p. 5 | Is This the Loud Cry? by I. H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 21, 1907

Is This the Loud Cry?

By I. H. Evans

“AND the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice.” Every believer in what is known as the third angel's message, has looked forward to the time when the message represented by the third angel should go with a loud voice to all the world. It is true that many years ago our people had but little idea of the magnitude of the work represented by this angel. Early in our denominational history we did not fully appreciate the extent to which the third angel's message would be preached in other lands than the United States of America. Still, every true Seventh-day Adventist believed, however indefinite his ideas may have been, that the work of the third angel was to extend to every nation under heaven.

When we go back to the year 1874, we find that our first missionary was sent to Europe. From that time forward our work in that country has steadily grown until to-day Europe has fifteen organized local conferences, three organized union conferences, and twenty mission fields. There are already more than ten thousand Sabbath-keepers scattered throughout the European territory who are paying an annual tithe of more than one hundred thousand dollars. These Sabbath-keepers are contributing about twenty-five thousand per annum to mission fields aside from their tithes. We have in this territory large institutions representing the investment of many thousands of dollars. In Great Britain we have a printing plant known as the International Tract Society, Limited, which has an investment of nearly fifty thousand dollars. We are operating two sanitariums in Great Britain.

A new site for the publishing house and a permanent location for the school has been purchased and suitable buildings must be erected. All this means much to the growth and progress of our work in that field. The printing plant located at Hamburg, Germany, is issuing vast quantities of literature, making an annual net profit of from five thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars.

This surplus of earnings is voted each year to the extension of our missionary work in other lands, and the bringing out of new literature. A school and sanitarium have been built at the cost of many thousands of dollars, at Friedensau, Germany, giving our work a standing in that country such as it could not have had without these institutions. Then we have a sanitarium at Skodsborg, Denmark, and another at Frederikshavn, Denmark, while our people are quite familiar with the printing plant that has existed for many years at Christiania, Norway. Sweden has a school, and also operates a small printing business at Stockholm. Finland and Iceland are scattering considerable quantities of literature in the languages spoken in those countries. At Gland, Switzerland, we have another institution representing the investment of thousands of dollars.

Up to the present time there has never been a general council of the Conference Committee in Europe. We have had many such councils and committees in the United States. Generally our European brethren are invited to send delegates to our General Conferences and General Conference Committee sessions held in this country. A few years ago, several of the General Conference men went over to Europe and made a short visit to the various institutions, and brought back most cheering reports of the growth and progress of the work in that field. From that time forward our work has taken on a new missionary spirit in this country, and our local and union conferences have been generous with their funds, for the advancement of our work in other lands.

It seems that the time has come when this large constituency contributing so much of their money for the advancement of the work, should have some of the councils of our General Conference Committee held in their midst. After much prayer and consideration, the General Conference Committee decided it was their duty to call the spring session of the General Conference Committee this year in Europe.

Again, it has been earnestly urged that many of the workers in the European field have never had the privilege of meeting in general council. They have come into the truth in the territories where they are laboring and have never been in attendance at one of our general meetings. It was thought that it would be very helpful for these laborers to attend a General Conference Council.

The expense of bringing these workers to the States would be great, while a few of our leading workers can go over there for a small outlay.

About April 6-10, a number of the members of the General Conference Committee will sail for Europe, spending a few days in England, visiting institutions in that country, when they will pass on to Skodsborg and Copenhagen, Denmark. There they will remain about three days, and will then proceed to Hamburg and Friedensau, the German centers, spending in the neighborhood of five days there. Then they will go to Gland, Switzerland, where our new sanitarium is located, and hold a two-weeks' meeting. This council will be attended by representatives from the conferences and missions in Europe. It is planned that Elder G. A. Irwin, vice-president of the General Conference, who has been in Australia and Africa this last fall and winter, will attend this council. Prof. W. W. Prescott and Elder G. B. Thompson, will return from their work in the Orient, and bring reports concerning the growth, progress, and needs of our work in these fields.

The council in Europe will be one of the most important that has ever taken place in behalf of our work in other lands. It is indeed an international council of many of our leading workers, and means much to the progress of our work in days to come. We bespeak for this important meeting the prayers of our people everywhere that the Lord in his mercy will give his servants wisdom to rise to the greatness of the work before them, and to understand what ought to be done in these times.

We are sure our people everywhere will rejoice at the wonderful growth and progress of the third angel's message. Is it not true that we are in the days of the ‘loud cry’ of this message? Almost every nation under heaven has been entered. Missions are established in all the leading countries of the world, and many of these mission stations have grown into organized conferences, and these fields in turn are contributing thousands and tens of thousands of dollars for the upbuilding of the work in all parts of the world. When we think of the various enterprises that have been established, the number of Sabbath-keepers scattered throughout the world, the number of missionaries who are preaching the truth and scattering the printed page, the schools that are giving a training to nearly ten thousand of our children, directing all their energies for this specific work, does it not indeed seem that the loud cry of the third angel's message is at hand? It is not a time for discouragement or complaint, but for faith to lay hold of the promises of God that we may arise and give this message to the world in this generation.

Our people will watch with interest the reports that will come from the council in Europe, and look with longing desire for enlarged plans and a rapid extension of the work.

I. H. EVANS.