p. 58 | Notes From the Field - No. 3 by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 25, 1915

Notes From the Field — No. 3

By F. M. W.

We speak in a last-page note of the opening of the autumn council of the General Conference and North American Division Committees. It can truly be said that this is the most important gathering of these committees which has ever been held. Questions of far-reaching and world-wide interest will be considered. The last few years have witnessed wonderful advances in every department of the message in all parts of the world. Our work is assuming large proportions, and every gathering of this character has to deal with questions of growing magnitude.

At this council the needs of the great mission fields will be considered, and preparations made for their support. Urgent demands which exist in the fields for additional workers will be met. The large interests centered at Loma Linda will be considered.

Already it has been voted to effect the organization of an Asiatic Division Conference, and many important questions will arise in fully effecting this organization.

The brethren assembled fully realize, we believe, the heavy responsibility which rests upon them, and are earnestly seeking for divine enlightenment, that they may know what God would have them do in laying wise plans for the promotion and furtherance of his work.

The services of the first Sabbath were of deep interest. The keynote sounded by Elder I. H. Evans in his sermon Friday evening—the evangelization of the world in this generation—met with a hearty response on the part of all present. This spirit was deepened by the earnest sermon by Elder A. G. Daniells Sabbath morning, in which he spoke of the opening providences of God in all the world, and the call of God to us to arise and finish his work.

At an early meeting Sabbath morning, conducted by Elder G. B. Thompson, many spoke of their faith in the speedy triumph of this message. Sabbath afternoon another and more general meeting was held, in which a large number took part, in praise and testimony. We are indebted to Brother C. C. Crisler for the report of this excellent afternoon service, from which we selected the following:—

Elder W. A. Spicer led out with a few words of exhortation and good cheer, based on a passage recorded in the last chapter of the Bible. To John on Patmos were revealed the glories of the New Jerusalem; and in his testimony of what he saw, he writes:—

“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Rev. 22: 1.

Elder Spicer referred to the eagerness with which a traveler in a dry and thirsty land pushes onward to get to water. Far up in the interior of Africa, the soldiers measure a day's march, not by miles, but by water holes. Once a camp is struck, the soldiers must press on and on until they reach the next water hole, whether it be ten, twenty, or fifty miles, before they camp again.

We as Christians are journeying in a dry and thirsty land. The way has been long; but, just a little beyond, the river of water of life is flowing from the throne. We have assurance upon assurance from fulfilled and fulfilling prophecy, that our pathway leads to the city of God. Only a little while, if faithful, and we shall be kneeling down at the banks of that river; we shall put our mouths to the stream, and we shall drink from the fountainhead.

Elder Spicer read from “Early Writings” the familiar passage outlining the experience of the advent band as they pressed onward along the narrow way, lighted from behind by the glory of the midnight cry.

The way of advance is made plain by the Lord of glory himself, who is going before his people and throwing light upon their pathway. In this time of pressing on and on toward the city of our God, it is our privilege to sound the note of hallelujah. The Lord is making bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations of earth; his glorious right arm is beckoning us on.

O, let us keep our eyes on the end of the way! When fording a river, with the swift water swirling beneath, it is a good thing for us to fasten our eyes on the end of the way. By the grace of God, I say, I will push on with the advent people to the end of the way, and drink of the water of life that is flowing from the throne.

In Volume VIII of “Testimonies for the Church,” we read:—

The Lord is soon to come, and we must be prepared to meet him in peace. Let us be determined to do all in our power to impart light to those around us. We are not to be sad, but cheerful. We are to keep the Lord Jesus ever before us. He is soon coming, and we must be ready and waiting for his appearing. O, how glorious it will be to see him, and be welcomed as his redeemed ones! Long have we waited; but our hope is not to grow dim. If we can but see the King in his beauty, we shall be forever blessed. I feel as if I must cry aloud, “Homeward bound!” We are nearing the time when Jesus will come in power and great glory to take his ransomed ones to their eternal home.

The first delegate to bear testimony was J. N. Loughborough, who first heard the advent message in December, 1843, and who has been active in service as a Seventh-day Adventist minister for more than sixty years. “We know not,” he testified, “just when the Lord will come; but we know that event is right at hand, and I am of good courage. I believe we are almost home.”

Many bore witness to God's leading for thirty, forty, and fifty years of pilgrimage with the advent band.

