Report of Labor by Daniel T. Bourdeau

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Oct 20, 1904

Report of Labor

By Daniel T. Bourdeau

As some of us look over the years of a comparatively long life, we can truly say, How swiftly they have passed away! They have been “like a weaver’s shuttle,” like the transits of “swift ships,” “like a vapor,” “like a dream.” And the more we have to occupy us that is of an interesting character, the more rapidly the years seem to pass. And thank God, we have in present truth, in the work that it enjoins, and in the numerous object-lessons taught us by the

great events of the present time, confirmatory of the doctrine of Christ’s speedy return, plenty of that which is eminently interesting to take up our minds and draw out our most earnest and best energies, so that the few years of probation that remain will, as it were, glide away far more rapidly than have even the same number of years in the recent past.

Thus may we, with our minds and energies taken up with the things that now belong to our peace, in a special sense hasten the second coming of our blessed Lord. As we thus have our thoughts and energies bestowed upon the grand truths applicable in our day and their proclamation throughout the earth, we shall easily endure our trials and light afflictions, encouraged by the thought that they are, as it were, “but for a moment,” and will, if improved upon, not only help us to form righteous characters, but also work “for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Cor. 4: 17.

The way not having opened for me to labor in new fields since last spring, I have now and then given a practical discourse to believers, labored for some who were in danger of departing from the faith, aimed by correspondence to bring further light to some who are studying the truth, and written for our three leading American papers, especially The Southern Watchman. I have also been drawn out to work for this paper in an especial manner, because I see in its history a duplicate of the early history of our beloved REVIEW AND HERALD, before the Signs of the Times was started as a pioneer paper. I feel especially for The Southern Watchman because its managers put at the front the reasons why we are Seventh-day Adventists; and yet the Lord is, through old pioneers in this cause, as well as through younger writers, giving in the Watchman, not only rich, practical truths, but also precious light on doctrinal themes.

And just here this question urges itself with special force upon my mind. Why should not our brethren and sisters in the North more generally add the Watchman to the list of their periodicals, and thus show an interest in the work in the great South, and help to put that noble paper on a permanent financial basis? Taking this paper, and reading it, our interest will be more fully enlisted in the advancement of the work in the long-neglected South. We shall be more likely to pray for the work and workers in that field, and to contribute to its support, until the entire Southern field shall be deluged with the glorious truth of the third angel’s message.

One week ago an invitation came to me to get our brethren to take the REVIEW, that they might be prepared to engage intelligently in the coming campaign planned in Omaha last spring. At one place I learned that while nearly all the believers were reading the Signs (which I encouraged them to continue doing), but few of them read the REVIEW, our dear church paper. I dwelt upon the importance of taking this paper, and in about one week, by securing addresses and visiting from house to house, I obtained about fifteen subscriptions. This made me think of our experience in the early history of this cause, when our ministers never raised a church without leading at least every head of families embraced in it to take the REVIEW. We then regarded it as a sacred and imperative duty to do this, and did not consider our work as being rounded off until this object was accomplished. And is not this duty as imperative now as it was twenty, thirty, forty, and fifty years ago?

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of spending two days with the church at Lowell, Mich., and speaking to them the words of life. Here I found Elder E. Van Deusen recuperating by indulging in physical exercise, after spending eight years in doing evangelistic work in the West Indies. I found this dear brother fully alive to a sense of the time in which we live, and to the importance of pushing on the aggressive work of the third angel’s message to triumphant, speedy, and final victory. The church of which he has the charge was also imbued with the same spirit, and authorized me to bear this testimony from them: “Tell the brethren whom you may meet that we are perfectly united and of good courage.” And this will be the language of all those who show that they are getting out of self into Christ, by laboring disinterestedly, unselfishly, earnestly, untiringly, and with an undying love for souls, as did Christ and the early Christians.

D. T. BOURDEAU.