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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 17, 1904

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 81, No. 46.

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Family Bible Studies

By Stephen N. Haskell

S. N. HASKELL
THE work of holding Bible readings is a heaven-born method of winning souls. However eloquent may be the preacher, if he can not labor from house to house, his usefulness is greatly crippled. It is God’s method of saving souls, and it is the devil’s method of destroying souls. Satan entered the home of our first parents, and reasoned with Eve against what God had said, and thus opened the door for all the evil that has ever been. The voice of God was heard in the cool of the day, conversing with Adam and Eve. It was God’s first method of saving souls.
The hospitality of Abraham proved a great blessing to him in the revelation of the Lord and the salvation of Lot. It was his social conversation that led the Lord to say, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?” So God revealed to him his purpose in going to Sodom. This led Abraham to plead with the Lord to spare the city, if there were fifty in it, then forty-five, then forty, then thirty, then twenty, and finally ten, the number of Lot’s family. “And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow.” This pleading was in personal labor, as a friend talking with his friend. So it was with Lot; his entertaining proved his salvation. For a large portion of the world’s history, personal labor has been the chief method of saving souls.
The apostle Paul, in his last charge to the once flourishing church at Ephesus, said: “I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” To the Colossian church, he writes: “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.” Col. 1:28, 29.
This is the way the Spirit of God works in every man. Paul labored from house to house among all classes of people. The early disciples, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, continued “daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” It has ever been the source of power in winning souls to Christ to come in personal, social contact with them. The women who labored with Paul were Bible workers, engaging in the same work as men and women are trained to do at the present day.
Hundreds of our brethren and sisters should be engaged in this work to-day where now there is one. It is not necessary that men and women should always be supported by a conference to engage in this work. Even Apollos, an “eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures,” was taught by Priscilla and Aquila. When they heard him, “they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” The apostle Paul had stopped with them and instructed them, by preaching both in the synagogue and in their home. They were self-supporting missionaries.
The house-to-house worker should be instructed in this line of work, just as workers are trained in other branches.
This has been overlooked in many instances. But how can one receive this training while living at home? Shall he take the book on Bible readings and give readings from that? This is an excellent book, and a great help to read from; but this will not make a successful Bible worker, however, for it is like So reading a sermon. All should be educated to frame their own questions. The Bible Training School, which has been published the last two years, is a great help in this work. We have at the present time a large class of those who have promised to give one reading each week. Many of these have never given readings before. Four readings are prepared each month for this purpose. We recommend it to every one who wishes to engage in this branch of the work. The thought in the Scripture used is suggested, and it should be studied until it becomes so familiar to the individual that he can frame a question to bring out the thought. If these readings are studied thoroughly and used each week, one can not fail to become a successful Bible teacher in time. There is also much in rightly dividing the word to give what is proper at the right time.
There is scarcely an individual who could not give one reading a week, and it would be the means of watering one’s own soul, and what is more, it would establish one’s own heart in the truth. Why should we not take time to fit ourselves for the work of God? Time is short. Our thoughts and meditations should be upon God. To have some subject to think of and then to present to our neighbors will be the salvation of many of us. The truth of God should be as a magnet to the soul both night and day.
To present the subject of the coming of the Lord as one of the first topics will be found advantageous in many respects. If it is given properly, it will undermine many erroneous doctrines that are commonly held at the present day. The manner of his coming should be dwelt upon, how he appears, its effects upon the atmosphere and upon the wicked. It will settle the age-to-come question without saying a word about it. The prophecies should be dwelt upon. A reading should not generally be over one hour in length. It need not be formal. It is best not to ramble over many subjects, but prove something definite, so that those with whom you are reading will see it. Let a few points stand out clearly as mile-posts. Pray either at the beginning or at the close, and sometimes it is well to both open and close with prayer.
“Satan is now using every device in this sealing time to keep the minds of God’s people from the present sealing truth, and to cause them to waver. I saw a covering that God was drawing over his people; and every soul that was decided on the truth, and was pure in heart, was to be covered with the covering of the Almighty God. Satan knew this, and was at work in mighty power, to keep the minds of as many as he possibly could unsettled, and wavering on the truth.” “God has begun to draw this covering over his people, and it will very soon be drawn over all who are to have a shelter in the day of slaughter. God will work in power for his people, and Satan will be permitted to work also.”
It is no time now to fold our hands, and to say we can do nothing. Surely we can do nothing of ourselves, but if we begin to put forth an effort to learn the truth as it is in Jesus, God will strengthen our memories, and his angel will stand by our side and also by the side of the one we are trying to instruct. And this effort to learn will take the mind from worldly things, and in a short time we shall wonder at what we have gained in the knowledge of the Scriptures, and the ability to impart to others. He that had one talent and buried it in the earth lost what he had. May God help all to improve their talent.