Your ShelfYour Projects

The Need of To-Day

17%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 25, 1911

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 88, No. 21.

Read the full edition

The Need of To-Day

By G. F. Watson

THE work that God has committed to his remnant church is the most important work ever committed to any people. There are many reasons why this is true. It is the greatest, because it is the last of all God's messages of mercy to fallen man; because of the vast territory it covers, and of the teeming multitudes who inhabit that territory. The greatest need of to-day is love for the truth in giving this last message,—the same love that was in the great heart of God when he committed the work to his remnant church. Paul tells us of a class of people who perish because they receive not “the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Is this message that is committed to the remnant church the truth? All who can say, Yea, Lord, to this question should love the message in keeping with its greatness. I need to ask God on bended knee to keep me in the love of this great truth, and to help me give it to the nations of earth. How is it with you, brother, sister? O, let us thus pray! It is with sadness that I think of my dear fellow workers who have left home and friends, and gone to foreign fields. We call them fellow workers. This does not simply mean that they are fellow workers with those of us who are canvassers, Bible workers, teachers, or preachers; but all the members of the church are fellow workers one with the other if all share alike in its joys and its griefs. Dear people of the Southwestern Union Conference, can we say that we are fellow workers with those who have gone to foreign fields unless in some way we share with them in the sacrifices that they are making?
They ask our prayers and a support. Could they ask less, and live? Can we give less, and be fellow workers with them? I ask myself this question, and leave it with you to do the same.
Some one has failed to do his part in this blessed work. Yes, many in our Southwestern Union Conference have failed, as the following will show: During the first quarter of 1911, our union sent to the General Conference, for mission funds, $5,139.45; but we should have sent, according to the membership of last year, $6,408.80. This means a shortage of $1,269.35, caused by a deficit in all the conferences of our union. Arkansas, which should have sent in $718.90, sent only $355.19, a shortage of $363.71. New Mexico should have sent in $442, but sent only $354.04, a shortage of $87.96; North Texas should have sent in $1,978.50, but sent $1,267.97, a shortage of $710.53; Oklahoma should have sent in $2,610.40, but sent $2,515.82, a shortage of $94.58. West Texas should have sent in $292.50, but sent only $279.93, a shortage of $12.57.
We know, every one of us, if we have failed in doing our part, so I need not say any more at this time. I hope, however, that our conference presidents will set to work just a little more determinedly. Our secretaries should look closely to the membership in their several conferences, so they will know just how much should come in for missions. Let us act well our part in this our day.
G. F. WATSON.