No Retreat by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Dec 10, 1903

No Retreat

By Editor

Editorial

No Retreat

IN the campaign under the leadership of Prince Emmanuel there should be no plans for a retreat. Any vantage ground which is gained should be held. Every stronghold captured should be occupied, and turned to good service against the enemy. “Our General, who never makes a mistake, says to us, ‘Advance. Enter new territory. Lift up the standard in every land.’ . . . Our watchword is to be, Onward, ever onward. The angels of God will go before us to prepare the way. Our burden for the ‘regions beyond’ can never be laid down until the whole earth shall be lightened with the glory of the Lord.”

“From vict’ry unto vict’ry, His army shall be lead, Till every foe is vanquished, And Christ is Lord indeed.”

The Missionary Thermometer

THE annual offering at the time of the week of prayer naturally comes to be regarded as in a certain sense the missionary thermometer of the denomination. It serves to indicate with more or less certainty the warmth of the zeal of the church as a whole for the spread of this message into new territory, and the earnestness of the desire of the church as a whole for the coming of the Lord. Our present situation and the needs of the work have been fully placed before this people, and an urgent plea has been made for a liberal offering, with which the present missionary operations may be sustained and provision made for entering new fields. We can only pray that the Spirit of the Lord may use these facts, and so move upon the hearts of all to deal liberally with his cause. Will you do your part to make the annual offering $50,000?

“Come Into Line”

OUR Leader now calls upon every one of his followers to take his place as a true soldier of the cross. Here is the instruction, as given in that most stirring article by Sister White in the REVIEW of November 26: “An angel flying in the midst of heaven put the standards of Emmanuel into many hands, while a mighty general cried with a loud voice, ‘Come into line. Let those who are loyal to the commandments of God and the testimony of Christ, now take their position, . . . Let all who will, come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.’” The reason for this emphatic call to action is plainly given in another communication which has recently been received. In it is found the following paragraph: “The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result?—The principles of truth that God in his wisdom has given to the remnant church would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.” Does any one question the fact that we have been brought face to face with a crisis in this movement? While some have been indifferent, and others have been deceived by his specious sophistries, the enemy has been seeking to undermine the very foundations of this third angel’s message, plotting its utter overthrow. It is now time for those who have the true light to rise up in the name of the Lord, and, putting on the whole armor, to fight the battles of the Lord with holy boldness. “Come into line,” says the Leader. Who will hear and obey?