p. 23 | F. C. GILBERT by F. C. Gilbert

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

F. C. GILBERT

By F. C. Gilbert

Are You? Or Not? Which?

ARE you standing idle all the day, especially now in this eleventh hour's opportunity of finishing the quota of "Christ's Object Lessons"? or are you doing all in your power to come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty, and to do your share in making this work a success? Paul not only did his share of the work of preaching the gospel, but he said he labored more abundantly than they all. As a result, what a great amount of joy he had even in this life, to say nothing of the crown of life which awaits him at that day.

Certainly no enterprise has ever been given to us as a people that is so designed of God to show our love and devotion to him and to his cause, as well as to manifest our interest in the salvation of our fellow men, as is this. If we really have the love of Christ in our souls, we shall desire to see men and women brought to the saving knowledge of his truth, and shall wish to have a part in this grand work. The time is short. The work must soon be done. Now is the time for you to act. To say that you cannot do this, when the Lord has said you can, is not true faith, to say the least. When, in the name of the Lord, you go to perform his work, he will not only give you a blessing, but it will bring a great blessing to others. The experience of the two spies who went to view Jericho is a forcible illustration of this fact. Joshua told them to spy out the land, and then to report to him. After they reached the city of Jericho, the king was informed that spies had come to view the land. He sent men to the house of Rahab, where the spies went to lodge, and demanded that they be delivered. God saved those spies; they viewed the country, reported their work to Joshua when their tour was completed, and Rahab and her household were all saved. They got a blessing in doing their work; she was blessed by their coming.

The blessings that have come to me as a result of engaging in this most precious work have been remarkable; and besides this I have had the privilege of seeing many a heart satisfied by the truths the book contains. The Lord has also opened the doors of many other churches to the preaching of the gospel, thus extending the influence of the truth. A week ago I had the privilege of speaking in a church in New Hampshire, morning and evening. In the evening there was a union meeting held of two churches in the place. At the close of the service, the minister made a public announcement of the book, "Christ's Object Lessons," to a well-filled house. He encouraged the people to buy the book. He told me that if I could stay and visit the people, he would go with me from house to house. This is the third minister who has made a public announcement for the book before large congregations.

The next morning I called on two other ministers, who bought and paid for the book, even though I had none to deliver them. Excellent testimonials are being given for the work. The hand of God is in this movement; the angel has surely stepped down, and is troubling the waters. Step in, brother, sister, step in; God wants you to have a part. The laborers who came in at the eleventh hour received their reward. May God help each one to act his part, and do it now.