A REPORT AND SUGGESTIONS.
By F. E. Belden
The Battle Creek church is divided into twelve districts, holding, with few exceptions, separate weekly prayer-meetings on Wednesday evening, and missionary meetings on Monday evening. Several of the districts follow the plan of conducting the study of the message in connection with the prayer-meeting, and the study of the field in connection with the missionary meeting. Other districts are putting both into one evening—the missionary evening—with good success, one person conducting the Bible study, and another following with the lesson on the field. Our district adopted the plan of having both studies on Monday evening. From 6:30 to 7:15 the papers are wrapped and addressed; between 7:15 and 7:30 we attend to any general business needing attention; from 7:30 to 8 the leader of the Bible study conducts what ought to be a boiled-down, plain, earnest review of the subject that, during the previous week, has been studied carefully in the home of every family and by each person; from 8 to 8:30 another person conducts the field study, a review of what has been, or ought to have been, studied in the home. Of course more time than this is necessary if little or no studying has been done at home. The missionary leader’s work is of greatest value in selecting suitable persons, or in suggesting their selection by the society, to lead out in these studies, and in assisting the ones who conduct the studies, so that argument and out-of-the-way talk shall not encumber the meeting, and thus cause some to lose interest in the study of the vital truths that are in each lesson. Let us be wise and select as leaders those who will prayerfully prepare themselves to bring out the truths that the Lord has for us in the books of Daniel and the Revelation. How can one attempt this without the Spirit’s aid? And if the leader has it, there will be life in his words, and life in the manner in which he draws out the truth from those present. The time has come for life, divine life in divine work,—if ever it were possible to do without it. Lesson leaders, missionary leaders, elders, and members in general should think and plan and work to make these weekly summaries of study concise, forcible, and interesting to all, the youth especially. Our average district attendance is reported as being doubled or two thirds more than before the studies began. We expect to have, about once a month, a general Sabbath sermon review of the lessons considered in the districts during the preceding four weeks, with opportunity for questions and a general comparison and evening-up of ideas. Let us so earnestly engage in this important preparation for work that before long many shall be heard saying, “Here am I; send me.” Above all things let us avoid debating opinions. The enemy’s first plan is to keep us from studying God’s word, his next is to stir up contention over its study.