p. 71 | THE TRUE PRINCIPLE by Clarence Santee

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 30, 1900

THE TRUE PRINCIPLE.

By Clarence Santee

CLARENCE SANTEE.

The true principle in genuine missionary work has none of self in it. It includes the whole world in an even balance. Then the question is only, Where ought the effort to be put forth at this time, and to what extent? When this is settled, though the place may be at the opposite side of the earth, the money needed will be as cheerfully given by the one who has this heaven-born spirit as if it were for work to be done in his own school district.

I have feared that although we are willing to listen to lessons on missionary needs and efforts, and feel stirred with the presentation of them, we might still be strangers to the real missionary spirit. The heart of the true missionary life must ever be the desire urging every worker to do his best in the place where the truth has never been heard.

It is indeed hard to eliminate self. Why do I wish a special work done near me? I may see the needs there more easily than in other places. Do you not suppose that every Christian sees the needs in his own locality in the same way? But does that make that field the most destitute of all fields? Your own presence there says No. Because if you are in the truth, there is one worker already in that field, while there are still many fields where there are none, and never has been one with “present truth.” But some say, “I will pay so much if a laborer will come here, and it will not cost the society anything!” If there is another field that is more needy, should you not give the same amount for a laborer there? If you would not, why not? If you would settle in another field, where would your money then be most willingly given? Is it always where self can be the most likely to get a part, at least, of the good of what we give? We must pray more fervently for God to give us a willing heart to let self indeed die, not alone in name, but sink into the soil out of sight. Then the power of the Lord can act upon our heart, and the result will be a new life springing from the hidden source, which will bring forth many fold.

Christ says, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” John 12 : 24. We may form resolutions, we may wish to do many things, and wait for opportunities, but unless the seed of love for the lost, and those who may yet be lost, has been planted by the Lord in the heart, it can not grow. The soil may at times be stirred, but it will remain vacant. “It abideth alone.” Then first we must know that he has given his Spirit to us; and having this assurance, we can say to the ones whom the Lord has set over the work: “These are the needs that we see around us; but if there are fields that are more needy, send the workers to those fields, and we will do what we can, and praise the Lord that he is sending the rain to other parts of the earth.”

Soon all parts of the earth will have been sown, harvested, garnered. There will not be a soul that will be saddened by the knowledge that his surrender was the cause of some other soul’s being saved in that glad day. He that is the greatest in heaven will be the one who has faithfully served the greatest number. Here, greatness consists in being served by the greatest number; there, he who is greatest serves the greatest number. One is the spirit of self, the other, the Spirit of Christ. The one destroys all others to save self, and in the end meets death. The other becomes a savor of life unto life to all, and in the end gains eternal life.