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Progress of the Cause

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 6, 1879

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 39, No. 8.

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Progress of the Cause.

By James White

The accounts from different parts of the wide field, given from week to week in the Progress Department of the REVIEW, are cheering. And we would here suggest that all laborers in the cause give brief reports as often as once in two weeks. This would give greater variety, and fresher news, than to report more lengthily once a month, or once a quarter. And let all report. We want to hear from all, if it be but a few words. Brevity, and modesty of expression, are becoming to those who are just entering the field.
But the present progress of the cause is by no means confined to the labors of our ministers in new fields. The spirit of labor is to some extent, in some places, getting hold of leading members of our churches. This is as it should be. And this must be the case in all our churches, and with all the members of our churches, before the work can move forward as it should.
We are happy to report the good work still moving forward in the church at Battle Creek. There has been but little preaching since the work commenced about New Year’s, at the close of our General Conference. The principal part of the labor has been done by brethren and sisters visiting from house to house, exhorting and praying. Many in our midst were backslidden. Some were in a low, desponding, discouraged condition. These were exhorted with many encouraging words. And in some cases fervent prayer has been continued several hours, until answers to prayer have been realized, and the restoration, or conversion, has been wonderfully clear and remarkable.
Eld. J. H. Waggoner has taken a leading part in this work, and has labored arduously and with success. This labor, in connection with considerable Office work, has taxed his strength severely. His labors in this church, and at the Office, at the present time of need, are highly valued. And we are in hopes that, after a little rest, our brethren in Maine may also enjoy his labors.
But the good work in this city is steadily moving forward. Meetings, besides on the Sabbath, have been held only evenings. And, as Bro. Waggoner remarked, the brethren have had so much to do from house to house that they could hardly find time to hold many evening meetings. We now have three evening meetings each week, which are large and exceedingly interesting. They usually commence with a discourse of about twenty minutes in length, and hold about two hours, the remainder of the time being all occupied in remarks from those who have labored from house to house, and the happy and decided testimonies of the converted and the reclaimed. Our brethren and sisters have been greatly blessed, and are becoming hopeful and strong in the Lord in the act of helping others.
At the commencement of this work, a call was made for men and women to volunteer to go out in the city as missionaries, to converse and pray with those who were in a low state, and report at a following meeting. These reports became very interesting. This work called many to our meetings. Soon backsliders and sinners were invited forward for prayers. The Spirit of God moved upon the people, and many came forward. And so the work has been carried on from house to house, and in the house of worship, for the last five weeks, and it is now at the point of its highest interest.
And from what we have already witnessed, we may safely conclude that as long as the same means are employed, just so long will the same results appear. Many have been reclaimed, and there are several cases of clear conversion. Those laboring in the several departments of the publishing work, have shared in the good work, which is regarded as only commenced. What our people in this city have already felt of the spirit of labor, and also of freedom, makes them long for more.
A work of this nature is needed in our churches everywhere. And we earnestly recommend to all who wish to enjoy a similar blessing to employ means which have brought such happy results in the church at Battle Creek. We do not advise our churches to obtain the labors of our ministers. Laborers are few, and the harvest is plentiful. Our ministers cannot answer a tithe of the calls to labor in new fields. And, again, it is not preaching that our churches need. It is action upon the light they already have.
There is a law which rules alike relative to physical, mental, and spiritual power, that activity is conducive to strength. It is action that makes the blacksmith’s arm strong. It is mental action that gives power to the brain. And it is also personal effort, and individual action, in the things of the Spirit of God that gives men and women spiritual power.
Our people generally are spiritual dwarfs, when they might be giants in the Lord. They are waiting for the few ministers among us to warn the world, and at the same time carry the churches on their shoulders, while they feel at liberty to plunge into the world, and become buried up in its rubbish. The only remedy we have to suggest for them is to lay aside unnecessary cares of this life, and to put forth individual effort for the good of those around them. In fact, this is, in our opinion, the only remedy.
We did expect that our people in the several States would immediately form Tract Societies, and at once enter upon the duties set forth in the published plan of such societies. For this very object General Conference was held two months earlier, that these societies might be organized, and have several months to work before the more active business season should come. Immediate action on the part of the General Conference Committee and the State Conference Committees seems necessary to put this system of labor in motion. Why not take hold of the work at once? Why wait till the most favorable season of the year shall be past? Our Publishing Association has on hand more than $20,000 worth of books, pamphlets, and tracts, ready to go out on their mission. And why not let the people have them this winter and early spring, when they have time to read?
God has wonderfully blessed our publishing work, so that we have a goodly list of publications, such as the cause demands. They will meet the wants of the people if they can get them. And our faithful brethren have taken stock in this work and have sent in their free-will offerings, so that we have the means to furnish any amount almost of our valuable works. And our people are dying spiritually for want of the very work necessary to get these books before the people. The General Conference made choice of men of experience who now enjoy the strength and freshness of manhood as General Conference Committee, and it will be expected, at such an eventful crisis as the present, that they will act decidedly and vigorously. Nothing could give more courage and strength to the friends of the cause than to see these men passing from State to State, putting things in working order in every part of the field.
We are receiving calls from all parts of the land for preachers and for publications. The publications we can furnish; but the preachers cannot be found. May the Lord of the harvest hear our prayers for help in this direction. We give the following from Bro. O. M. Olds, of Nebraska, Jan. 22, 1872, which shows

WHAT OUR TRACTS ARE DOING.

