The Work in Brooklyn, N. Y.
By E. L. Cardey
When I came to this city last June, no one dreamed that we were so near a world war greater than history has ever known. Are we as a people aware of what this war really means? Are we planning on another time of peace and prosperity after this war is over? Of that we must be careful. The spirit of prophecy has told us many times of late that we are nearer the end than any of us realize. The finishing of the work is not so far off as we are accustomed to think. How many times we have said, “Is it possible that the world can be warned in this generation?” It can, brethren, and that in a very short time when God takes things in his own hands. It will not be “by might, nor by power [not according to the way we have been used to doing things], but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” When I came to Brooklyn, it seemed a great problem for only a handful of workers to carry the truth to the millions here. Through the blessing of the Lord, we secured a location for our tent in a wealthy section almost in the heart of Brooklyn, and on the twelfth of July began meetings. From the very first, an exceptional interest was manifested on the part of an excellent class of people. The newspapers of Brooklyn and Manhattan have been very liberal. We have had printed in the New York World, New York Globe, Brooklyn Eagle, Brooklyn Times, and Brooklyn Citizen, about thirty articles, ranging from a column to a few paragraphs. In these few weeks we have been able to demonstrate that these large daily papers are willing to publish articles on the message. The war in Europe has set people to thinking. In the past two weeks we have seen many evidences of how, without human aid, the Lord is working on the minds of people. It seems that nine tenths of the people coming to the tent believe that we are right on the Sabbath truth and the coming of the Lord, and about fifty persons already have taken a definite stand for the Sabbath. At the close of the sermon last Sabbath we had a very interesting testimony meeting. One man, who with his family was keeping his first Sabbath, testified thus: “For over a year the Spirit of God has been impressing me regarding the truth of the Sabbath, and a few months ago a copy of ‘Bible Readings’ fell into my hands. A week ago I was walking through Prospect Park, and as I passed a lady sitting on a bench reading, something told me to speak to her. I did so, asking if that was Christian Science literature she was reading. If it was, I was prepared to teach her that it was not of God; but she said, ‘No, it is written by Seventh-day Adventists.’ It was the War Extra of the REVIEW. I said: ‘Praise the Lord! I have been looking for that people. Are there any of them in this city?’ I was directed to the tent, and have not missed a meeting since; and now I know that this is the truth of God for this time.” Another man, who, with his wife, was also keeping his first Sabbath, said that one copy of the Signs of the Times had been used by the Lord to lead him to investigate the Sabbath during the last six months. He saw in the papers the announcement of the tent meetings, and from the first service was convinced that God had led him to the right place. Many others testified to similar experiences during the past few weeks or months, regarding the Sabbath truth. In all the past years of my ministry, I never saw such evidence of the Lord’s working almost wholly apart from human teachers. What does it mean? I am asking myself, and have come to the conclusion that we are entering the loud cry of the third angel’s message, and that God is pouring out his Spirit on all flesh. Brethren, our finances are not our difficulties. This people must begin to “weep between the porch and the altar,” that we may be in a proper condition to receive the thousands that God will send to this message very shortly. I have no fears that God will be unable to finish his work in this generation. While the Lord has been letting these blessings rest upon us in the salvation of souls, he also has looked after the finances here. We never started a tent effort with as dark an outlook financially, and yet we never had so bright an outlook financially as now. Already the collections have paid all the tent expenses and nearly $100 over. Some very prominent people have taken their stand, among them two well-known church soloists of Brooklyn. To God be all the glory for his abundant blessing; for it is not in man to save a single soul. We rejoice in the Lord for the evidence that the work is almost finished. And although we know that from now on our work will have to be done in troublous times, yet God’s power is unlimited; and who that trusts in him can fear?