THE MISSIONARY ACRE by G. W. Howard

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 4, 1901

“THE MISSIONARY ACRE.”

By G. W. Howard

My attention has been called of late to a plan, not new, however, by which we farmers may engage in missionary work at home on our farms. The Lord has given to every man his work. If our God-given work is to farm, we can farm to His glory. If one’s work is to preach the gospel, he can preach to the glory of His name. If one’s work is to sell books and scatter the printed page, all this work can be done to the glory of God and with His approval. Our work, however, may not be strictly confined to any one of these things. But let us all engage in the work at once.

Immediate action is demanded. God’s work must go forward, and we are responsible for the doing of our part. “Why stand ye here all the day idle?” (Matt. 20: 6) is the Master’s question. Do we answer, Because no man has hired us? The reply is, “Go work to-day in my vineyard.” Matt. 21:28; Mark 13:34. Many of us have inclined to the thought that we can do nothing to help the work forward. This is a mistaken idea. It is the voice of the enemy. Are we going to say, “Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man”? If so, the Lord says, “Take, therefore, the talent from him.”

Dear brother farmers, everywhere, to you I appeal: Let us plant and harvest our fields for the grand object of helping on the glorious work of the Third Angel’s Message. May our lands be missionary lands, dedicated to God’s cause.

G. W. HOWARD.