A Spiritual Refreshing
By Editor
WE sincerely hope that the coming season of prayer will be a time of great spiritual refreshing among all our people. We need such an experience for our own sake, and for the sake of the work in which we are engaged. “Ask ye of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain, even of Jehovah that maketh lightnings; and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” Let us prove this promise. AN appreciation of God’s gifts to us prompts us to give liberally and cheerfully for the extension of his kingdom in the earth. Such giving is acceptable to God. Whether the gift be large or small when measured by the world’s standard of value, it will be a liberal gift when measured by the circumstances of the giver. And love for God and gratitude for his unspeakable gift will make such giving a pleasure, even though it involves a sacrifice. It is the cheerful giver who finds out in his experience that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” SHALL we continue to extend our missionary operations into new fields? Shall we enlarge our work in fields not yet worked? Shall we increase the number of missionaries who shall carry this message to the ends of the earth? Shall we plan to finish the work in this generation? A practical answer to these questions will be found in the size of the annual offering. Such an offering as we are able to make, and such as we ought to make, will provide the means needed both to continue present efforts and to enter upon new enterprises. A small offering will cramp present efforts and prohibit new enterprises. Let each one look the situation squarely in the face, and then give such an answer through his annual offering as he thinks the Master will approve. THESE are the last days. The crisis toward which this world has been tending for six thousand years is just upon us. Fires, floods, tornadoes, and disasters of every kind are simply the forerunners of that greatest of all catastrophes which will involve the whole world. The day of probation is drawing to a close and in a short time the offer of mercy and forgiveness will be heard no more. It is no time now to copy those who have lost their bearings and do not understand the times, or to seek for a new message which we think may be more acceptable to the people. The hour has come to declare God’s message to this generation just as he has given it to us, and to do this in the plainest and most direct manner. We must say on the authority of God’s Word, that Jesus is soon coming, and we must present in clear lines the one and only gospel message of warning and deliverance which will prepare a people to stand in that day. Great is our opportunity, and great is our responsibility. “As a people who believe in Christ’s soon appearing, we have a message to bear,—‘Prepare to meet thy God.’ Our message must be as direct as was the message of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. Notwithstanding that his life was imperiled, he did not hesitate to declare God’s word. And our work in this age must be done as faithfully. In order to give such a message as John gave, we must have a spiritual experience like his. The same work must be wrought in us. We must behold God, and in beholding him lose sight of self.” Success will surely attend the labors of those who first feed upon their own message, and make it a part of their experience, and then go forth with humble confidence in God to be simply his mouthpiece for speaking his own word of warning and salvation to a people who face the judgment unprepared. Understand the message fully. Be the message really. Speak the message plainly.