G. W. WHITE by G. W. White

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 27, 1911

G. W. WHITE

By G. W. White

Gilgal

G. W. WHITE

“And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal.” Joshua 5:10. What a memorable time in the history of God’s ancient people! For thirty-eight years they had been lost to view in the obscurity of the desert, constantly reminded that they were under the divine rebuke for their apostasy and rebellion at Kadesh-barnea.

But now the long years of their wilderness wanderings are ended, they have crossed the Jordan, their feet at last tread the promised land, and they encamp in Gilgal. Here occurred some of the most notable events in their history. It was at this place that the rite of circumcision was renewed. For nearly forty years they had been denied this sign of devotion to the service of God. So tenaciously did the sin of Kadesh-barnea cling to them that it seemed as if it might never be shaken off. But now, in this rite, their pledge to remain separate from idolatry, obey the law of God, and remain devoted to his service, was accepted.

The Next Step

“And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you.” Verse 9. Wonderful words! With a word Israel’s long record of shame is wiped out, so far as their relation with God is concerned, and they stand forth radiant in imparted righteousness, and ready for the severest tests of sublime faith,—ready to move in any direction at the command of the Lord. Soon the nations round about were seized with consternation as they heard of the wonderful results of their faith.

Having put away their sins, and pledged allegiance to God, and with the “reproach of Egypt” rolled away, the people were prepared for the third step in their wonderful experience at Gilgal: “They did eat of the old corn of the land,” and “the manna ceased on the morrow.” Verses 11, 12.

During all the previous years the people of Israel had been as children, their every need supplied without effort,—fed on dainties from the King’s table, with no care and no burden of responsibility,—but now, in a day, they spring into manhood and womanhood, and must share the responsibility of supplying their own needs. In other words they became, upon that day, a company of full-grown, self-supporting men and women, with their own responsibilities to carry and their own work to do. “They did eat of the old corn of the land,” and “the manna ceased on the morrow.”

What Is the Lesson for Us

in these types, or “ensamples”? Is not God, through them, speaking a message direct to our churches at this time? Are there not scores of our churches which, year after year, are failing to carry their own responsibilities,—which fail to do the work assigned to them by the Lord of the harvest,—which live, if you please, on “manna,”—conference manna? How many there are which, instead of warning the multitudes, instead of “visiting every home in the neighborhood, and learning the spiritual condition of every family,” and reaping a great harvest of souls, plead for the conference to send a paid laborer to do their work and carry their burden of responsibility. How many are doing practically nothing but going to church to hear sermons every Sabbath,—living on manna,—and, sad to relate, instead of developing into spiritual giants, are becoming weaklings.

We are told that the Lord will do great things for us if we will by faith co-operate with him; but, on the other hand, we read: “It weakens those who know the truth for our ministers to expend on them the time and talent that should be given to the unconverted. In many of our churches, . . . the minister preaches Sabbath after Sabbath, and Sabbath after Sabbath the church-members come to the house of God with no words to tell of blessings received because of blessings imparted. They have not worked during the week to carry out the instruction given them on the Sabbath. So long as church-members make no effort to give to others the help given them, great spiritual feebleness must result. . . . Let church-members, during the week, act their part faithfully, and on the Sabbath relate their experience. The meeting will then be as meat in due season, bringing to all present new life and fresh vigor.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. VII, pages 18, 19.

“Instead of keeping the ministers at work for the churches that already know

the truth, let the members of the churches say to these laborers: ‘Go work for souls that are perishing in darkness. We ourselves will carry forward the services of the church. We will keep up the meetings, and, by abiding in Christ, will maintain spiritual life. We will work for souls that are about us, and we will send our prayers and our gifts to sustain the laborers in more needy and destitute fields.’”—Id., Vol. VI, page 30.

This is God’s plan,—self-supporting, self-dependent churches, eating the “old corn of the land,” and growing stalwart thereon, instead of depending on the manna from conference headquarters.

In contrast to this, it is surely distressing to read some reports submitted by our missionary secretaries. For example, the writer has before him a monthly report of one of our churches, which reads as follows:—

“Letters written, 2; friendly visits for encouragement, 2; Bible readings held, none; cottage meetings held, none; papers distributed, 76; pages of books and tracts sold, none; pages of books and tracts loaned, none; pages of books and tracts given away, 314; hours of Christian Help work, none.”

This report, from a church of nearly fifty members, is an average record, and comes from a company of believers who feel that they are badly neglected because the conference does not supply them with a paid laborer.

God is calling on the individual churches to arouse and do their part faithfully,—to attend to the souls around them, that every laborer may be free to carry the message into places where it has as yet no representatives.

O, what divine power would be revealed if our churches would thus adopt God’s plan!—if they would arouse themselves to a sense of their responsibilities, shake off the reproach of indolence and slothfulness, and send this message to conference headquarters: “Let the manna cease; we will eat of the old corn of the land, we will attend to the Lord’s work here, we will labor for the souls that are about us; and you shall have our prayers and our gifts to send to the regions beyond.” What would take place then? Let us read:—

“When God’s people are truly converted, when they realize the obligation resting on them to labor for those within their reach, when they leave no means untried to rescue sinners from the power of the enemy, the reproach will be removed from our churches.”

And when the “reproach” is removed, “the Spirit of the Lord will be graciously manifested. Divine power will be revealed. The church will see the providential working of the Lord of hosts. The light of truth will shine forth in clear, strong rays, and as in the time of the apostles, many souls will turn from error to truth. The earth will be lighted with the glory of the Lord.”

“Then the latter rain will fall on us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.”

Beatrice, Neb.