Finished, Glorified by J. S. WASHBURN

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

Finished, Glorified

By J. S. WASHBURN

ON the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus said, “I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” Jesus accomplished a perfect work. In so doing he glorified his Father. Only in finishing his work shall we glorify our Heavenly Father, and be ourselves glorified in the day when the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Heavenly Father. To run well for a season, and to fail of reaching the end of the race, is to lose all for which for a time we have toiled.

When will the work which the Lord has given us to do be finished? I refer now to the work of selling “Christ’s Object Lessons.” All that has been written is to-day a living, present appeal just as truly as when it was written.

The following Testimony was written Aug. 9, 1903:—

“My brethren and sisters, why is so little being done to sell ‘Christ’s Object Lessons’? Have you become weary in well-doing? Have all the families in your neighborhood been supplied with the book that is so full of helpful lessons, both for parents and for children? Are there not some who did not buy a copy last year who would buy one now? Why should we not go steadily forward with this work, until millions of homes are supplied with ‘Object Lessons,’ and our schools are freed from debt?

“Success has attended the effort made in the past to sell ‘Object Lessons,’ because God’s people have worked in co-operation with heavenly agencies; and success will attend the effort put forth in the future, if our people will still carry forward the work. As they patiently press on in this work, the Lord Jesus and his angels will open the way before them. All receive grace for grace, as they give what they can, in time and influence, to the circulation of ‘Object Lessons.’”

You will notice that this work is to go steadily forward until our schools are freed from debt. That work has not yet been accomplished, although we are thankful that there is one school in the denomination that has never gone into debt.

But even when all our schools are free, can we then say that the work is finished, completed? Please read the following, written May 18, 1903:—

“The plan for the circulation of ‘Object Lessons’ is not of human devising; it is God’s plan. He signified that this book should be a gift to our schools. Thus far it has done its work, and God has set his approval on the self-sacrificing efforts of his people. Shall we mar his plan?—No, no! Until the Lord shall come, and our present system of school work shall be ended by our entering the higher school, ‘Christ’s Object Lessons’ is to stand as a gift to our educational institutions.”

Note that this work is to continue until the Lord shall come. A double, yes, a triple, blessing will result from this work, as there is need of Christian education, and this work of education must continue until the great commencement day, when we shall see our great Teacher face to face, and have the joy of his visible presence. Till then this blessed work is to continue.

Will not every one who has had an experience improve the opportunity to go forward earnestly with this work during the present season? and will not every one who has never sold “Christ’s Object Lessons” immediately take the step that brings the blessing which invariably follows obedience? Will not all those who are engaged in this work send brief statements of experiences to me at once?

J. S. WASHBURN.

Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C.