The Week of Prayer for 1901.
By Arthur G. Daniells
The Week of Prayer to be held December 21–28, 1901, ought to be the most serious and blessed occasion to this denomination that we have ever experienced. Everything about us calls for this. We are living in the closing scenes of this world’s history. Every line of prophecy in the Scriptures is entirely fulfilled, save the last link of each, which connects time with eternity. The signs given by our Saviour to make us know that He is about to come, have been fulfilled. The working of Satan, which the Lord said would be with all power and signs and lying wonders just before His coming, is everywhere manifest. The most subtle delusions of every kind are abroad in the land, sweeping into darkness and down to perdition millions of the human family. National, political, social, industrial, and religious conditions are to-day just what the unfailing word of God says they would be at the coming of our blessed Lord. There can be no doubt in the mind of the earnest Bible student as to our whereabouts in the stream of time. To meet the present crisis, which is greater than any through which God’s people have ever passed, a last message of warning is being given to the world. This message has come to us, and has found a place in our hearts. We have acknowledged it as having come from heaven, and have taken our stand before the world as a people loyal to the claims of God. We have accepted the great responsibility of becoming depositaries of this truth, and of proclaiming it to the ends of the earth. This is a great work. It is altogether too vast for man alone to accomplish. Nothing short of divine wisdom and power can carry it through to a glorious consummation. This is why it is appropriate that at least once a year we should set apart a period of time to be devoted wholly to earnest prayer and personal consecration. During this occasion fervent petitions should ascend to God from every believer in present truth for divine wisdom, to know how to lead men and women from the subtle delusions surrounding them into the glorious light of the gospel of Christ. It is a delicate work to deal with human minds. Left to ourselves in this work, we shall surely fail; but God, who knows the thoughts of all men, knows how to reach the secret depths of the heart, and can teach us how to do this, and for this teaching we ought earnestly to pray. And to encourage us, the Lord says, If any man “lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Furthermore, we must have power for service. Creative power alone can change men’s hearts, and thus lead them to allegiance to God. This power every believer in the Third Angel’s Message must have in order to make his efforts effective. In giving His commission to the Church, and explaining that His gospel of salvation must be given to every creature, Jesus emphasized the fact that this work could not be done by human power. He said, “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” And on another occasion He said that “ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” This power was to qualify them for effective service. Thus our great Leader recognizes our need of divine power, and gives the fullest assurance that if we seek it, He will give it to us. Another object for which earnest prayers should ascend to heaven is that consecrated and thoroughly qualified laborers should be sent forth into the harvest field. Jesus says, “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest.” Here we are encouraged to pray for the raising up of earnest, consecrated workers to fill the openings of God’s providence. To-day calls are coming from every direction for ministers, Bible workers, Christian physicians, nurses, teachers, and canvassing evangelists. A thousand new workers should step to the front at once to meet the urgent calls of the hour. During the coming Week of Prayer most earnest and importunate petitions should be made for at least this number of laborers to go forth into the harvest field. As it requires means to support God’s workmen, every believer should sincerely ask for a great increase in the contributions to missions. One hundred thousand dollars will be none too much to meet the growing demands of the mission fields already opened. This is not too much for the believers in present truth to present to their Lord on this occasion. Unparalleled financial prosperity is to be seen everywhere, and God’s people are receiving their share of these blessings. The annual offering during the coming Week of Prayer can reach $100,000 without overburdening a single brother or sister connected with this cause. Were we to pray over this work as it is our privilege, the Lord would give us such revelations of the needs of the cause, and the blessedness of giving, that we could not withhold our means, and there is no doubt but that the coming annual offering to be made in December would reach this amount. In order for the Week of Prayer to be all that the term implies, there must be earnest praying. Nor should we wait until the appointed time arrives before beginning to pray. From now until that special season of devotion begins, every believer should pray and study and plan to make the occasion all that it ought to be. If we give it no thought until it opens, we shall be unprepared to appreciate the readings, and to enter into the spirit of the occasion. Unless we plan to observe the Week of Prayer, we shall find many things to draw our attention from the devotion of the week, and thus cause us to lose the blessings we might gain. We should all plan our work so that, just as far as possible, we shall be free from labor. Certain home duties must of course be attended to; but if possible, every one should be free to spend the most of each day in the study of the Bible and the Testimonies, and in earnest prayer for the help we need, as indicated above. We should be at liberty to attend all the meetings of the church during the week, and to join heartily in every effort possible for the conversion of the children, for the reclaiming of the backslidden, and for a general revival of the Church. Above all, every one should earnestly seek for a personal blessing. We must make a full surrender of all to God. Every idol must be banished from the heart, that Christ may have full possession. He must be permitted to be Lord of all, or He cannot consent to be Lord of all. In view of all these considerations, how gladly we should look forward to a season of special prayer and consecration, and how earnestly and thoroughly should we prepare to make the most of that occasion when we come to it. Let us remember that we shall obtain help during the coming season of devotion just in proportion as we put thought and preparation and prayer into it. The Lord now calls upon every one connected with His work to arise and do his duty, and He will greatly bless every one who will respond to this call.