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WALTER L. FOSTER

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 23, 1909

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 51.

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WALTER L. FOSTER

By Walter L. Foster

Japan

WALTER L. FOSTER

OUR work in this land during the past years has moved slowly and hard—much of the seed sown seeming to fall on “stony ground.” But now, while some influences are hindering our work in various ways, the people seem more ready to listen and their hearts more susceptible to the simple truths we teach.
God offers every soul an opportunity to be saved. There is a day of opportunity for every individual. Said the Saviour concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the day of opportunity for the early church: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth, let him understand): then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.” The circumstances of the siege and fall of Jerusalem are familiar—how Cestius, with his Roman army, set himself inarray before the walls of the city, evidently intending to begin a siege, but after a few days, for some unknown cause (to the Jews), retired to Scopus, closely followed by the Jews, who harassed his retreat. The next day Cestius, with the Jews in pursuit of him, reached Gibeon. Thence he was compelled to retreat to Beth-horon, where most of his army must have utterly perished. It was not until several years later that Titus suddenly surrounded the city and shut it in on every side.
Like the early church, we are given a little period (we know not how long) in which to give this message,—a little time of prosperity and peace in the land where it was first proclaimed.
During the last General Conference, our hearts were refreshed by the great interest taken in behalf of missions. We anxiously waited to see what would be done for Japan. I am not selfish, brethren; my heart rejoices with yours every time I hear of a worker going out to the Spanish people; I hope the workers in India and China will receive all the help they ask for, and more too; but we are still hoping the much-needed help for Japan will soon come. How long present opportunities will continue we know not. But we know the good Spirit is striving in the hearts of the people. Probably there never was a time in the history of our work in Japan when our literature could be sold so readily—probably never before a time when so many were anxiously inquiring after present truth.
Several large islands, as yet practically unentered, are needing help. Three of these contain a population of no less than twelve million souls. There is also a very interesting little group of small islands—about thirty-six in number—with a population of more than four hundred thousand Loo Chooans; these people are very susceptible to the teachings of Christianity. They have but few missionaries, and no representatives of our work.
It seems to be the general opinion among our believers in the States that Japan is an old field, and has about all the help it needs; but, brethren, such is not the case. Remember this, friends, your service, money, or both, invested in God’s work will give you more joy, and will pay a higher rate of interest, than any farm or bank in this world. “Yes, that is true,” we sometimes say, but quite often we do not act as if we believed it. It seems unreasonable to suppose a single one in the “time of Jacob’s trouble” who has gladly given up all for Christ’s sake and lived upright in his sight will at that time regret a single dollar or a single day of service spent for him. Serious are the times that await us, and how little the time we spend considering whether or not we be “in the faith” and whether our feet during the next few months or years will actually stand on the sea of glass, and our names be numbered with the one hundred forty-four thousand having their Father’s name. Of these, the prophet says: “In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.”

Korea.