Feeble Forces Attacking Great Problems by William Ambrose Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 29, 1911

Feeble Forces Attacking Great Problems

By William Ambrose Spicer

The call to attack the city problem is not a call to wait for the heavy brigades to form. Meager as their facilities are, the believers in South America are looking to God for help in attacking their city problem.

We do not always remember that of the five great cities of the New World, two are in South America. The order is, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro.

The Lord is blessing in Buenos Aires, and we hear of four companies now meeting in that city, where a few years ago there was but one. Here is a word from Sister F. W. Spies, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, whose husband is in charge of the work in this city of a million, but who also has the presidency of the Brazilian Union Conference,—covering an area equal to that of the United States,—with the superintendency of several mission fields in the union; so that he can do little in Rio. Sister Spies writes:—

Well, in reading in the “Testimonies,” one day, I found the promise that if we would enter the great cities, we would find not only means, but strong workers to carry the work forward. I felt impressed to go out with our paper, O Arauto da Verdade (Message of Truth), and commenced immediately. I have received quite a number of subscriptions, and sold many papers singly, entirely among business men, in the business section. The workers have not appeared yet, but a number of gentlemen are reading with interest, and the Lord will certainly raise up workers for this people. We have one canvasser who is working faithfully, and one Bible worker.

It is surely a little band for a great city, but there is a mighty host of angels on the side of these workers.

From Montevideo, the great city of Uruguay, Miss Kerr, leader of the band of four missionary nurses who are the only workers in the city, writes:—

Another thing we are praying for is a God-fearing minister, with an experience in city work, to come here. Words fail to express our great need at this time. O how we need men who have a living knowledge of this truth and a burden for souls to come and help us just now, when the Catholic Church is on the verge of being overthrown in these countries where she has so long held complete control! We are too few in numbers in this great field. Nevertheless, we know “there is no restraint with the Lord to save by many or by few.”

We pass on these words of battle cheer from sisters in far fields. This hour’s need is a call to get in among the multitudes with the message, in the love of Christ and with the burden for souls, and somehow, by the blessing and power of God, the victories will be won.

In New York City, a few weeks ago, as the time for launching their summer’s tent campaign was at hand, the churches gathered in Brooklyn for a united consecration service. They were but a little band, all told. But after that example of old,—when “all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children,”—the believers stood in surrender to service, with the prayer: “O, our God, . . . we have no might against this great company; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.”

These are the times for great things to grow out of simple effort. The multitude was fed as soon as the five loaves and two small fishes were in the hands of the Master. The Lord will cut short the work in righteousness, and every soul hungering for his salvation will be searched out. But wo to any Seventh-day Adventist whose prayers and means and service are not swallowed up in the work of God as the closing witness is borne! W. A. S.