God's Providence Over His People by Ludwig Richard Conradi

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 17, 1910

God's Providence Over His People

By Ludwig Richard Conradi

L. R. CONRADI

(Reading for Wednesday, December 14)

The greatest and in some ways the hardest lesson to learn is the lesson of simple faith. Yet the remnant church needs, above all else, that never-wavering confidence and perfect patience, in order that, having done the will of God, it may receive the blessed promise. Surely in a little while Christ will come, and will not tarry; but of this very time it is said, “Now the just shall live by faith.” Heb. 10:37, 38. In this same epistle to the Hebrews, Paul presents that mighty Son of God, who is not only appointed heir of all things, and by whom God made the worlds, but who upholds all things by the word of his power, and sits by the right hand of God, all power in heaven and in earth being committed unto him. There he pleads for his remnant church as the most merciful High Priest, and comforts them with the Holy Spirit.

Christ indeed has upheld all things from the beginning, and has always been with his church, and has never questioned its final triumph. When the only two beings on earth had succumbed to Satan’s devices, right then there came, direct from the throne of God, the good tidings of salvation through the promised seed. When the first martyr’s blood was spilt by the hand of his own brother, God gave to Adam another son, Seth (which means compensation); and under Seth’s son, Enos, men began to “call upon the name of the Lord.” Enoch, the seventh from Adam, who was a typical Adventist, walked so closely with God in that wicked generation that he was translated.

After the flood, when the world had sunken in idolatry, God called the attention of Abraham, the only God-fearing descendant of Shem, to the starry heavens, assuring him, “So shall thy seed be.” The father of the faithful, having full confidence in God, went to Canaan, a strange land with a strange tongue, and began to erect altars and preach the name of the Lord, in spite of the giants and walled cities to be found there. His faith was so real that, instead of building a town, he dwelt in tents, looking forward to the city of God and to the heavenly Canaan, as his eternal possession. Later, Jacob saw in a dream that wonderful ladder connecting heaven with the earth, upon which angels of God were ascending and descending. Just before he died, when his eyes had grown dim with age, by faith he saw, coming forth out of Judah, that Shiloh to whom the gathering of the people should be.

When Abraham’s seed were to go to Egypt, God prepared the way before them in a remarkable manner. A little shepherd boy had strange dreams. He saw the sheaves of the harvest-field bow down before his sheaf, and the sun, moon, and stars make obeisance to him. In his simplicity he related the dreams. This aroused the envy of his brethren, and they decided to kill him, that they might see what would “become of his dreams.” But Christ, who upholds all things, turned their wickedness not only into a providence for Joseph, but even into a blessing for themselves. Joseph himself came from prison to the throne of Egypt, and when he saw his brethren before him, he remembered the dreams, and told them, “Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.” And the psalmist says that God “sent a man before them, even Joseph.”

Equally remarkable was the experience of Moses. A king had arisen, who knew not Joseph. He wanted to deal “wisely,” in guiding the affairs of the Egyptian kingdom; so he decided to try to stop the increase of Israel, and prevent their leaving the country. But every means which Pharaoh devised against Israel, God caused to work for their growth. When Moses was set out in the bulrushes, lo, the daughter of this very king was led there. Seeing the helpless babe, she took him up and

adopted him as her own son; so that the future deliverer of Israel was educated and trained at royal expense. Not less did Christ reveal his upholding power to the prophets. When Isaiah was to prophesy, he saw the throne of God and heard the cry of the seraphim, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” As the youth Jeremiah was called to his trying test of witnessing against kingdoms and kings, God assured him that he would be with him to deliver him. The Lord let him see the growing branch of an almond tree. By the rapid and miraculous budding of the almond tree, God significantly assured him, “I will hasten my word to perform it.”

A number of stiff-necked Jews were carried captive into Babylon eleven years before the destruction of Jerusalem. As they would not believe in the final destruction of the city, God sent Ezekiel to them, telling him not to be afraid, though he should dwell among scorpions; for God would make his forehead as an adamant. At this very time the Lord revealed to him that wonderful vision of the chariot of the Almighty, borne by the four living creatures, and by the four wheels moving in all directions without ever turning about, ascending, descending, and full of eyes,—the providence of God,—all moving in the most perfect harmony because the Spirit of God pervaded the whole.

