p. 5 | Openings in Spain by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Assn. · Washington, D.C. · Dec 31, 1903

Openings in Spain

By W. A. S.

We have only just entered Spain. Brother Frank Bond and Brother and Sister Walter Bond have scarcely begun their work. Some time ago they reported the conversion of a teacher and preacher. Now they write:—

You notice from the heading of this that we have changed our address. Sabadell is a city of about thirty thousand inhabitants, located about fifteen or twenty miles north of Barcelona. A small Protestant company here, without a pastor, gave us an invitation to come and assist them in their meetings. They seemed earnest, so we took it as a favorable opening. The only way a place can be secured to be used for religious purposes is to rent it for school work. For this reason, and also because we thought it would enable us to enter homes, we decided to carry on a little school in connection with the meetings. We had quite a little difficulty in getting the necessary permission from the government. The laws are very rigid with reference to everything that is carried on outside of the Roman Church.

The man we mentioned in our last letter has been a great help to us. At present he is donating all his time to the school work. The school has an enrolment of nineteen boys. We have one large room in our house, which we use for meetings. Six meetings have been held, with an average attendance of about twenty. All have acknowledged the Sabbath, and some have begun to obey, for which we praise God.

Last Friday evening a lady called to see us. A Bible reading on the signs of the times was given. The Sabbath question came up. God blessed the study, and she went away a Sabbath-keeper. She has been here nearly every day since to study. This shows that God has prepared hearts in this land. The great need is workers. God has told the workers in America “to struggle to get into new fields.” A worker in this field does not have that struggle. We have a population of over nineteen million, and probably not a hundred of them have even heard of a Seventh-day Adventist or this great message. We have recently heard from several young ordained ministers, who have some knowledge of the Spanish. They are willing, even anxious, to come to this field if the way opens. According to the papers of this country, the laws are getting more strict all the time. Sunday laws are being enforced, etc. Surely now is the time to work. We are praying the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers to this corner of his harvest field.

What, O, what response shall be given? Nothing can be adequate that stops short of a whole people aroused to instant and constant action, throwing every resource available into God's work to-day. Then, in God, shall we find the sufficiency.

W. A. S.