ARE WE THANKFUL? by S. H. Lane

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 24, 1901

ARE WE THANKFUL?

By S. H. Lane

There is not a reader of this article but has many and urgent reasons for gratitude to God for mercies and blessings received during the past year. Many have been blessed with health and prosperity, and have enjoyed spiritual and temporal blessings to that extent that should they try to enumerate them, they would be incapable of so doing.

Are we thankful that the special truths for these last days have been pressed home upon the hearts of the people as never before, by voice, tongue, pen, and press, so much so that in our own land and in other countries new companies have been brought into the truth, new churches formed, and new Conferences organized? Through the diffusion of truth, Christ’s kingdom of grace has been strengthened and built up, and to the same degree Satan’s kingdom is endangered, hedged about, and blighted. As this deceiver sees precious souls rescued and blood-washed from sin, and cleansed by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, and as he further discerns in these once sin-darkened souls, character being reared like a mighty citadel which he himself is powerless successfully to assault and capture, he is enraged, and has come down in mighty power, knowing that he has but a short time in which to work. Are we thankful for this?

Every month out-going missionaries have embarked for remote parts of the great harvest field to gather in souls for the heavenly garner, to carry to heathen lands the message of salvation. Are you grateful for this?

Every soul born anew of the Spirit’s holy power, every evil cast down, every sermon preached, watered by the dews of divine grace, hastens the coming of the King in His beauty. He has tarried long in the distant country, and His return may be expected soon. He is watching and inspecting our work now; and when He does come, He will abundantly reward His faithful ones; and as the final result of that coming, righteousness and everlasting peace will be permanently enthroned. Let us watch for that coming as the worn, storm-beaten night sentinel watches and longs for the appearing of the morning.

Are we thankful for all these things? If so, shall we not especially manifest it by a faithful attendance at all the meetings during the Week of Prayer? Shall we not fully consecrate ourselves to God? and shall we not donate liberally to the support of the work? Are you planning for this? If you have not the ready means, will you not plan and execute vigorously now to obtain means? Times are prosperous, work plenty; shall we not work and obtain some means to aid the Lord’s needy cause? We are aware that many are in limited circumstances, and can give but little, and some may feel that they can donate nothing, from the fact that they do not possess to give. Possibly before you accepted the truth, you were addicted to the use of tobacco. Did you ever see a time then when you were so poor that you could not obtain it by some plan? Let us be just as diligent now to plan to obtain an offering for the Lord, as we were then to obtain means for that which was not bread. Are you not thankful that that bad habit and many others have been swept away by the truth? Every dime and dollar aids now as never before. Who will show thankfulness by sacrifice?

S. H. LANE.