p. 4 | The Name of Jesus by W. A. S.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 15, 1902

The Name of Jesus

By W. A. S.

PREPARATORY to the last great Pentecost, when all the nations and tribes of earth are to hear the wonderful works of God set forth again, each in their own tongue, God has had an army of workmen busy setting the Scriptures into the various languages of earth. The Word of God speaks in over four hundred tongues now, and new conquests are continually being made.

We, who work in our expressive English speech, itself having been so largely shaped and molded by early Bible translations, can appreciate but partially the difficulties of the translators working in some of the non-Christian tongues. Christian ideas are so totally different from the heathen conceptions that many thoughts are put into language only with the greatest difficulty.

The noble army of God’s workmen have labored and toiled, especially during the last century, to search out right words in which to set forth Christ crucified, in the language of Holy Writ. Now, to-day, in the border lands of missionary enterprise, these workmen are still toiling away with a devotion that may well be an inspiration to us. In the Missionary Review of the World, a missionary of the Society of Friends, working in West Central Africa, gives this account of his search for words with which to clothe the thoughts of God:—

The first word I secured was “Nichau,” meaning “What is it?” Day and night I pestered every man I met with that question. In the brickyard muddy hands and pencil added to muddy paper the swelling list of words. In the garden, hoe and spade were dropped for pencil and notebook, as some new word dropped from the lips of the black men at my side. So it went through the day with its varied duties, and then at night, by candle light, the day’s treasures were gathered up, classified, and made ready for their blessed service.

For two years and a half I searched for the word “Saviour.” As each day and week and month passed by, it grew bigger with meaning in the light of the frightful need which faced me—a need which I knew I could meet if I could bring that word to bear upon it, but before which I was powerless until that golden key was discovered.

But it finally came, and the toil of years was recompensed. Around the evening camp fire I sat with my men, listening to their stories, and watching eagerly for the coveted word. Finally my head man, Kikuvi, launched upon a tale which I hoped would bring it. He told how Mr. Krieger had some months before been attacked by a lion and badly wounded, and how he had been rescued. But to my great disappointment he did not drop the concrete word for which I was looking. Sick at heart, I was about to turn away, when in a modest way he turned to me, saying, “Bwana nukuthaniwa na Kikuvi” (The master was saved by Kikuvi). I could have shouted for joy, for having the verb I could easily make the noun; but to prove it beyond the shadow of a doubt, I said, “Ukuthanie Bwana?” (You saved the master?), and he replied, “Yes.” “Why, Kikuvi,” I said, “this is the word I have been wanting you to give me all these ‘moons,’ because I wanted to tell you that Yesu died to Ku——.” I got no further. The black face lit up, as in the lurid light of the camp fire he turned upon me, exclaiming, “Master! I see it now! I understand! This is what you have been trying to tell us all these moons, that Yesu died to save us from the power of sin!” Never did sweeter word fall from mortal lips than that word “Saviour” as it fell from the lips of that black savage in Central Africa.

For four years I dwelt alone, seeing three of my co-workers stricken down by fever; had over thirty attacks of fever myself; was three times attacked by lions, several times by rhinoceroses; ambushed by hostile natives; fourteen months without bread; for two months subsisted on beans and sour milk; have had to eat everything from ants to rhinoceroses; but I rejoice to say that I would be glad to go through the whole program again with my eyes wide open if I could have the joy of flashing that word “Saviour” into the darkness of another tribe in Central Africa.

Rejoicing with this worker in his joy at finding the long-sought word, do we not see, more plainly than ever, the fullness of the gospel in that one blessed word, that dearest name in earth or heaven, brought by angels to men—the name of Jesus? Strike what we know of the meaning of that name Jesus—Saviour—out of our lives, and how all the lights of heaven would go out in darkness in our souls. Yet the greater part of the peoples of this earth to-day do not know the name and the glorious message to men that God has infolded within it.

W. A. S.