Burden for Souls by D. T. Bourdeau

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 4, 1871

Burden for Souls.

By D. T. Bourdeau

By this I do not mean a rash zeal, but an earnestness in laboring for the salvation of our fellow-men, which is compatible with the worth of souls, the truth that we profess, and the times in which we live. We claim that the Lord is soon coming, that human probation will soon close, and that we have but a short time to labor for ourselves and for others. Do our actions agree with our profession? We claim that Satan is working with unwonted power to destroy souls. Do we manifest corresponding zeal in laboring to save them? I fear not. I fear that, generally speaking, our burden is in another direction to care for ourselves, to lay up treasure on earth, or to secure some worldly object. Now this is inexcusable, yea, censurable, while there are so many ways in which we can labor for others. Although we may not all be called to preach, yet we can manifest true burden for souls by sacrificing of our means to advance the cause in its various branches, by praying earnestly for preachers, by wisely scattering our publications, and by winning the affections of sinners to the truth by judiciously talking it to those who have an ear to hear.

Brethren, here is a wide door of usefulness open before us. Let us labor as we have never done before. We may be tempted to think that there is no hope for those around us, especially where they have had an opportunity to hear the truth. But let us not be too hasty here. Let us not reject souls until we know that God has closed their probation. Think how God has borne with us who have professed the truth. Call to mind cases in the past in which God has wonderfully displayed his long-suffering and mercy. Take for instance the case of Paul. He heard the powerful discourse of Stephen; “saw his face as it had been the face of an angel,” yet consented unto his death. Doubtless the poor believers standing by thought, surely the doom of this young man is fixed; he can never take hold of the truth. But in due time the scales with which Satan had surrounded him were removed, his heart was reached, and he yielded. It will be so with many around us.

Brethren and sisters, let us patiently and earnestly labor on for souls, and have at least the burden of one poor sinner upon us, often taking it to the Lord in prayer. In thus doing we shall merge out of self, forget our trials, and form characters that will stand the scrutinizing test of the Judgment. D. T. BOURDEAU.