An Incident by W. Jay Tanner

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 21, 1912

An Incident

By W. Jay Tanner

W. JAY TANNER

Many and various are the means that the Lord uses for the accomplishment of his purposes. Human wisdom would often direct in other ways than the Spirit chooses. In one case the Master brings his message to a family or people by one of their own number; in another his instrument is a stranger, perhaps from a distant land. Sometimes he uses a talented, educated person to enlighten the crude and superstitious worshiper of wood and stone; again he uses one of a despised and down-trodden race, who has been touched by the work of grace, to call the attention of the refined and aristocratic to his claim upon the human heart. The poor, hard-worked servant in the kitchen or at the wash-tub has her work to do for the Master, as well as the talented and fluent minister in the pulpit.

An incident that occurred in the island of Jamaica not long ago illustrates this thought. The writer had boarded a train for the purpose of visiting another part of the island. Among the medley of passengers, composed of Jamaicans, East Indian coolies, Syrians, and Chinese, was a sprinkling of American tourists. One of the latter, who proved to be a lawyer from Washington, D. C., down in the tropics for the benefit of his health, occupied the seat beside the writer.

After some conversation about the island, its people, and the scenery, being desirous of bringing the truth to the attention of my fellow traveler, I began by alluding to the fact that the denomination that I represented had recently made Washington its headquarters.

“What denomination is that?” he asked.

“The Seventh-day Adventist,” I replied.

“O, yes; I have read about it in the papers. I believe your people bought a tract of land out at Takoma Park, and expect to build on it quite extensively.”

“Yes, that is true. Have you ever attended any of our meetings, or in any way come in contact with our people or their doctrines?”

“No, I can’t say that I have. The only Adventist that, so far as I know, I ever saw before I met you to-day, is a colored woman whom my wife employs to do scrubbing. She is pretty strong in her views about keeping the ‘Sabbath,’ as she calls Saturday; and if she is as consistent in other things as she is in this, and I believe she is, why, she’ll get to heaven all right. For instance, when she first came to us, she explained about her practise as regards not working on Saturday; but my wife liked her looks and employed her. Later on, thinking to test her religious convictions a little, we offered her better wages on condition that she would work on Saturdays; and when this did not seem to move her, we coupled it with a threat of discharge from our service. But she only answered, ‘Have to leave den. Rather lose money, job, and everything dan break de ten commandments.’ Well, we did not discharge her, of course. My wife thinks a great deal of her, and often says that she would give up any other servant rather than part with M—.”

In the conversation that followed, this gentleman payed most respectful and interested attention to all that was said about our views and work. To me the cause of this was apparent. His tone of voice and the expression on his face while relating the circumstance about his servant, told me plainly that this humble, uneducated child of God, by her loyalty to her Maker and by the faithful discharge of her daily duties, had made him and his family respect our faith, and willing to listen to God’s servant on this occasion.

What the result will be for this gentleman and his family, we, of course, do not know. That is not the point. The point is that it is possible for all, no matter what their sphere or calling in life, to accomplish something for the Master. And it is just such service that our cause urgently needs,—an army of one-talented servants, each individual of which will refrain from hiding his talent in the earth. Such, as well as the prosperous with their means and the learned with their wisdom, can do much toward hastening the consummation of our ‘blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.’