p. 32 | The Future by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 10, 1871

The Future.

By James White

As we look into the future, we see toils, trials, and conflicts for those who shall battle for truth, and for the right. But these are not to be feared and dreaded by those who work in God. But with the growth of the cause, there are now openings for successful labor, and much more work to be done than there are qualified and active men among us to perform.

There are books, pamphlets, and tracts, to write and to print in English. And there should be prepared at once, a series of tracts, containing not less than 160 pp., and translated, and printed, in the German, French, Danish, and other languages. There is another office building to be erected next summer. And then our people are calling for twenty camp-meetings the next season. And, again, there are a hundred young men and young women who should attend a thorough course of lectures at Battle Creek immediately after our General Conference, to qualify them to teach the word to others. In all parts of the country, there are men among our people who are being moved upon to dedicate themselves to the work of the ministry. These need encouragement and help. They need to attend a thorough course of lectures, and to pursue a thorough course of study, upon the prophecies, the signs of the times, the law, the gospel, the judgment, and man's nature and destiny.

God's providential hand is opening doors for successful labors before us everywhere. But where are the working men among us, who, in the strength of God, will lay hold of the work? It is a painful fact, that from want of faith, or, from want of consecration to God and his cause, several of the standard bearers among us are fainting, and the battle is going hard with those that remain.

In this cause we have labored from the first. August 15, 1865, we fell with a stroke of paralysis, brought on by continued physical and mental strain, without the least relaxation from labor for more than ten years. God has raised us up again to bear some part in the great work; but not to labor as we did before our severe and protracted sickness. The same course will bring the same results. If we continue to labor as we were laboring when we fell, we shall certainly fall again, without hope of recovery.

When we see so much to be done, we are inclined to undertake more than we can consistently accomplish. The increasing camp-meeting interest among our people, east and west, has led us to give encouragement to brethren in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Vermont, and Maine, of labor that we fear we shall not be able to perform. The almost inactive condition of some of our ablest men, not only leaves us too much to do, but also causes great uncertainty as to the future.

When we returned from the West in November we found a month's work waiting our return. A month's rest, at least, was our due. But the editor of the REVIEW was in Western New York recovering from fever, Bro. Gage was down sick, and Sr. Van Horn, Secretary of the S. D. A. Publishing Association was at home recovering from fever. And, at this very time, when their help was so much needed, Eld. J. N. Andrews reported himself at Rochester unable to labor, and Eld. J. H. Waggoner gave the same report of himself from Maine; therefore these brethren, with whom we are associated in General Conference, and Publishing committee, could not be called to our help.

It has ever been our plan, when strong or weak, weary or rested, to lift most when the load was heaviest. So we took hold of the work as we found it on our return from the West, and have done all that was in our power to do. The REVIEW was issued regularly during the sickness of the editor, Bro. Gage, and Sr. Van Horn, by the efforts of Bro. J. W. Bacheller, besides acting as press-man, and foreman of the compositors' room. During this time we filled the editor's pages with articles written upon camp grounds, and at other meetings, while Mrs. White was speaking, or on long journeys upon the cars when trains were in motion.

Since our return the pressure of business has stimulated the mind to rapid action, and in this condition we have labored eight weeks, from five in the morning till nine in the evening, six days in each week, besides speaking to the people on the Sabbath. Practically we have no day of rest. A portion of this time we have filled, imperfectly, of course, the places of two business men, two editors, one minister, besides having the care of a family of fourteen, including our helpless mother aged eighty-two, and father aged eighty-five. Some things of course have been done imperfectly, and many have been wholly neglected. But the things which have suffered most, have been our own business matters, and our own family. We have made no preparations for winter only as driven by stern necessity. And we now suffer for preparations that should have been made when we were in Missouri. Our attention was first called to the importance of banking cellar windows by frost in the cellar, and these we hastily closed with snow.

Life, under the circumstances of the present time, as far as this world is concerned, is not worth a groat. But this we can cheerfully sacrifice if God requires it. But at our age of life, after passing through what we have, and having been warned as we have been, not to labor imprudently, we, without a murmuring feeling, decide to lay our numerous burdens down at the feet of our brethren, and request them not to ask us to carry all of them any longer.

We plead that we may not be asked to labor only in one department of the work. If that be to take charge of the publishing interests, we must be released from all others. If it be to preach the word, attend State conferences, and hold camp-meetings, this is the labor of our choice. But let us be free from all others. And if editing be our portion of the work, we do not object, if we are not required to fill also the places of the business man, and the minister.

As we have paused in our work, long enough to take a view of the amount now suffering to be done, and have taken a look to the future prospect of increasing labor, and then have realized that there are but very few men among us who are willing to take burdens upon them, feelings of the saddest depression came upon us. But from this, thank God, we are finding relief, in following clear light. We have the sweet assurance that God has raised us up from a terrible sickness to act some part in his cause; but, not to take burdens such as we were bearing at the time we fell. At present our cares and labors are much greater than at any former time. We confess that we have yielded to the temptation to labor until our present course is in direct violation of the clearest light. And with returning premonitions of paralysis we hasten to lay our burdens down. We look forward to General Conference, which is called early this year for the immediate proper distribution of labor, as the period of our relief.

The foregoing frank statement of facts in the case is made under the clearest sense of duty, without the least feeling of discouragement. We have very much to be grateful for. The Lord has been very good and gracious to us, and to ours. Within the two past years we have been able, by the blessing of God, to accomplish more than in any three previous years. And, until the last eight weeks, have been continually increasing in strength and freedom in the Lord. Since we returned to the work of the Lord in 1867, we have gradually gathered strength and weight from one hundred thirty-four, to nearly one hundred eighty. And we feel anxious to preserve this new lease of life, and this strength which God has given in answer to the prayers of his people, to be of some service to them, if it please God, all the way through to the celestial city. Mrs. W. has been wonderfully sustained in her labors. And God has a care for our dear children. Willie who has been our companion, though but a child, in the cares, travels, labors, and hardships of camp-meeting life, and was in consequence reduced by fever to seventy-six pounds in weight, has recovered, and reached one hundred and eight. And, thank God, that which seems to make the family complete, and crown the entire household, our venerable, godly, Sabbath-keeping parents, both advancing toward ninety years of age, are with us, softening in spirit, and ripening for immortality. God grant them a smooth passage to the grave.

Dear brethren, God lives and reigns. The world is his. The cause of truth is the Lord's. Duty, duty! shall be our study, and work to perform, and the result must be left with him. No man can be safer than when following clear light from Heaven. If we follow carefully in the path of duty, God will take care of us, and also his work in our hands.

J. W.