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To Our Ministers

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 6, 1901

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 32.

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To Our Ministers.

By E. E. Miles

BRETHREN, we speak to you to-day from the standpoint of our publishing work. We want to use more of our publications this summer than ever in the past. Have you a club of the Signs? the Sentinel? the Instructor and the Little Friend? Have you a good supply of tracts and books displayed? Have you the moral courage to ask the people to buy when they are with you? when you are with them?
Listen: “I sincerely hope that no mind will receive the impression that it befits a minister of the gospel to canvass. Hear the apostle Paul’s testimony: ‘Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews; and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.’ The eloquent Paul, to whom God manifested himself in a wonderful manner, went from house to house, with all humility of mind, and with many tears and temptations. I have been shown that the most precious ministry can be done by canvassing, and that by ministers.”—Special Testimony for Ministers and Workers, No. 7, pages 50, 51.
We class our ministers and all other workers with our canvassers, for all should canvass; and by classing all as canvassers, we place all on the exalted plane of gospel ministers. The same Testimony from which we have already quoted, also says, “The intelligent, God-fearing, truth-loving canvasser occupies a position equal to that of the gospel minister;” and again, “I cannot see why the canvassing work is not as good and successful a work as can be done for the Lord. Canvassers can become acquainted with the people, they can pray with them, and can understand their true necessities. Let us come close to the people, learn their necessities, and sell them that which will supply their needs more fully than we can do by any words of ours. We have an abundance of attractive and truth-laden religious and health literature, and God wants us to get it before the people where it may be accomplishing its heaven-sent mission. Shall we not go about this glorious work at once, and ‘do it heartily, as to the Lord’?”
“In doing this we shall learn to teach. Here is a thought from a brother who holds an important position in the work in one of the States of this Eastern Union Conference, and whose letters are an inspiration to me: ‘There is need of more education among us as a people. Our ministers are not educators as they ought to be. They can preach the gospel very well, and labor to impress the people with the solemn responsibilities of the message as they present it to them. But when they get down to the work of educating them, they are deficient. We hope that our ministers will realize this fact, and become teachers as well as preachers. This is quite in accord with the following utterances from Sister White, as found in the pamphlet “Home Missionary Work:” “The people have listened to too much sermonizing; but have they been instructed as to how to labor for those for whom Christ died? Has there been a line of work devised and laid out before the people in such a way that each one saw the necessity of taking part in the work?’”
“It is evident that all the sermons that have been preached have not brought up this kind of labor, and the churches are withering up because they have failed to use their talents in diffusing the light of truth to others. Careful instruction should be given that will be as lessons from the Master, that all may put their light to practical use in benefiting others. Those who have the oversight of the churches should select members who have ability, and place them under responsibilities, at the same time giving them instruction as to how they may best serve and bless others.” “Here is our great sin. We are years behind. The ministers have been seeking the hidden treasures, and have been opening the casket, and letting the jewels of truth shine forth, but not one one-hundredth part has been done or is being done by members of the Church, that God requires of them.” “An education should be given to the people of God that would result in furnishing hundreds who would put out to the exchangers valuable talents, whose use would develop men for the position of trust and influence, and great good would be accomplished for the Master.”
Fellow ministers, give the people the message through the ministry of our publications, and many of your converts will in turn give the truth to others in the same way. They will also continue to read, and having good food, and exercise in working for others, they will continually grow stronger in the truth and work of God.
Directly and indirectly, our Conference workers are expected to do much to keep our publishing houses busy with the work for which, in the providence of God, they were established. What shall be our record, individually, for the remaining months of 1901? What may we not accomplish in the name of the Lord Jesus, in the aggregate, if, like the Master, we all go about doing good?
E. E. MILES, Pub. Agt., E. U. C.