Ten Years Ago-and Now by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Dec 25, 1913

Ten Years Ago—and Now

By W. A. S.

Year by year the field of this advent movement of Revelation 14 widens and extends, reaching into the uttermost parts of the earth. Each year marks progress; and a ten-year period witnesses the addition of many thousands of believers, with many tongues and nations added to the list of those represented in the movement. A few of the facts and figures of a ten-year period may well be reviewed as 1913 closes.

At the opening of 1903 our membership was 73,000; at the opening of 1913 it was 114,000, an increase of 41,000 believers and helpers in the advent proclamation. With the losses by death of those who rest from their labors, and the sad losses by drift back to the world, the increase means many more thousands of new believers than this forty-one thousand.

Ten years ago the total funds being raised for the work were $842,000; last year the amount was $2,702,000, over three times that of the opening of the decade.

In 1903 contributions to foreign missions were $102,000; in 1912 the amount was $362,000. Here again the figures are multiplied by three.

These are evidences in figures of the blessing of the Lord upon his work and people, and this expansion is contributed to by the growth in every continent of earth. This is according to the vision of the prophet, which described the rapid progress of the last message to every nation, tongue, and people. From all the great national divisions of earth come the figures showing the hand of the Lord fulfilling his word.

But here are a few more figures for the period: The Sabbath-schools gave to missions in 1903 the total of $34,000, and thankful were we all for that splendid growth beyond former years. In 1912 the gifts were $232,000. During the current year, as we know, the figures must run away beyond the quarter of a million mark.

Just what the Mission Board was appropriating to Europe in 1903 we do not readily find in the reports. But in 1905, when the systematic publication of appropriations began, we find that Europe was allotted $26,300 from the general mission funds. Now what—eight years later? So far from receiving appropriations now, the European Division has just made appropriations of $122,000 for its mission fields for 1914. That is more than our total gifts to missions in 1900.

The Australasian Union, which received appropriations ten years ago for island work, has for years been carrying the burden of the island world of the South Pacific, and is joining the General Conference just now in passing on workers and means for China.

Turn where we may, the story of the ten years is bright with evidences all along the way of the divine hand leading on.

In 1903 we were making our real beginning in China. Now there are a thousand Sabbath-keepers there, with the message spreading into new communities in a marvelous way.

In 1903 our European brethren were organizing their first mission in German East Africa. Now they have in their African territories over 250 baptized believers,—gathered out of raw heathenism,—and schools and stations are multiplying.

We are reminded, too, that the headquarters of the denomination, and the Review and Herald Office were camping in a dwelling-house in the city of Washington, in 1903. The call had come to move eastward, nearer to the populous and less evangelized Atlantic slope of this country; and as the headquarters moved onward to the new location, the hearts of the believers, we know, felt that the hand of God was leading on another step toward the finishing of the work. The General Conference and the offices of the Review and the Instructor were packed into the old building near the national Capitol, a job-press and a linotype in the basement, and the other offices crowding the narrow floors above.

Now the large General Conference building at Takoma Park is almost equally crowded with the work of the various departments of the General and North American Division Conferences, while across the lawn is the large Review and Herald plant, where more than one hundred workers are engaged in preparing literature for the field.

And the expansion of the publishing work in the last eight years is a wonderful story as told by the printing-offices in all the world. In 1905—when regular annual reports began to be published—the total value of sales from twenty publishing houses was $850,000; in 1912 thirty-seven houses, in all parts of the world, reported sales of $1,679,000. Truly the printed pages are falling like the leaves of autumn over many lands. And if the present awakening in home missionary activity is the beginning of a permanent movement among the churches in ministering this last message to the unwarned millions,—as our conference brethren believe it is,—the pages of printed truth are to be scattered hence as never before.

The power of God is leading his people onward. We see it not only in the statistical reports, but in the earnest buckling on of the spiritual armor for the last service in this precious cause. The results come by consecrated service, under the Spirit’s power.

Yet ten years ago some who were separating from the organized movement and standing in an attitude of opposition, were declaring that the movement was going to pieces. Far from it! From those very times of trial and apostasy, there was a new impetus given to the movement, and the hand of the living God was revealed, arousing believers and hastening the message on into new fields.

The Lord, who began the advent movement of the prophecy when the time of the prophecy came, will finish the work. And the same message that began the work and that has won believers to the “commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,” from among many nations and tongues through these past years, is the message that will finish the work. Thank God for the third angel’s message, revealing the gospel of Christ’s saving grace for this last generation.

W. A. S.