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An Important Occasion

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Dec 8, 1904

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 81, No. 49.

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An Important Occasion

By W. B. WHITE

W. B. WHITE
THERE is no event in all the year that means more to us as a people than the annual week of prayer, which this year is appointed for December 10-17. If rightly improved, it may be a season of untold value and blessing to this people, a week of great refreshing from the Lord, a time when many will turn to God and be converted. This is the sole object of the week of prayer as we understand it. It should be a time of deep heart searching and self-examination, a time when men and women, young and old, will endeavor to draw near to God, and by prayer, self-surrender, and confession of sin, seek for a better experience and a closer walk with God. If this end can be attained, and our churches generally experience a genuine revival, what an occasion the coming week of prayer will be! But if this point can not be reached, this end attained, we fear that this occasion will pass as many another has passed.
That this people needs a week of prayer, a time of humiliation of soul, confession of sin, and the surrender of the self life is very evident. The whole denomination seems to be undergoing a severe test, and many are failing to endure it, and are falling by the way. The enemy is pressing in his darkness wherever possible, creating doubt, suspicion, criticism, and every evil thing, and nothing but the mighty power of God can save us as a people from being swept from our moorings. Surely we greatly need a mighty reviving as a people, a deep breaking up of heart, and such a turning to God as has not been seen for years among us. Nothing short of this will meet the demands of the hour; and the best of all is that we may have it. Thank the Lord for this. He has not cast off his people, he has not forsaken us, although many times he has been sorely grieved by our hard-heartedness and sins. How good to think that he is a God of mercy, having a disposition to treat us better than we deserve, and is only waiting for us to empty ourselves of self, forsake every evil thing, when he will fill us with his mighty power for service.
But this infilling can not come till first there is an emptying of the heart, and a complete surrender of every sinful thing that has dominion over the soul. But shall we wait until the week of prayer for this work to begin? Shall we not begin now to seek the Lord with all the heart, and by prayer and confession of sins find that experience with God that will make the week of prayer a season when we can relate our victories gained, rather than wait till that time to obtain them? As we view the present situation among this people, nothing but a great revival in all our churches will meet the mind of the Lord for the week of prayer, December 10-17. We should pray for it, expect it, labor for it, and lay our plans for the same; for an intelligent effort along these lines by our church and conference officers will surely bring gratifying results. During this important occasion it would seem best that, as far as possible, our conference laborers meet with the churches in the daily services, and by earnest, careful labor lead the church to a better experience in the things of God. As revivals generally come in answer to prayer, let us pray that this annual occasion may be the best in the history of this people, a time when many shall be turned from darkness to light, from the bondage of Satan to the light and liberty of the children of God.
The eighty thousand dollars asked for by the General Conference as an annual offering for aggressive work in the regions beyond is none too much. Every dollar is needed and much more than this could be used in this great world-wide movement. While the annual offering is not the object of the week of prayer, it is indeed a fitting and appropriate thing for us at the close of a year of great blessing and prosperity to remember the work of God, the cause we love, by a generous gift, freely given. It is the principle of heaven to give, and for years its gifts have been poured at our feet, in bountiful showers. Now, brethren, in recognition of all the Lord has done for us, let us generously respond by a liberal gift at the time of the annual offering. While others are spending their money on self, and for things which do not profit, let us be wise, and remember the struggling work of God in the earth. May God grant that this coming occasion may prove a great blessing to the whole denomination, that we be a blessing to the great, dying, unsaved world around us.