Statement and Appeal to Every Believer in the Third Angel’s Message by General Conference Committee

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 23, 1902

Statement and Appeal to Every Believer in the Third Angel’s Message

By General Conference Committee

With the full and certain confidence that the Seventh-day Adventist people have been raised up to do a work as the fulfillment of the sure word of prophecy, and with the earnest conviction that the time has come for a clear re-statement of the mission of this people, and how its work may be so conducted as to bring it to a speedy and triumphant conclusion, we present this statement and appeal. As it goes forth from the hearts of the General Conference Committee, we believe it will find a response in the hearts of God’s waiting people.

The coming of Christ has been the hope of the church in all time. A continuous effort has been made to pervert this blessed hope into the unscriptural teaching of a merely spiritual coming, or a coming at death; but there has always remained in the church a well-defined belief in the personal, visible coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, and that this would mark the close of the reign of sin, the resurrection of the dead, and the final reward of the righteous.

In the history of God’s work in the earth, we find that there have been certain times when, under the Lord’s direct leading, great movements have been inaugurated for the accomplishment of God’s purpose in the furtherance of the message of the Saviour’s coming, and the deliverance of his people. These movements have usually been the subject of prophecy. Such were the deliverance from Egypt, the coming out of Babylon, and the first advent of our Lord.

Coming to a later period, we find that the time from the ascension of Christ to his second advent is covered by various lines of prophecy. These prophecies mark the onward march of events with such clearness and accuracy that the faithful student of the words of the prophets can with confidence apply each prediction to its definite place in the history, and say, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” The assurance that this movement is a fulfillment of prophecy is our ground of confidence concerning this people and their work.

The expiration of the prophetic periods in the books of Daniel and Revelation in this generation, and the appearance of those “signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars,” as predicted by the Saviour, bring us face to face with the fact that “he is near, even at the doors.” Then it is that the threefold message of Rev. 14: 6–12 must be given to the world as the final and supreme effort to save the unsaved from the wrath to come.

This threefold message is “the everlasting gospel” of salvation from sin through faith in a crucified and risen Lord. It is the gospel wholly freed from the perversions and traditions of “the man of sin,” so presented that it shall be

a convincing warning against the deadly errors of the papacy and apostate Protestantism. It is to deliver a people out of Babylon, and make “ready a people prepared for the Lord.” This is a definite work. It proclaims the hour of God’s judgment and the immediate personal coming of Christ in glory. It must preach this gospel of the kingdom “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” a world-wide sounding forth of “the voices of the prophets.”

Early Days of the Message

As in every such experience in the past, “when the time of the promise drew nigh,” the word of God came to some who were men and women of God’s opportunity, and they began to speak this word to the people. These were the early days of this message. Then such servants of God as Joseph Bates, James White, Mrs. E. G. White, J. N. Loughborough, J. H. Waggoner, J. N. Andrews, and Uriah Smith, in deep poverty, but uncompromising faith, laid the foundation for the work which has called out the Seventh-day Adventists as a separate people. They taught the speedy coming of Christ, as shown by the expiration of the prophetic periods, revived the confidence of advent believers by imparting the light upon the subject of the sanctuary and its cleansing, emphasized the unchangeable nature of God’s law, and the consequent obligation of the seventh-day Sabbath, and led in a movement to restore primitive Christianity in the church.

The history of other reform movements has been in a certain measure repeated. First a period of simplicity and power; then a period of rapid growth, with a tendency toward greater conformity to the other denominations; then a period of internal friction over doctrines and administrative methods, which has brought into the denomination and its work a sense of uncertainty, and a distinct weakening of the original advent faith. Doubts have been sown in public and private as to the truthfulness of the position of this people concerning the coming of the Lord, and as to the fact that they had any distinctive message to declare to the world. Many began to think, and some to say, “My Lord delayeth his coming.” This denomination became less weighted with the burden that they were debtors to the world to give them the last message of warning, and more weighted with the burden of financial debts, until the very life of the movement seemed to be threatened.

