p. 10 | Our Goal for 1915 by I. H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 27, 1915

Our Goal for 1915

By I. H. Evans

A GOAL is the objective to be gained. In athletics, it is the line or mark to be reached in a race or game; in work or service, it is the point to be attained, the purpose for which we labor. One cannot conceive of two athletes doing their best if there were no goal before them. How would they know when they had accomplished their purpose if they had no purpose for which to strive? A young man says, “I am going to finish a college course;” that is his goal. A newly married couple say, “We will work and economize until we have $10,000;” that is their goal.

Nearly every industry that succeeds, succeeds because its managers and promoters have a goal. What would the pioneer railroad builders have accomplished, who constructed transcontinental roads of steel from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast, if they had had no goal to reach? Who would have completed the feat of engineering in the

were to bring to Christ an average of ten souls each during the remainder of this year, we should more than reach the desired goal. Ten souls for Christ, for each worker, would mean that every one on the pay roll had obtained results.

There are always some who do more than their share, but not a few fall so far behind that the average of the whole working force is very low. Is this always to continue? Last year was the most successful in soul winning that we have seen in America for fifteen years. We increased our church membership 4,700, or an average for our entire licensed working force of 3 1-3 souls each. Surely this is not our limit. It can only be the sign of a much-needed reform and careful elimination, to be set in operation by union and local conference officers. Why should papers of recognition be given to nonproducers? If we cannot win souls to Christ, should we take papers from a conference and expect support?

We have a great corps of colporteurs, a strong band of workers scattering the printed page. During 1914, the sales in the Division Conference territory aggregated $1,330,466.66, and this year promises more.

Then, there are our schools and sanitariums. Our schools should count their work incomplete unless every person who attends is won to Christ. The whole organization of the school should be set to accomplish this purpose. Our sanitariums should become centers for winning souls to Christ. This goal must never be lost sight of. As the mariner watches his chart and compass, and turns the wheel again and again to offset the force of tide and storm, so must the heads of these institutions continually aim to reach the goal of winning souls to Christ.

Then, too, there is the great, mighty, irresistible force of our church membership.—73,600 men and women, united in faith and prayer, to win souls to Christ. Our goal, 80,000 church members for this Division, can be realized if once we get the spirit of labor, and every Seventh-day Adventist steps to the front as a campaigner for Christ. Let us talk and pray about it each day, and possess the spirit of laboring for souls. Remember the goal—80,000 church members by the end of the year.

I. H. EVANS.