WHAT WE NEED by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 19, 1879

WHAT WE NEED.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

The labor required in our Conferences is yearly increasing. New fields are opening, and in every Conference there are more calls to hear the living preacher than can be met with the present number of ministers and missionary workers. But although our numbers are largely increasing, there is a deficiency of funds in these Conferences to carry forward the work in their respective localities. This is owing partly to the fact that many of our ministers are better preachers than laborers. In other words, they are men who are quite successful in bringing companies into the truth; but they do not educate these new converts, before leaving them, to feel the responsibility of sustaining themselves or the cause of God. Thus they continue to enter new fields, raising up other companies, and leaving them in like manner. In this way many are theoretically converted to the truth, without that heart-work which would cause them to feel that a responsibility rests upon them, beyond simply believing the truth and observing the Sabbath.

This evil has been growing upon us, which led to the adoption of the following resolutions at the last session of the General Conference :—

1. Resolved, That we again urge our ministers not to leave new converts and churches immediately after they have embraced the message; but to visit them often and regularly till they are thoroughly settled in all the truth, and organized, and all are gathered in who can be reached.

2. Resolved, That we believe it is wisdom to make a special effort to add to small, weak companies, instead of leaving them to die out, while raising up similar companies in new fields to in turn be left in like manner.

3. Resolved, That in order to save time and traveling expenses, and make each minister responsible for the completion of his own work, we recommend that, as far as practicable, each minister be assigned a definite field in which to labor for at least one year.

The life and character of the apostle Paul might be studied with profit by many of our ministers. He ever taught those who embraced the gospel to sustain it with their means and efforts. The churches in Macedonia, especially at Philippi, were brought out under circumstances of great affliction to himself and others. With Silas he was beaten and thrust into the inner prison, their feet made fast in stocks. “And the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely, who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.” Acts 16: 22–24.

Paul, when a prisoner at Rome, in writing to the Philippian church, states that they had the same conflict which they had seen in him, and which he was then enduring. Phil. 1: 30. The Spirit of God said they were in “deep poverty,” and had “a great trial of affliction;” yet they were more than willing to give of their means to sustain the gospel. “For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift.” See 2 Cor. 8: 1–5. This liberality on the part of the Philippians, in sustaining the work, commenced with their experience in the gospel; for when Paul left Macedonia he went to Thessalonica; and they sent once and again to minister to his necessities while he remained there. Phil. 4: 14–18.

This should silence those who think a church must wait a year or two before systematic benevolence can be organized. The closing words of Paul to the elders of the churches in Asia are much to the point: “I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The means which they were to give was not for himself. His testimony to them was, “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.”

The apostle was ever engaged in personal labor, visiting from house to house, and teaching his converts to do the same. Acts 20: 20. He took individuals with him from the various churches which he raised up, and educated them in the missionary work. Acts 20: 4. Thus he ever made the cause self-supporting, and built up strong, working churches. He warned the elders to feed the flock of God, and to guard against the coming in of grievous wolves, who would not spare the flock, and even against men who would arise among themselves, rending the church and causing divisions. Acts 20: 28–32.

He appealed to his own experience among them, and exhorted them to remember that by the space of three years he had not ceased to warn every one, night and day, with tears.

Such laborers are needed to-day,—men who will not spare themselves, but who will feel the burden and importance of presenting “every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” The apostle, speaking of Christ, says: “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom (or wisdom in all things); that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.” Col. 1: 28, 29.

To preach Christ was to preach all that pertained to the gospel, and to declare the whole counsel of God. Unless our churches are educated to feel a responsibility of the cause outside of themselves,—unless they are educated in the tithing system, missionary work, Sabbath-school interests, health reform, and every branch of present truth, they will ever be weak, subject to false doctrines, and be easily overthrown. The apostle felt that unless those he brought into the truth were educated in divine things, so that they would remain steadfast through the perils of the way, he would have no reward in the kingdom of God. He therefore exhorts the Philippians to be “blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.”

Our foreign missions in the old world, under the direction of men who have built up the cause in this country, must be sustained. The nature of the work is such that calls will be made, by these countries, to friends in America, for more or less means; therefore the cause here must be more than self-sustaining. Those embracing the truth should be taught to feel as the early Christians felt. In every case the record plainly shows that it was not simply to benefit him who had labored among them, that they were so anxious to give of their means; but it was to sustain the cause elsewhere. Much was sent to Jerusalem, which was the head-quarters of the early church.

The cause in which we are engaged had to be built up in its early history. Thus it has been in every reform. Luther, Wesley, and others of like character, by their self-sacrificing labor, secured God’s blessing in the establishment of sacrificing churches; but these men were soon followed by others less sacrificing, who entered their fields and enjoyed the fruit of their labors. Not being able to impart what they did not themselves possess, the church soon became destitute of the Spirit and power of God.

The pioneers in this work have known what it was to suffer deprivation and want in their labors. They were then laying a foundation and casting an influence which will last till the end. Men thus brought into the truth, during its early history, are those who respond to every call for means to sustain this work. There are others who come nobly up and stand by their side in thus doing, but with many there is a manifest lack in this respect. Ministers should possess this spirit of self-sacrificing labor, if they would see it manifested by those who are brought into the truth under their labors. It is this that gives permanency to their work; but how often it is otherwise. Men will go out, get a few weak converts, and expect pay as much as those who raise up church after church; and some feel hurt if they cannot even have an advance on their wages, although the funds from which they expect to receive are not the fruit of their labor.

We believe that when our Conferences adopt the resolutions presented in the report of the General Conference, it will give a healthy tone to both ministers and churches. We need to watch carefully lest we lose the spirit of sacrifice and reform, and become content with a dry theory.

We need a revival among our ministry and people; not merely a revival, but a reform. Perilous times are before us, and how poorly are we prepared to meet them. God calls for men and women whose hearts are true to the interests of his work; who will not count their lives dear if they may win Christ, and save precious souls for whom he died. Our brethren are willing to work when properly instructed by precept and example. Our missionary societies are doing something; but did they possess more of a self-sacrificing spirit, the efficiency of their labors would be greatly increased. We should not labor simply to interest people in the theory of the truth, but to get them converted to God and his precious cause, so that the truths of God’s word may be dearer to them than life. Much of this labor is needed in our churches. It would save many precious souls from doubting the truth, and backsliding from God. We appeal to our ministers, to our brethren and sisters everywhere, to raise the standard of labor in the cause of present truth. Selfish interests should be laid aside, and we should begin to inquire, Have I built up the cause of Christ? Have my example and teaching led others to put away evil habits, to love to deny self, and to assist in the missionary work? Have I led others to have a pecuniary interest in every branch of the cause of our divine Lord? Soon the books will be laid open in the Judgment, and every man will receive according as his works shall be.

S. N. HASKELL.