“Eld. James White: My Dear Brother—About three years ago I embraced the seventh-day Sabbath through the labors of a missionary of the Seventh-day Baptist Society, Eld. James Bailey, while residing at Boscobel, Grant Co., Wis. About that time, one of your faith, Frank Thompson of that place, gave me two or three small tracts treating upon the mortality of man. Those tracts have much interested me, and I desire to hear and learn more of the important truths you teach.”
“I am preaching the truth according to the light I have. I am convinced that man is mortal, and that we are standing in the last days of earth’s history. Six years I labored in the capacity of preacher with the Methodists.”
“I am unable to buy tracts or books. I have not the means to do so. I dislike to beg; but I want to know more of God’s truth. I confess there is much darkness in me. I need a clear understanding of God’s truth. I am going to ask of you a favor: Can you send me a complete list of your tracts, or a theological compendium of your faith? If so, I will make you this promise, that when I shall be able to do so I will pay you for them. I want to investigate the whole matter from beginning to end.”
“May God bless you in all that is truth, is the prayer of one who seeks to know the truth and by it be made free.”
There are thousands of intelligent men and women in our country, whose minds are prepared to receive the light. They would receive it as readily as Bro. Olds has, could it shine in their path. We are very happy to receive all such orders. We have sent Bro. Olds six dollars’ worth of our publications, free to him, for which we charge the Book Fund four dollars. And as they go out to their western destination we breathe the prayer that the blessing of God may go with them. Before closing this hasty article we wish to make a few suggestions upon an article in another page of this paper on the subject of

GRATUITIES AND WILLS.

1. The best legal advice should be obtained as to all the particulars of the form and manner of a will, before writing it. Not twenty-five per cent of what the friends of the cause have willed to our Publishing Association has been collectable, simply because proper counsel has not been obtained by them. Not only should our friends seek legal advice, but also the advice of those in whom they have confidence as safe counselors in the case.
2. Aged and feeble persons, who may have but a few thousands, and who wish to be secure of a support during their lifetime, and also that a part, or all, that remains of their property after their death should be used for the benefit of our institutions, should by all means make their will.
3. Those in youth and middle age, who have abundance, should actively give of that abundance when means are wanted. Twenty dollars was worth more to the cause ten years since than one hundred dollars is in 1872. And there can be no safer rule by which to judge of the future in this matter than by the past. Therefore, twenty dollars appropriated in 1872 will tell as much for the advancement of the cause as one hundred dollars, should time last so long, in 1882. How proper, then, that those who have more than a liberal competency should appoint and apply themselves to the work of a faithful execution of their wishes in the appropriation of their abundance while they can attend to it themselves, and while means can tell to the glory of God. Those who live to witness the close of our message will see millions in the hands of those who profess faith in the coming of Jesus, for which they had no use in this life, and which they neglected to use when it could have done good.
4. Men excuse themselves, in purchasing more lands, and making unnecessary improvements, on the plea that their property will turn better in “the selling time.” We do not know what these men mean by the selling time. If they refer to the injunction of Jesus, then we will say the selling time always has been the time when it was necessary for believers to sell property to support the cause of God. Twenty years since, this was necessary among the few friends of the cause, who had to exert themselves to sustain the cause in its infancy. Among the noble examples of sacrifice in that time, we will mention Hastings, of New Hampshire, Edson, of the State of New York, Lyon, Smith, and Kellogg, of Michigan. These men have all lived to see the gracious and beautiful fruits of their sacrifices. And a host of others may now rejoice that they had the honored privilege to sacrifice more or less for the cause in the days of its feebleness and adversity.
Strictly speaking, so far as our mind can grasp this subject, the selling time is in the past, unless the providence of God shall open the way to use means as we have not in times past. Should our people all put into the treasury a tithe of their increase, there would be more means on hand than could be judiciously appropriated.
In our system of benevolence our people do not half come up to the figures of our own plan. Instead of a tenth, they do not give a twentieth. The New England Conference probably comes up nearest the figures of any of our Conferences. Their membership of only three hundred pay $3,000 annually, which is ten dollars each. Michigan has a membership of about sixteen hundred, and pays less than $6,000 annually. And all who are acquainted with the facts in the case, will decide that our New England brethren have less property on an average than our people in Michigan.
Our people in New England do not exceed the plan of S. B. The brethren in Michigan fall below two-thirds, at least. When they should pay $18,000, they only pay $6,000. And Michigan is a sample of nearly the entire Middle and Western States. Our people in Michigan can pay $20,000 annually, and yet add largely to their wealth. With this view of things, and the abundance annually far exceeding the calls for means, when shall we reach “the selling time?”
Brethren, be not misled and destroyed by the “deceitfulness of riches.” You that have a surplus should use it in the cause when it will help the cause. And you who wish to benefit the cause of God in your wills, should, after making suitable provisions for children and wife, or others, assign that portion you wish to give to the cause of God, directly to the cause at your decease, and not after the decease of your friends. And then, after you have made your will, see to it that while you live you are a faithful steward of your Lord’s property, and use for God what you can spare of it while you live, rather than leave it to be appropriated, perhaps, by careless hands, and when it will do little or no good.
God is graciously favoring the down-trodden cause of unpopular Bible truth. And the time has fully come for united and energetic action of all our churches, and by the hosts of scattered ones throughout the land. In God let us arise and fulfill the mission the Master has given us. J. W.