The Needs of the South by M. C. Strachan

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 30, 1909

The Needs of the South

By M. C. Strachan

M. C. STRACHAN

The colored brethren and sisters in our churches are looking forward with a great deal of interest to the coming October collection, and they are hoping that the offering will be double that of last year. From every quarter the calls for means are multiplying daily; especially is this so in the Southland, where the demand for evangelical and educational help is far beyond the ability of our conference officials to supply.

Throughout the field there is a painful destitution of well-trained and experienced laborers in the evangelical, educational, and medical missionary departments of the work. And just at a time when the providence of God is revealing to us exceptional opportunities for service among the Negro race, there is this sorrowful lack of efficient laborers to answer the numerous calls that come to us on every side.

This situation must ever remain thus unless there is, just now, a general rallying of our forces throughout the States, and a self-sacrificing effort made by all the brethren and sisters in America to help bear the financial burdens of the work among the colored race. We can not hope for the workers with which to answer the various calls unless we hasten to give the needed funds to place our training-school for the colored youth on vantage-ground. Our sanitarium and school at Huntsville, Ala., are languishing daily for the want of money to provide the needed facilities with which to operate the different features that will give to our colored youth a peculiar fitness for the work in the field. There is no institution among us that is better suited to train our colored workers to accommodate themselves to the task of reaching the great masses of the Negro race with the third angel's message.

But few of us seem to realize the magnitude of the work that must be done among the colored people. There are millions who have never yet heard the message. These must be given the light of present truth; and for the accomplishment of this, the Lord has provided many agencies. Among these the Oakwood Industrial Training School seems to be the most important; for from it must go forth gospel missionaries.

There is a pressing need for consecrated, well-trained colored laborers in the densely populated sections of our great Southland. Workers must be fitted to labor in the large cities in the North, as well as in the South. And especially should well-balanced and experienced workers be trained to operate in the great educational centers of the race, where the Lord has repeatedly assured us that our efforts will be rewarded by the gathering in of some very precious fruit.

We are all thankful that the light of present truth has been shining in a few places among the colored people, and that a few laborers in this field have been working whole-heartedly to give the message to their own race. A good beginning has been made, but much remains yet to be done. The Lord would be pleased to have us all now come up to the help of this long-neglected work.

Let us come as “cheerful” givers before the Lord, with grateful hearts denying ourselves, “not grudgingly,” and he will certainly open “the windows of heaven,” and pour us out a blessing.

There is no just ground for discouragement over the past failures and shortcomings; but let us rather thank God and take courage, for we shall surely see marvelous advances in the work among the Negroes in the near future.

Asheville, N. C.