p. 17 | A Missionary Journey by G. B. Starr

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 14, 1911

A Missionary Journey

By G. B. Starr

BEFORE leaving Boston for an unexpected trip to the West, it was our great joy to attend several revival services held at Tremont Temple, and witness and experience the working of the Holy Spirit upon hearts and minds. The spiritual interests of the several churches in Boston and its suburbs have been placed under the direction of a pastoral committee. This committee arranges for help in the various churches a month in advance. The ministers, Bible workers, and church elders are notified of the appointments, any of which are gladly yielded in favor of visiting brethren. The majority of the churches hold their services Sabbath morning, thus leaving the afternoon free for a general rally at Chipman Hall, Tremont Temple, where it is planned to have a warm, live revival service and social meeting. This service is conducted usually by two or three evangelists. After short, pointed discourses, the people are given an opportunity to take part. They gladly avail themselves of this privilege, and even strangers mingle their testimonies with those of the believers, in some instances taking their stand decidedly for the truth.

We spent one day at the General Conference Council in Washington, D. C. All our requests for help were granted, including a ten days’ visit from Dr. Geo. Thomason to Boston, Melrose, and Portland, and a two days’ visit from Dr. Harvey W. Wiley, government analyst, to Melrose. Dr. Wiley will address the physicians of Boston during his visit to the New England Sanitarium.

At Columbus, Ohio, we met four of my cousins whom I had not seen since childhood, including Prof. William McPherson, who is in charge of the department of chemistry in the Ohio State University. On Sabbath we were pleased to find our commodious church (which we were informed was free from debt) filled to the very doors. We enjoyed a precious outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the entire congregation coming forward, where we all united in presenting our requests for prayer to the Lord. Many offered thanksgiving and praise, and it was good to be there.

Arriving in Chicago, we were most cordially received at the Hinsdale Sanitarium. Here we enjoyed sweet counsel with the physicians and nurses, and joined them in their interesting graduating exercises for the class of 1911. The motto of the class, “I was sick, and ye visited Me,” seemed very appropriate for medical missionary workers. The subject of the graduating address was “The Lord Hath Need of Them.” The speaker showed that the Lord calls for educated, trained talent, and that he has need of the most skilled workmen. We were greatly encouraged to find the large buildings at Thirty-third Place, which, under the hand of God we were instrumental in erecting over a quarter of a century ago, and which were dedicated to be a training-school for workers, rescued and turned anew into a training-school, with the combination which we believe God is calling for in all our large cities,—the union of the medical and the evangelical.

At Lincoln, Nebr., the Lord gave us another baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the large congregation present at the Sabbath service was moved to join in seeking God for the rest which Christ alone can give, and for a fitness to yoke up with him in a house-to-house ministration in this Harvest Ingathering work. It was an impressive sight to see hundreds of Union College students, sanitarium workers, and others in the galleries of the church, join those in the body of the church in a season of earnest prayer and consecration.

At Beatrice, Nebr., we spent more than two days with my aged father, whom we found improved in health, and happy and restful in hope of eternal life.

We next visited the grave of my mother, in Iowa City, Iowa; and a boyhood friend devoted nearly the entire day to taking us in his carriage to visit a long list of friends, many of whom I had not seen for nearly forty years. Doors were thus opened for future missionary work. We count this as one of the most effective days spent in real missionary work.

At Battle Creek, Mich., we were happily surprised to find the ministerial institute of the Lake Union Conference in session. An interesting congregation filled the Tabernacle, where Elders A. G. Daniells, W. A. Spicer, and G. B. Thompson were leading in earnest and profitable instruction. A good spirit pervaded the meetings,— a “hungry spirit,” which always makes it easy to work. We greatly enjoyed four days here, and were pleased to have a small part in the Bible workers’ councils before taking our train for Boston, Monday night, November 13. G. B. STARR.