The Work in Paris, France
By B. G. Wilkinson
THE following letter from a captain of the Salvation Army at Paris will doubtless be of interest to the readers of the REVIEW. This officer has been studying present truth for some time, and has attended our meetings from time to time here at Paris and in the provinces of France:— “I believe that the moment has at last come when I am called to put into practise the new light which for some time has been for me a subject of profound meditation. I indeed feel that to postpone or to reflect more would be a loss of time. I realize more and more clearly that the Saviour invites me to observe the seventh day, since he has blessed and sanctified it. “Since Christ himself has thought good to give us an example of the importance of baptism by being baptized himself in the watery grave, I desire also to invite Christ to give me a larger measure of his Holy Spirit by first receiving the baptism of water. It is striking to notice how God arranges all things so as to enlighten the sincere soul. In the worship this morning we were reading the twelfth chapter of Luke, and in the fiftieth verse Christ said: ‘But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!’ “I do not yet know by what paths the Saviour will call me to pass. I can see only one thing; that is that I have arrived at the turning point of my life. But I wish to trust in him for all things. I see that I am on the eve of giving in my resignation as officer of the Salvation Army; for in accepting the Sabbath and the sacraments and no longer believing in everlasting punishment, I am not in accord with the principles of the Salvation Army. And by another little incident it seems to me that God himself is now preparing my dismissal. “Yesterday I was at the office of the General Staff, where I had promised to assist another officer, and you know that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. I could not refrain from saying that that day was the seventh day, which God had marked with the seal of his benediction, and that we ought to sanctify that day instead of Sunday. Now as our head men know that I have certain leanings toward the Seventh-day Adventists, it will come to pass one of these days that I shall be called to a station in the provinces (it is well known that this is always done when the faith of an officer is in danger). I can not see that it is my duty to accept a request to leave Paris. “I do not yet know what I shall do. I feel greatly my need of the direction of God. I hold in joyful memory the Sabbath day, March 19; that date will ever rest graven on my heart as being the starting point of a life more consecrated and more in harmony with the Word of God. Receive, dear friend, my Christian salutations. It is now three weeks since this letter was written. The Sabbath following its reception, the captain publicly declared himself for the truth at our Sabbath service. The next Sunday night as he went to conduct his staff in the regular Sunday evening service, he found a new captain there to take his place. However, he found a place to work with the Roth brothers in their health food manufactory. He is now studying to prepare himself for baptism. At a Bible study given in our house last Saturday night he was present with another Salvation Army captain. He invites them also to our public meetings. The last two weeks our hearts were made glad by four new additions to the company of those who honor as God’s sign the day that “was made for man.” This makes about twelve in Paris who have decided to walk after this manner. Our work at Paris is blessed by the presence of the Lord. Those who assemble each Sabbath day to worship before the Lord are of one mind and of one spirit. The Brethren Roth are a great help to us in the evangelical work. And they are much encouraged in their efforts to place their health food products on the Parisian market. Their health food plant has now grown to a considerable size, and they find an increasing interest in the city in the reform diet. Our little store in which we hold our meetings is becoming quite crowded, and if the work continues to grow at the same speed as lately, we shall soon be forced to find other quarters. A large circle of interested friends encourages us to believe that the future will add many others to the number of those in Paris who look for the revelation of the Saviour from heaven. 8 rue Belloni, Paris, France.