Our Literature Doing Good Work Among the Jews
By F. C. Gilbert
We are indeed grateful to God for every encouraging omen we see in the work among the Jewish people. While it seems at times that the work goes hard and moves slowly, we are sure that the Holy Spirit is at work among the lost sheep of Israel, and that God will certainly vindicate his word which he has spoken concerning these people. The servant of the Lord has said:— “In the closing proclamation of the gospel, when special work is to be done for classes of people hitherto neglected, God expects his messengers to take particular interest in the Jewish people whom they find in all parts of the earth. . . . Many will by faith receive Christ as their Redeemer. To them will be fulfilled the words, ‘As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.’ ‘Among the Jews are some who, like Saul of Tarsus, are mighty in the Scriptures, and these will proclaim with wonderful power the immutability of the law of God. The God of Israel will bring this to pass in our day. His arm is not shortened that it cannot save.’—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 381. We know that if our people will take particular interest in the Jewish people, God’s salvation will be revealed to them. (See “The Acts of the Apostles,” p. 381.) God will work in a mighty manner to have the Jews “recognize Christ as the Saviour of the world.” “The message of mercy and hope in Christ is to come” to these lost sheep; and the Lord has told us that the way this is to be done is by our publications; for through our literature “access could be gained to a class that otherwise could not be reached.” Certainly the Lord has made the way clear to us, and if we follow in the way he has mapped out, we are bound to have success. Many encouraging letters have come to us from Jews, from those not of our faith, and from our own people, assuring us that there is a growing interest on the part of many who have read and are reading our literature. The last magazine that was issued, “The Old Candle on a New Candlestick,” was in such great demand that we published two editions, fifteen thousand copies in all; and then the demand was greater than the supply. In the city of Milwaukee, Wis., some of our brethren and sisters evidently put copies of the magazine in letter boxes belonging to Jews. A short time ago I received a letter from which I quote the following:— “Some five or six weeks ago, your pamphlet in Yiddish, ‘The Old Light and the New Light,’ with a candlestick shown on the outside of the front page, was slipped into the mail box of a Jew . . . with whom I am acquainted. He said that the same pamphlet was left in the mail boxes of other Jews near there.
“I cannot read Yiddish, and at present am not in close touch with any Jew who reads Yiddish and also speaks English sufficiently well to give me a clear translation of the book. But thus far I have been led to believe that in this pamphlet you are proving from the Scriptures themselves that Jesus must be the true Light of the world.” “Three Jews have had the reading of this copy, and each speaks of it as very interesting. . . . Have you other literature in English or Yiddish that you are distributing among God’s chosen people.” The writer of this letter is not one of our people, but is interested in the Jews. He is anxious to have us send him literature to give to them, for from his long experience in dealing with this people, he finds that it is literature that is interesting to them. And what literature can interest the Jews like Seventh-day Adventist literature? A short time ago I received a letter from one of our brethren who is circulating the magazine among the Jews. He says: “I have been working here in— for a few weeks, and am enjoying my work in bringing the message of truth to the Jewish people. I have been talking with hundreds of them. . . . Many are willing to listen, and even like to argue about the message. I have sold many magazines among them, and am leaving my address, so that they may write to me if they want more literature,19and am trusting God to do the rest. I received the fifty magazines, and have sold nearly all of them. I should be glad to have one hundred more copies.” In another letter this same brother writes: “I hope that you have received the letter which I sent you a few days ago, asking you to send me, as soon as possible, one hundred Yiddish magazines. . . . I am almost out of Jewish literature. I am also taking some orders for the book, ‘Patriarchs and Prophets.’” In another letter he writes that he has entirely run out of literature, and asks that the new magazine be sent to the addresses of the Jews. They are so anxious to get the literature that many have paid him in advance. This shows that the Spirit of God is certainly working upon the hearts of some, and is creating in them a desire to read this message. We are glad to announce to our people that some weeks ago the North American Division Conference Committee recommended to the Pacific Press Publishing Association that they undertake the publishing of a Yiddish magazine. The Pacific Press brethren accepted the recommendation, and have published the first number, which is devoted to the present European war. It is nicely illustrated, and very attractive. We feel sure that this magazine, the Messenger, will appeal to the Jews. There is a good article in this issue giving an interesting account of the rise and progress of Seventh-day Adventists, and their mission in telling the world the requirements of God concerning his law as well as his gospel. Several cuts in the magazine show the headquarters of our work, one of our publishing houses, a sanitarium, and a school. We believe that with the blessing of God, as our people go to the Jews and tell them that this magazine is issued by a Sabbath-keeping Christian people who do not eat swine’s flesh, who believe in all the Bible, including the writings of Moses and the prophets, who keep the Sabbath from Friday evening sunset to Saturday evening sunset, many Jews will be glad to take this magazine, and will have awakened in them an interest in our work and in this truth. The new magazine is ready for circulation. Send your orders direct to your tract society, or to the Pacific Press Publishing Association, Brookfield, Ill. With each order of magazines shipped, will be sent an outline of the magazine, so that each person may know what the paper contains. The writer will be pleased to learn of any interesting experiences our people may have with the Jews, and he will be glad to help in any way should questions on the Scriptures arise. We trust that our people will rally at this time to the work of circulating this magazine among the Jews. We are sure that the sooner we place our literature in the hands of this people, the more openings we shall find among them for further labor. Pray for the lost sheep of Israel, and do all you can to bring to them the light of the third angel’s message.