Zechariah was chosen to encourage the people of God concerning the rebuilding of the temple. God gave him that wonderful view of the oil flowing freely from the olive trees to keep the lamps burning brightly, which sets forth how God’s Spirit is to be given to the church, that it may be a light unto the world. Zechariah also heard that promise of the coming Branch, Jesus, and saw that stone with seven eyes—the fulness of God’s providence.

When Christ came in the flesh, all the prophecies pointing toward his first coming were wonderfully fulfilled. Moreover, he confirmed anew the ancient prophecies concerning his second coming in glory, and acquainted his people by parables with the victory of his kingdom, assuring them of the Comforter, through whom he is ever among them, even unto the end of the world. As he sat down at the right hand of the Father, he confirmed his promise, pouring out the Holy Spirit, and giving such power to his followers that thousands were converted by their fearless testimony. And in the dark hour of persecution, which scattered the church, just then and there, to the surprise of all, the most zealous persecutor, Saul, was turned into the great apostle Paul, to carry the gospel to the Gentiles. Going forth again and again, he testified how God’s providence went before him. Thus when he came to Troas to preach the gospel, the Lord not only gave him a church there, but revealed to him in a vision the open door into Macedonia and the rest of Europe. “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” As God opens the doors, Satan will raise up adversaries; but if God be for us,—and he is,—who can be against the church of God, as it goes forth in divine strength?

The risen Saviour, giving the closing revelation to his people, appears to them as the Son of man standing among the seven golden candlesticks, his churches, and in his right hand are the seven stars representing his ministers. All are called to behold the Lamb, clothed in the fulness of power and wisdom, as he opens the book that was sealed with the seven seals, and which sets forth the triumphs of the church until the 144,000 are sealed at the very end of time, and God’s people, an innumerable multitude, are gathered around his throne. And that the remnant may not waver in the last days, there appears that mighty angel, with one foot upon the land and the other upon the sea, swearing that time shall be no longer, and that under the sounding of the voice of the seventh angel the mystery of God shall be finished, as foretold by the prophets. Everything has been done to assure the Lord’s waiting children that he surely is with them, that he will carry the work to completion, and that he will soon receive them into glory.

But how has this providence worked out among the remnant? It is some thirty-three years since the writer joined this movement. There were then only about thirteen thousand believers, and of them only a few hundred were outside of the United States. We then had but one school, one sanitarium, and two publishing houses in all the world, and the truth was only being circulated, even in the most meager way, in four languages. There was no canvassing work. When the writer came to Europe, a quarter of a century ago, he found a few hundred believers in Switzerland, a few in France, Germany, and England, and a few hundred in Scandinavia. Europe had scarcely been touched; we had publishing houses, but no canvassers. Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America had never yet seen a Seventh-day Adventist minister.

However, God’s people believed, confidently believed, that the Lord was coming soon. God’s providence pointed to Russia, in eastern Europe, where we had not a member at that time. The writer went, found some interested souls, and in a few weeks the first church was organized. But at the same time we were locked up behind prison bars. There was an open door, but there were many adversaries, just as Paul found in Macedonia, at Philippi. Twenty-five years have passed. After many struggles and trials, there are not only four thousand believers in the European portion of Russia, but we can go to-day over six thousand miles on through Asiatic Russia to the Pacific Coast, and find hundreds of faithful witnesses, throughout Northern Asia, right up to Vladivostock. This autumn a good church of twenty-five members has been raised up in Harbin, Manchuria. From there, we can visit our own people in the very heart of Asia, at Tashkend, north of India, and on the very border of Persia, as some of our brethren have their farms on Persian soil. Nearly one hundred believers are there. Again we turn. We travel over the great Caucasian range to the very foot of Mount Ararat, where we find not only an Armenian church, but we are in the Caucasian Conference, with one thousand believers. That is the way God works. We see these things, and still sometimes our faith wavers.

