Where Are We? by Wm. Covert

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · May 5, 1904

Where Are We?

By Wm. Covert

THIRTY-SIX years ago I was just forming acquaintance with the great truths of the atonement, the sanctuary, the Sabbath of the Lord, and the second coming of Christ. About that time our people employed one school-teacher, and we had one little school without a school building. We owned one small publishing house, which was publishing the REVIEW AND HERALD, the Youth's Instructor, a few trade books, and some tracts and pamphlets. Few laborers had gone outside of the United States, and in this country the work had not gone beyond the Western plains, nor south of the Ohio River.

We were then declaring that the third angel's message would go to every nation, tongue, and people, and that the second coming of Christ would take place before the decease of all who were living when the stars fell in 1833.

Though our members were few, and our facilities meager, yet we believed Jesus would not disappoint us in his coming. The work before us was so much greater than were our calculations

concerning it, that even then many thought it was almost done.

Not a tract society had been organized, and no canvassing had been done. We had no Bible workers, nor plan for training them. We had no stenographers, neither typewriting machines nor operators. Manifolding work was unknown by us, save through the printing-press. And for the press, all type was set by hand. No electric cars nor telephones were in use. The system of tithing, as now understood and practised by our people, was not in operation among us, neither had we organization or periodical lessons for our Sabbath-schools.

We had one small sanitarium in a wooden building, and one or two physicians, doing what they could to interest people in the subjects of hygiene and hydrotherapy. We had a few conferences, but all of them east of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio, except Iowa. The entire membership of all the conferences then was about equal to the number of Seventh-day Adventists now in the State of Michigan.

The General Conference Committee was composed of three members, but we had no Mission Board, nor work in the regions beyond the operations of the conferences.

Our publishing work was all done in Battle Creek then, though the denominational office of publication had been moved several times during the very early days of the message.

Although our numbers were small, and facilities meager, yet the truth was as precious then as it is now since we number ten times as many, and our facilities for work have become so much greater.

But how has it come about that we now have 75 conferences, 45 missions, 575 ministers, 350 licentiates, 600 teachers, 2,100 churches, 77,000 members, and $700,000 annual tithe?

Why is it that we now have tract societies and canvassers, Bible workers, colporteurs, and missionary organizations operating wherever this people is known? What has been at work to produce and build up our medical missionary work and sanitariums as far as the third angel's message is known? Why do we now have consecrated missionaries in every continent and in nearly every nation of earth?

Have not all these things been accomplished because we have a definite message to give to the world to get the people ready for the second coming of Christ? Is it not because the great majority of this people have moved together when the Lord has spoken to them?

When a work was to be done, the Lord through testimony has told the people what to do, and success has crowned the work according to the harmony and promptness with which they have obeyed.

Just now, in harmony with definite instruction, we are establishing many important interests at Washington, D. C. The Lord surely desires this work to be done promptly and well. There should be no hesitancy concerning this move. Our people can and will do this work. Instruction has gone to them, and the call for means has been made. Nothing can be gained by looking for giants and walled cities. The faith of Caleb and Joshua is needed. Call to mind the fact that these two men of faith actually got a possession in the land of promise, while all the doubters perished in the wilderness.

Wm. Covert.