At the last General Conference a reform both in teaching and in administrative methods was called for, and the courage of believers was revived by a voice calling the denomination to its distinctive work of giving the advent message to all the world in this generation. The Spirit of God witnessed to the assurance

drawn from his Word that there should be delay no longer, and new hopes were awakened.

A Great Forward Movement

We are now deeply impressed with the conviction that the time has come for a united and determined forward movement to give speedily our definite message to the world. The time demands it. The fields, white already for the harvest, demand it. The condition of our own people demands it. Our own salvation lies in rising to the situation, and giving ourselves to the proclamation of this advent message. The keynote of every effort must now be, “The coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” All branches of our work must be conducted under the inspiration of this truth, and with the definite purpose of representing it to the world. All the messengers must learn to speak the same thing by a prayerful study of the foundation truths of this message, and there must be a faithful dealing with error within the body, as well as without. The confidence in this movement must be based upon faith in the prophetic word and the evidence of God’s favor, rather than upon the talents of any men or the approbation of the world. On this basis God will be glorified in doing a mighty work through his people, this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world for a witness, and we shall shortly experience the fulfillment of the Saviour’s promise, “I will come again.”

But before Jesus can come, this gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness. This is the greatest and most definite sign which will mark the time of his coming; for this gospel must be preached to all nations, and then shall the end come.

For fifty years we have been carrying this message to the people of the United States, but have made only feeble efforts beyond our own borders. In the United States there is now one Sabbath keeper to every 1,300 people, while in the European field, where the most has been done abroad, there is only one Sabbath keeper to each 62,000. In many large countries there is only a handful of believers, and in several great nations not a word of this message has ever been proclaimed. But to-day there is a “sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees,” and God’s providences are opening the way to far-off lands, and are bidding us bestir ourselves. Barriers which have long stood in our way in many countries are being leveled. The doors are thrown wide open, and urgent calls are coming from every land. God’s people have begun to move forward with a firm, steady tread in the right direction. Our laborers are volunteering for foreign fields as never before, and many of the conferences of the United States are sharing their regular tithe with the Mission Board for the support of foreign work.

At its last session, the General Conference Committee drew up, and unanimously passed, the following resolutions as a statement of its policy in carrying—

The Third Angel’s Message to the World

Whereas, The one great work of this people is to carry the third angel’s message in this generation to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people; and,—

Whereas, About four fifths of the laborers, and the means with which to support them, are now gathered in the United States, where there is only about one twentieth of the world’s population; therefore,—

1. We recommend, That a systematic and thorough campaign be entered upon and kept up to turn the attention of conference committees, ministers, and people to the needs of the fields outside of their respective conferences and outside of the United States; and that all conference resources of ministers and money be held open by the conference management to the needs and calls of the regions beyond, the same as within the bounds of local conferences.

2. We recommend, That conferences urge their laborers to move out into needy fields, especially into fields outside of the United States, and pledge to support them there, as their own laborers, until they have raised up a sufficient constituency to give them their support.

3. We recommend, That in all cases where laborers are sent into another field, as already suggested, they work under the direction of the conference into whose fields they are sent; that the committee under whose direction they labor audit their accounts; and that all appropriations for their support be sent to the treasury of the Mission Board.

4. We recommend, That the General, Union, and State Conferences give their internal workings and the expenses of administration careful study, to the end that all unnecessary expenses be eliminated, and the work put upon a sound basis.

5. We recommend, That we encourage the States that are able to do so, to set aside a definite per cent of the regular tithe as an appropriation to the general work of the Mission Board.

6. We recommend, That this forward movement in behalf of missions be placed clearly before our people, and that their responsibility to pay a full tithe into the Lord’s treasury be emphasized.

7. We recommend, That in addition to this devotion of conference resources to destitute fields, we urge all our laborers and people to agitate the matter of the regular weekly offerings to missions, known as the ten-cent-a-week plan, by which a large treasure may easily be turned to the evangelization of the world.