About thirty years ago, when I wanted to go out to labor among the Germans, one of our old pioneers warned me it was a hard task, and predicted, “Erelong you will come back to this printing-office.” To-day there are thousands of Germans in the United States, and thousands of Sabbath-keepers of all nationalities to be found there; and yet the work is only beginning. Coming to Europe, we found that during a decade nothing had been done for the German nation, because this field

seemed so hard. To-day in Germany proper there are about nine thousand believers, and her sons and daughters have gone forth to bear this message to the millions in Hungary, Austria, the Balkan States, Turkey, Syria, South America, yea, even to the very heart of the heathen world in central Africa.

We well remember when we first tried the canvassing work. Leading book dealers told us it was an impossibility to do such things here. To-day five hundred canvassers all over Europe are carrying the seed of truth among all nationalities and all sorts of believers, and the Lord is giving an abundant increase. God guided our steps to Hamburg; we knew not why, but he knew. The free cities of Germany, of which Hamburg is one, were the only cities where it would be possible for us as a denomination to secure property with which successfully to develop the publishing work. To-day light emanates from our Hamburg Publishing House in twenty tongues. Recently the first gospel of Matthew was issued in the African Chasu. Though the International Tract Society of Hamburg has given its entire time to missionary work, it stands here without any debt, and has started branches in Russia and Constantinople, as a monument of God’s providence.

Scandinavia has seen dark days, and has had to learn lessons of sound faith. To-day over three thousand believers are there, and her sons are pushing forth side by side with other nationalities even into Africa and other parts of the world. The same is true of Great Britain, with her two thousand believers, and her own publishing and school work. When we come to the Latin peoples, hard though that field may be, we see God’s providences there also. Paris has become the headquarters of a union conference. In southern France there is a conference; while in the north, churches are springing up. In Spain the closed doors are being opened, canvassers can go forth, and the membership is steadily growing. The same holds true in Portugal and Italy, and our work is already increasing in Algeria.

Bright omens are also appearing in the Levant field, where the work has gone so hard. For years our workers were hindered by restrictive laws; but to-day doors are opened,—Brother E. E. Frauchiger has lately extended his journeys clear down to Tarsus, the ancient city of Paul. Within the last few months, several scores have been baptized. Brother Z. G. Baharian has made a trip to the eastern part of Asia Minor, and he finds open doors everywhere.

In Africa some of our faithful missionaries have established a beacon-light on the border of Abyssinia. Some of our workers have even entered that closed country on a “scientific research.” Let us pray that as our workers are getting hold of the different languages, God will also open ways before them. Farther down the coast, in German East Africa, there are a thousand young people in our schools, while over fifty natives have been baptized, some of whom act as teachers and helpers. On the eastern shore of the Victoria Nyanza, almost in the heart of the Dark Continent, we have another thousand young people in our schools, and five mission stations have been opened. About a dozen more workers will be on their way by the time this is read, and we expect to double the number of stations in this field during the present year.

While there were but eight thousand believers in Europe eight years ago, and we had to depend upon help from America, we have been bringing in, by baptism and vote, at the rate of one thousand new members a year, then two thousand, then three thousand, and now nearly four thousand. To-day there are over twenty-one thousand believers. Already we can join hands with our brethren in China; our workers are close to the northern border of India; and the stations of the European division and the South African Union will soon meet. Thus, on the eastern hemisphere, the truth is extending over six thousand miles—from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Iceland to the very heart of Africa, and from Northern Siberia to the heart of Asia.

Countries closed for centuries are being opened. To-day we are a young and developing denomination of one hundred thousand members; thousands of our young men and women are in training; institutions of all sorts are springing up everywhere. Even the very Gentiles are moved by the overruling providence of God that this truth may go forth according to his promise. Therefore, let us believe that the Desire of all nations will quickly come. The last stones are being placed in his living temple, and he will soon finish his work on the earth. Then let us, as we behold the providences of God, move on, be coworkers with him, place our means fully upon God’s altar, take hold of the work with new zeal, have full faith and confidence; and soon we shall triumph forever.