Surrounding the World by William A. Spicer

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 4, 1902

Surrounding the World

By William A. Spicer

In the latter years of service in Burma, with numbers of workers about him, Judson had opportunity to study the problem of disposing his forces so as to accomplish most for God. He wrote his home board as follows:—

Formerly, having spent many years alone, I felt desirous of missionary society, and was disposed to encourage a few to stay together, not doubting that we should all find enough to do. But I have now learned that one missionary standing by himself, feeling his individual responsibility, and forced to put forth all his efforts, is worth half a dozen cooped up in one place, while there are unoccupied stations in all directions, and whole districts, of thousands and tens of thousands, perishing in the darkness of heathenism.

So, scattering his forces out, a man and his wife, with perhaps a native helper, surrounded by many thousands of the heathen, the light was diffused out through dark Burma.

This is the general plan of campaign by which our missionary forces must surround the world. It is not that the workers should be so widely separated that no mutual counsel or co-operation may be had when needful; but the line of advance must be in open formation if we are quickly to get into every dark corner of the world. There is courage and inspiration in feeling one’s self a little light in the midst of a dark mass of needy fellow beings.

The great work will never be done in offices or institutions, though these naturally spring up as the fields develop. The preaching of the word, the personal touch with the moving masses of the people in darkness, is the old, old plan by which the triumphs of the gospel have ever been secured. An army of missionaries widely extended, can quickly finish this work of witnessing.

Gideon’s military tactics give us a Bible precedent for this order of battle. With three hundred true men, he had to meet a vast horde of Midianites and children of the East, whose forces filled the valley, like grasshoppers for multitude. Gideon did not mass his men together, few as they were. He threw out his line of attack until the slender force surrounded the vast camp. Every heart was courageous, and every man had light that was to shine forth. Then when the signal was given, the shout of victory rose from every side of the valley, and God himself wrought the victory that faith had grasped.

Too long we have had our forces massed in one small land. Of course much remains to be done here. Every conference has unworked territory. But the surest way of finishing the home work, let it be said again and again, is to speed through the lands abroad. When our forces actually surround the world, and the light shines out in every land, and the shout of victory rings out in every tongue, God himself will cut short the work in righteousness.

W. A. S.