Gospel Finance

The time has fully come for a sharp, quick work in carrying the gospel to the world. If we would march rapidly, our equipment must be light and simple, and free from entanglements and perplexities. In the past we have built large institutions, and have carried forward great enterprises, to a degree upon borrowed money. The debts which have been thus incurred have made our work burdensome and perplexing. God by his Spirit has told us that these debts

are a reproach, and should be rolled away. The time has fully come when these burdens should be lifted, and all the organizations of this denomination should adopt a policy which will prevent a repetition of our past experiences.

The following resolutions, passed by the General Conference Committee at its last meeting, are an expression of its financial policy; and we recommend this policy to all the organizations and institutions of the denomination:—

Whereas, The work of carrying on the third angel’s message is rapidly enlarging and extending into new fields; and,—

Whereas, Unless careful management be given to the operations in extending the message, large debts will be contracted; therefore,—

1. We recommend, That all evangelical and missionary enterprises carried on in the name of the denomination, or under the denomination’s support, be conducted on a strictly cash basis.

Whereas, Most of our corporations and institutions are carrying large liabilities; therefore,—

2. We recommend, That said corporations and institutions be requested to give special attention to the rapid liquidation of their obligations.

3. We further recommend,—

(a) That the General Conference or Mission Board from this day shall not be held financially responsible for any obligations which they have not assumed by their own action.

(b) That the foregoing be the general policy of the union and State conferences and other organizations and institutions of the denomination.

(c) That all parties undertaking local enterprises, such as institutions, church buildings, and other undertakings in this country, secure their means in their respective local territories, and not by general call for means, unless previously arranged.

We bespeak for these recommendations a careful reading. We believe they voice the burning convictions of all who desire to see the speedy triumph of this work. They point the way to a great forward movement, and they insure financial safety in carrying on that movement.

Macedonian Calls

Calls for help are coming to Seventh-day Adventists in America from all parts of the world. This is not a sentiment. It is not an overdrawn statement. It is the sober, candid truth.

Great Britain and Scandinavia have both been pleading most earnestly for laborers and means. We are now answering these calls, to their great joy.

Germany and its mission fields of Russia, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkan States, containing two hundred and fifty-five million people, keep a standing order with the Mission Board for help.

Turkey has long pressed upon us a call for a superintendent, to be located in Constantinople, hoping that such a laborer from abroad may go about more freely than the native worker, who is

subject to many legal restrictions. Our dear brethren and sisters in Asia Minor have waited long for some minister who can visit them. Shall their hopes die? O brethren, pray that the Lord may lay the burden of Turkey upon the heart of him who should go.

Spain and Portugal do not call to us with an audible voice, as do most other countries, but their mute appeal comes even more touchingly than the call from the partially entered countries of Europe. No believer in this message has yet gone to them with this gospel of the kingdom, which must be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations. The silence of these countries, with their twenty-five million people in darkness and entire ignorance of this special message, calls loudly for messengers. Shall they be sent at once?

India and Burma, with their three hundred million souls, have long kept a call ringing in our ears for help. Vast provinces, with many millions, have waited, unentered by the living preacher. Ministerial laborers are needed at once for such great centers as Bombay, Madras, and Rangoon, where interests awakened by our literature should be followed up.

So, too, it is in China and Japan, which have only recently been opened. The workers in these empires begin to get a view of the vast fields before them, and see the possibilities, and naturally can only send in the leading calls for more laborers.

In the East Indies, a light has been kept glowing in Sumatra, but more lights should be kindled in these populous islands, and along the Malay Peninsula. Shall help go on to this dark and waiting region without longer delay?

Africa’s dark places are opening to our messengers. Beginning in Cape Colony, we have planted the standard in various parts of South Africa, Rhodesia, Nyassaland, the West Coast, and Egypt. But the laborers there are few, and as the Lord opens new fields before them, they send on their calls to us for more messengers.

South America sends most encouraging news of progress among the different peoples, but with this news it couples earnest calls for more help. Its forty millions must have more ministers, teachers, physicians, and nurses to fill the openings of God’s providences.

