THE WORK IN THE SOUTH

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 21, 1901

THE WORK IN THE SOUTH

NASHVILLE, TENN., May 14, 1901.

Dear Brethren: The Lord has bidden us to send forth an appeal to all our people in behalf of the Southern work. He has promised that He will by this means impress hearts. The facts are now in your hands. You cannot neglect or ignore them without incurring grave responsibility. Will you not read the accompanying lines, not only carefully but prayerfully, humbly inquiring at every step: “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do”? or better yet, “Lord, show me how much I can do for you in this needy field”?

In a recent Testimony, Sister White says: “It is represented to me that the barren places in the Lord’s vineyard are as a reflection cast upon Him. The contrast is plain between what should be done and what is not done; and God gets the reproach of the neglect.... In the day of Judgment this reflection will be cast back upon those who have neglected their God-given work.”

The Lord is calling upon us to come up to His help, and to roll away this reproach. Volunteer workers are already on the grounds, working on a missionary basis, and in a number of places beginnings have been made, but the Lord says: “Four times as much must now be done for this field as for any other.” “A thousand times as much should be done as is being done at the present time.”

“No one who believes in present truth can afford longer to neglect this work. It must be done. It will be done. The only question is, “Who shall do it?” Shall we, or shall the Lord raise up others to do His work?

The following tells what must be done, what has been begun, and what we hope, by the grace of God, to accomplish in the near future. Those who are on the grounds have gone just as far as they can; and now the Lord says: “Behold, the possessions of the world are mine. There are no territorial lines; there are no boundaries to be made. Present to the churches the true state of this long-neglected field, the long-neglected portions of my vineyard. There are hearts that will be touched, and that will respond. Call for means to come directly to the workers in the Southern field; I will impress hearts.”

This call has now come to you who read these lines. What answer will you return to the Lord? May you each respond just as liberally and as promptly as possible. The conflict may be sharp, but it cannot be long. Glorious victory lies just a little way ahead; and those who have a part in the work, either directly or by their offering, will have a share in the harvest home.

Yours for service,

SOUTHERN PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION.