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Life Service

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 24, 1902

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 79, No. 25.

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Life Service

By J. S. James

As we near the close of this message, we find Satan enlisting all his powers to divert the minds of those who are engaged in the work to that of some line of work outside the message. With all the subtlety of his evil nature, he presents before the eyes of God’s workers enterprises which are foreign to the message. He pictures them in glowing colors, and never fails to point out specifically the great possibilities wrapped up in such enterprises.
This is especially true with the canvasser and his work. I might ask the question, Who among you have not at some time in your experience been led to believe that you could carry on some secular enterprise in connection with your regular work? In many instances where this has been tried, dire failure has been the result,—failure because the principle of the thing was wrong; failure because the work was not done in accordance with the light God has given us. Let us examine the subject more closely; for it is an important one.
We have been told, and we believe, that the canvassing work is next, if not equal in importance, to that of the gospel ministry. We have been told that the canvassing work “should be conducted from a missionary standpoint;” that “as much care and wisdom must be used in selecting the workers as in selecting men for the ministry;” that “canvassers should be impressed with the fact that the canvassing work is the very work the Lord desires them to do. They should remember that they are in the service of God.” “The intelligent, God-fearing, truth-loving canvasser should be respected, for he occupies a position equal to that of the gospel minister.” From these quotations, it is evident to all that the canvassing work should be conducted on principles similar to those of the ministry.
Listen to the charge that was given to the apostle Timothy: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. . . . But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” 2 Tim. 4: 1–5.
We cannot “occupy a position equal to that of the gospel minister,” and at the same time occupy a position in secular affairs. We cannot “preach the word” as an evangelist, and devote one half or two thirds of our time to plowing in the field. We cannot “do the work of an evangelist” and “make full proof of our ministry,” and have other work “on the side” to occupy our minds and take our energies from God’s work.
“No man that warreth entangeth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2 Tim. 2: 4.
When a man enters the service of the United States army as a soldier, he leaves his business behind him. Yea, more than that; he leaves father and mother, sisters and brothers, houses and lands, that he may render his entire time and service to the interests of his country. The commander-in-chief of the army would not accept anything less from him. His life, his time, his energies, every faculty of his being, must be devoted to the cause of his country.
Dear reader, we are chosen to be soldiers of the kingdom. We have an enemy to defeat, a victory to win. How can it be done? “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Eph. 6: 13–17.
God does not call a man to do two things at once. We cannot engage in the canvassing work and render pleasing service to God, and be entangled “with the affairs of this life.” Dear reader, in what light have you regarded this subject in the past? How much time have you spent out of each week, month, or year, in active service for God? Stop and think a moment. Can a man serve God and mammon at the same time? Can we be increasing our worldly goods, gathering about us homes of comfort and luxury, and at the same time provide for ourselves “a treasure in the heavens that faileth not”? Can we spend seven tenths of our time (I should say God’s time) endeavoring to reap worldly gain, and devote the remainder of the time to the canvassing work, and feel that we have dealt justly with our Maker? Again we read the exhortation to Timothy: “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”
Never in the history of the message was there a greater need for men and women who will take up canvassing for a life work, and give themselves wholly to it. The canvassing work is as truly a calling as any other line of work. Why should it not be represented by life-long service, the same as other callings? The canvassing work is not a work for people to “try their luck” at, any more than the ministry. It is not the means of employment “during my vacation.” True, it has been used for that many times to good advantage. But it is not that. It is not to “make things boom for a few weeks before Christmas.” It is far above all that. It is God’s means “of presenting before the people the light contained in our books; and canvassers should be impressed with the importance of bringing before the world as fast as possible the books necessary for their spiritual education and enlightenment. This is the very work the Lord desires his people to do at this time.”
O that we might sense the importance of this message at this time, that we might be filled with a burning desire to tell it to others! Let us seriously consider these things before it is too late. May God help us to devote our whole life to his service, that when Jesus comes, we may “receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
J. S. JAMES.