Everywhere, as we lift up our eyes, we see fields white unto the harvest. The same call for laborers is heard from Central America, the West Indies, Mexico, and from Australia and the islands of the South Seas.

Thus it is that from all the world there comes now to Seventh-day Adventists in America a definite, continuous, pressing call for help. It comes from messengers at the front. It is placed before us in touching and cheering incidents of victories gained, and in sober, truthful descriptions of providential openings, and positive demands for a strong advance.

“The Set Time Is Come”

The truth is, we have come to a point

in our work when something greater, and larger, and stronger than we have ever yet done, must now be done. The time and the circumstances appeal to us,—

“Arise, give light, for thy light has come; and the glory of the Lord beams upon thee. For, behold, darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but over thee will shine forth the Lord, and his glory will be seen over thee. And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy shining. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see! They all gather together, and come to thee. Then shalt thou behold it with exuberant joy, and thine heart shall palpitate with exulting delight, when like the sea the multitude shall roll onwards upon thee; like a rapid stream the nations shall flow in unto thee.”

The third angel’s message is more than a theory. It is a great system of truth, and a great body of believers, and a great missionary movement, all combined. The truth is God’s message to the world, the people are those whom the truth saves, and the missionary movement is the proclamation of the truth to the world by those whom it saves.

We cannot think of the third angel’s message apart from that company keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Nor can we think of that company apart from that great movement signified by the angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.

This, and nothing less, is the threefold message of Revelation 14. Every call to loyalty to the message is a call to the believers to be obedient to the truth and faithful in world-wide service. There are, even now, strong reasons for appealing to the loyalty of the believers. The current is downward. The tendency ever is to drift from our moorings. We must hold to the infallible Word of the living God. We must study anew the simple truths that so thrilled our hearts when the message first came to us. Every feature of the blessed truth must shine out with new luster, and thrill our hearts with new and increased power.

But all this means a continuous and ever-widening missionary movement on the part of this people. The message is for the whole world, and it must be given to the whole world. That greater movement into the fields is called for at this very hour. What we have done thus far has placed us where we are called upon to do far more.

The truth came to us, and challenged our attention, convinced our judgment, and convicted our conscience. We accepted it, and began to proclaim it. We have assured the world that Jesus is soon coming. We have declared that God’s final message is now due, and that this people have been raised up to give it. We have gone to nearly all nations with this solemn profession. Thousands have

been convinced. Avenues for giving our message have opened before us in all lands. And now, as a result of the word preached, there comes to us from all the earth a mighty call for a genuine world-wide movement. That call cannot be ignored. It must be answered, and that without delay.

We cannot retract, we cannot retreat, we cannot stand still; nor do we desire to do either. There is but one thing for us, that is to go forward. We must charge the enemy’s lines. And, thank God, it is to be the last charge. To this last charge the trumpet now calls every believer in the third angel’s message.

Who will obey this call? Who is willing to consecrate his service unto the Lord in this solemn and thrilling hour? What fathers and mothers will now, at this moment, dedicate anew and forever their sons and daughters to God’s work, wherever he may call them? What young man and young woman will hear, and now surrender all to Christ for service? And who among the believers in the third angel’s message will now lay property on the altar for God to use as he requires? And who will pray him to use it now without further delay?

Brethren and sisters, we have a message and work which, as being God’s final proclamation to a perishing world, is even more urgent and pressing than the message in apostolic times. Surely the consecration of our lives and means to service should be as great as that of apostolic believers. The believers then laid their possessions down at the apostles’ feet for the cause of Christ, and gave their lives to his service. We, too, should lay all we have at the feet of our blessed Master, for his use, and then give our lives to consecrated service.

This is the call of the hour. In this spirit the early pioneers in the advent faith built up this work by the grace of God. In the same spirit, and the same faith in the same message, this people now, responding to the call of their great Commander, must quickly finish the work which he has given us to do IN THIS GENERATION.

GENERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.