postal facilities are such that for a cent, a copy of this paper may be sent to a reader in Calcutta or Zanzibar as cheaply as into the next town.

The most inaccessible parts of the world are being rapidly brought within the world's postal area, regardless of expense. Thus, the Postmaster-General recently wrote to a correspondent in northwestern Alaska regarding this government's effort to supply that region—not long ago an unknown country—with regular postal service:—

It must be remembered that in the winter time such mails must be carried on sleds drawn almost exclusively by dogs, or by reindeer in a few instances, and that, too, in a climate where the thermometer goes down to fifty degrees below zero, or lower. A few years ago, when the department first undertook to send mail to Nome and other western Alaskan points in the winter, the only feasible route was from Seattle, Wash., to Skagway, Alaska, by steamer, thence across Canadian territory, via Dawson, to Eagle, Alaska (a part of which was by dog-sled), and thence from Eagle, near the eastern boundary line, to Nome, on the western coast, by dog-sled. The cost of such transportation is very considerable. If we give no consideration to the cost of carrying mail by railroad from New York City to Seattle, 3,235 miles, or by steamer from Seattle to Skagway, 1,000 miles, or from Skagway to Eagle, most of this across Canadian territory, about 600 miles, and have regard only to that part of the haul which is entirely on Alaskan soil from Eagle to Nome, 1,163 miles, all of which must be covered by dogs, with a limit of about four hundred pounds a trip, we find that the cost is three dollars a pound. Of course, you are aware that the revenue which the department receives for carrying magazines and newspapers from publishers in New York to subscribers in Nome, a distance of about six thousand miles, is one cent per pound.

The advent warning is to be published in every tongue. The literature bearing the message is to fall like leaves of autumn in all the world. The Lord has raised up a world-wide advent movement, and his providence has brought into being such facilities for heralding the message as our fathers never dreamed of. We whose salvation depends upon having a part in the closing work must act quickly. W. A. S.