p. 233 | Who Are Called? by S. N. Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 9, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 15.

Who Are Called?

By S. N. Haskell

WE have little faith in the idea that a call of God must always be by miraculous evidences. We do not wish to be understood as saying that God does not from time to time give such evidences of his will in particular circumstances, but in every such case there is a principle that lies beneath it that is still greater evidence than the outward manifestation. In this article we wish to say something on this point. God often calls men who never heed the call, yet at the same time outwardly manifest a desire to do something in his cause. At one time Jesus called a young man to enter the ministry, who manifested a strong desire to follow him. He came and kneeled before the Lord, and said, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" When the Saviour told him what to do, "he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." Judas was about to develop as a traitor, and the Lord evidently called this young man to take his place as an apostle. But it cost too much; he could not pay the price. Could he have seen what the Saviour had in mind, he evidently would have said, "Yes, Lord, I will gladly follow thee."

There were two principles involved upon which the young man failed. First, he was a selfish man, and did not know it. Secondly, he could not trust the Lord enough to venture all upon his word. God would have his people learn the work of sacrifice that Christ endured in coming to earth to die. He commenced a work then which he committed to his people to carry forward. It cost Christ his position in Heaven, his life, and all that he had in both worlds, and he requires some evidence that men love him, before he will commit to them the responsibilities of a work so sacred and holy. The world has never been wholly destitute of men who could appreciate the importance of this work. Peter, in a measure, comprehended it, when he said to the Saviour, "Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?" The Saviour replied: "There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." The possession of this principle is a genuine evidence of the call of God. The work is before us, and when men voluntarily give their all for its advancement, and step in to supply what is needed from time to time, it is evidence that they have in some degree the spirit that characterized our Lord and Master in coming to this earth.

Joseph, of Aramathea, came to the rescue when the influence of the disciples could not have secured a burial for the Lord, and in this way fulfilled the Scriptures. Nicodemus also acted a conspicuous part at that time. Barnabas too came forward and sold his possessions at a time when there was want of means at Jerusalem. During the entire history of the church, God has selected men to bear responsibilities of this kind in his cause. No one can read carefully the history of the church, and not be strongly impressed with this one fact, that God has always commenced and carried forward his work by and through men who have possessed this principle. Such men as Huss, Luther, Zwingle, Calvin, Wesley, Whitefield, William Miller and scores of others who have figured largely in the work of reform, all possessed this spirit. But all cannot be Luthers. A brace is as essential to the strength of a building as is a beam, and there are many more of them. The spirit that Luther possessed is as important in those who fill less prominent places as in those who lead. We have no evidence that the word of God would have been preached in Bohemia when it was, nor to the extent that it was, had it not been for two wealthy merchants who felt the importance of it, to such an extent that one gave the land, and the other, at his own expense, erected a church in which the word of God might be preached in the city of Prague. It was there that Huss could speak in spite of the pope's bull of excommunication, and his demands for the reformer's life. We might never have had a Luther, had it not been for a Spalatin who encouraged him in his work. Each possessed the true spirit of sacrifice.

We might mention hundreds of others who have at different times filled positions of usefulness; some as ministers, others in a financial way. Had these last not acted their part, and had they not had a sacrificing spirit, we cannot see how the work could have been carried forward. Shall we conclude that God did not as effectually call these men to act their part as he did those who were more prominent? They saw the importance of the work to be done, and so, coming forward, they did what they could. We cannot tell how Joseph and Mary would have obtained means for their journey to Egypt, a distance of about two hundred miles, and their sojourn there to save the young child's life, had it not been for the costly presents which the wise men brought to the infant Saviour. Were these wise men not called of God to do this? Was not this spirit manifested in the First Angel's Message? Persons should not always wait until they are repeatedly urged to donate to the cause of our divine Lord. Happy is the man or the woman who walks in the light of God, and can distinguish his voice in the calls for help to carry forward his work in the earth, and respond to them without feeling that it is a burden to do so.

God loves a cheerful giver. There are those of late date, whose names might be mentioned, who gave as marked evidence that God had called them to act a part in his work as any in past ages. And God accepted their sacrifices. The name of William Miller is known in this country whenever the doctrine of the second coming of Christ is preached. We might mention those connected with the early history of the Sabbath reform. Elder James White and his wife saw the truth in its beauty forty years ago; and the evidence they had that God had called them to act a prominent part in the work of the Third Angel's Message, was the fact that they left all and devoted reputation, position, ease, and every personal interest to its advocacy. Has not God accepted their labors? Has not this message already gone to the remotest parts of the earth by means of their devotion? To-day there are thousands of people rejoicing in God because of these truths, who would have been in error's darkness but for these efforts.

But they were poor in this world's goods. How could they do such great things, when the movement itself has cost hundreds of thousands of dollars? This is easily told. God has called others to co-operate with them. Some he called to give of their means, and they gave in the early history of this work their entire property, as did the apostles. They sold their farms and gave all. Did not God call them to do this? Does God no longer call his people to move forward? There has never been a time since Christ was upon this earth, when there was such a demand for consecrated labor in the cause of God as at present. Not only are men wanted, but there is a necessity of means. Think you that God has not men whom he is calling to give of their means? How are the cities throughout the South to be entered and missions established where at present there is little or no knowledge of present truth? How are the missions in Europe and Australia to be supported? Is it not by men and women who, feeling the importance and burden of this work, respond to these calls? When the wants of the cause are presented, and there is a disposition on the part of a person to help in that direction, making the interests of the cause of God his own, willing to do all in his power that it may prosper, it is evidence that God has called him to the work.

God's providence has been over the work in New Orleans ever since it opened. Those engaged in the work there had no suitable place in which to meet and invite those who became interested in the truth. They felt that the interests of the cause demanded a change of location. In fact the work would have been much hindered if some way had not been opened before them in this respect, but their financial inability was altogether discouraging. They earnestly besought the Lord that he would open the way before them. A brother came that way who saw the necessity of the cause and voluntarily procured them a desirable location in the city at an expense to himself of hundreds of dollars. The mission was thus established on a permanent basis. This was evidence of a call of God.

A mission is about to be established in Australia. There are friends of the truth in California, in Michigan, and elsewhere, who could bear the entire expense of that mission for years and not come to want. They are also feeling that God has called them to do something in his work. We invite all such to come and help in this important crisis

The cause wants men and means; men who have a few thousands of dollars can go to this distant land and make it their future field of labor; men who will invest as much for God as for themselves; men who feel that God has called them to do something in his work. We want some such practical evidence of the call of God. We believe that God has such men in different parts of this country and the world. We expect them to come forward in a time like this.

God's work demands haste. What is to be done to open and establish the Australian Mission will have to be done at once. The first man of whom we have heard who has pledged any large amount for this enterprise is one not in our faith; he gives $2,000 toward a printing press to be established in that distant land. Now we have received another pledge of $1,000 from a man who does not keep the Sabbath. We believe that God is calling men to assist in this work. We invite our friends far and near to lend a helping hand in establishing the work of the Third Angel's Message in Australia.

S. N. HASKELL.