A. T. Robinson told of a sermon preached by Elder J. N. Andrews forty-four years ago, at the close of which some one inquired of him, “How will the third angel's message reach the masses in the dark places of earth before the passing of this generation?” “I do not know,” Elder Andrews replied; “but there is one thing I do know, and that is that God has agencies that are now unseen, that will be brought into the accomplishment of this work. I am thankful today that those agencies that were then unseen except by the eye of faith, are today visible, evidencing the rapid finishing of this work.”

N. Z. Town: There is nothing that cheers my heart so much as that the Lord is soon coming, and there shall be delay no longer. I am so glad we are near the time when this work is to be finished.

R. A. Underwood: I thank God we see living messengers, according to God's plan, going to all places of this earth, and that this message is world-wide in extent. The time is limited, and we need not think that the day is going to be prolonged beyond God's set time. We must step fast, and move forward, if we keep pace with the onward sweep of this message, and stand ready to meet our Lord when he comes.

J. E. Fulton: The Lord has helped me to find the way of life eternal, and he has never disappointed me. I feel glad to be connected with such a great work at such an important time.

W. T. Knox: I feel to rejoice that there is a limit to the time; that as God, in his appointed time, sent forth his Son, so there surely must come a time when that same Son will appear with salvation.

Charles Thompson: I feel thankful that the message does not lose its power as it gets older. The same message that saved our brethren fifty years ago, had not lost its power when it came to me. I am glad to hear the testimonies of these pioneers with us today, and to add mine to the saving power of the same truth that has filled their hearts with joy and peace.

Elders Loughborough, Haskell, Butler, Corliss, Decker, Underwood, and Morrison were among the older ministers who took part in the social service. More than a score of union and local conference presidents testified of their desire to draw nigh to God, to walk in the way of his counsel, and to labor unitedly for the finishing of the work.

R. F. Cottrell testified: I am very thankful to be here this afternoon, and to bring from China a message of hope and good cheer. Eight years ago my wife and I decided to accept the call to go to that field, and since that time we have never seen a moment when we were sorry that we went. The Lord has greatly blessed our own souls, and he has been doing great things for China. As I have seen men as low in the human scale as one could imagine, transformed marvelously by the influences that come with the acceptance of the third angel's message, I have thought that the God who could perform such miracles of grace can surely finish the work in this generation.

M. E. Kern: I am rejoicing this afternoon in the blessed hope of Christ's return soon. It gives me great courage to read of this. For the sake of the young people of our ranks, I dedicate myself anew this afternoon to God and to his service.

F. W. Paap: I am thankful for the hope, the confidence, expressed by so many. I am thankful that we have a God who is powerful to fulfill his purposes.

S. Mortenson: We have many difficulties to meet; but when I realize that God is a God that can do wonders, I am of good courage. I believe this work is going to triumph, and that it will triumph in this generation.

E. R. Palmer: The supreme desire of my heart today is that I may keep so free from sin and in such close touch with God that when he wants something done he can speak to my heart, and I can hear his voice, and do the work. And so I feel today that it behooves

us as a people to keep our eyes upon the prophecies, upon the signs of the times, and upon the world-wide field; and to work every day as those who believe that Jesus will come as soon as his work is done, and no sooner.

A. G. Daniells: I believe that this message with which we are identified will be finished in our day. Why not? What reason can anybody give for its not being finished according to the Lord's promise? I believe the Lord has facilities, resources, ways, methods, that we do not understand. I want the Lord to keep my faith just as simple and childlike and pure as in my boyhood days.

Geo. I. Butler: I have sat a very interested listener as these brethren have been testifying. My heart is in this work, and I feel that I never saw the importance of the work so clearly as I do today. I know that the work will be finished in this generation. God will make provision in the last days so that this work will go with mighty power. We believe that; and if we live up to the Word of God and to the Testimonies of his Spirit, and humble our hearts, he will go before us, as the brethren have said; and God can do much in one day, just as on the day of Pentecost. I am one of those who believe that God will go before us, and we shall see something greater than the day of Pentecost. My brethren, we are living in the most wonderful age in the world, and the coming of Christ is the greatest event that can occur. Nothing has taken place in the universe of God that is so important as the second coming of Christ. It is going to be known in all the universe; and we must expect great things. I expect to see great things. I expect to see a wonderful work accomplished; and I believe the Lord will send his angels before us.

Never have we attended a meeting of this character where all seemed to sense so fully as do the brethren here, the solemnity of the work in which we are engaged and the importance of the times in which we are living.

The various committees appointed to study important questions coming before the council are earnestly seeking the guidance of the Lord in the questions which come before them; and every delegate, we believe, realizes as never before the need of personal preparation of heart and of consecration of life, in order that he may become the agent in the hands of God for the revelation of his saving power to lost mankind.

F. M. W.