What Doest Thou Here? by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 16, 1909

What Doest Thou Here?

By F. M. W.

THIS was the question asked of Elijah, the prophet of the Lord, twenty-five hundred years ago. God had set him as a watchman unto his people. By his hand the Lord had brought judgments upon the nation, and had also wrought for them great deliverances. Elijah had been shielded by divine power from the wrath of King Ahab and his more wicked wife, Jezebel. The Lord had highly honored the faith and word of the prophet in the memorable events which occurred at Mount Carmel, resulting in the death of the prophets of Baal and in giving the generous rain which came to water the famine-stricken country.

But now, as the result of Jezebel's threat to take away his life, his courage had forsaken him, and he had fled to the wilderness. Utterly dejected and discouraged, he cast himself down upon the ground and wished for death. God graciously sent his angel to strengthen him and to supply his temporal needs, and then after Elijah had penetrated still farther into the desert solitude, the Lord himself spoke to him. Twice did the Lord address to his servant this question, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” It was a poor answer that Elijah had to give. He had traveled a long journey on his own initiative. He had left the charge committed to him. Instead of remaining as a light to Israel, instead of trusting God to deliver him from Jezebel as he had delivered him for three years from Ahab, Elijah felt that he must flee away from the influences which confronted him. The Lord sends him back again to his work. He says, Go, return, and on thy way anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

At the present time in the history of this movement, this same question propounded to Elijah might properly be asked of some who have left the work given them of God, and traveled off into fields of their own seeking. In this closing message, God has set his children as lights to this dark world. He

has not congregated them in one great center. Here and there, in different sections of every country, in dark, out-of-the-way places of the earth, as well as in the more densely populated sections, has God raised up men and women to act as standard-bearers. How sad it is to see some of these forsake the places assigned them by God's providence, lower the standard of truth, leave their particular fields without representatives of the message, and for the sake of greater convenience or an easier time, move to some large church.

In many instances where this has been done, responsibility that had been carried in the smaller church has been entirely thrown aside, and instead of becoming workers and burden-bearers in the large congregation, they have settled back into a state of indifference and inactivity. We believe that, should the Lord speak to our churches as he spoke to Elijah of old, he would say to many families in our large congregations, What doest thou here? Why have you left the post to which I assigned you? Why have you permitted to go out in darkness the light which I kindled in your neighborhood, around which your neighbors might rally, and which should have been a nucleus for the upbuilding of a greater work? This is indeed a practical question which many should settle with the Lord.

We appreciate the fact that there may be conditions and circumstances which require that some of our people should leave the smaller companies, or their places of isolation, and connect with some of our larger churches, but while the providence of God has called one to do this, there are many others who have done it wholly on their own responsibility, and in consequence they have lost that spiritual vigor and spirit of missionary labor which they enjoyed while in the way of duty. Let each one carefully consider his relationship to God and to his work. If he stands alone in his locality, let him consider well if God has not placed him there in his providence as a savor of life unto his fellows; if he is one of a great company, let him inquire if God would not have him go out into the great unentered fields and raise up a standard for the truth where none now exists.

Every believer should determine, first, if he is where God wants him, and second, if he is doing the work God gave him to do. If he knows that he is meeting the purpose of Providence, let him earnestly persevere in his labor. If, however, he is led by prayer, study, and counsel, to see that he has missed his way, let him use due diligence in returning to the post of duty.

Every one should seek to know the right way. Each for himself, in prayer to God and in counsel with his brethren, must settle the question of personal responsibility. Hence, let none judge others, but let each seek to determine his own duty before God and to his fellow men. Then will the Lord lead as he led Elijah of old, and in Israel to-day, as in Israel then, we shall see his arm made bare to save, and his truth brought to a speedy triumph. F. M. W.