Missionary Work by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 11, 1875

Missionary Work.

By James White

THERE is a wide difference between diversion and wearing, disagreeable labor. We have ministers among us who really enjoy the ministry, especially the leisurely, visiting, social part, to which they take very naturally. They may even enjoy study, and come before the people with a degree of pleasure. But these men have but little burden upon them for the general good of the cause. They seldom take either interest or stock in our institutions, and different enterprises to advance the cause. There is too much unpleasant labor in the establishment of Systematic Benevolence and a constant effort on their part to keep it up, to suit their taste. The minister of this stamp generally chooses to take the wife along with him, and enjoys common visiting almost or quite exclusively in the families of favorite brethren, or those who make favorites of them, and leaves matters in the church generally at loose ends. These are not laborers. They make the ministry a matter of diversion.

The real laborer for God, who has the true missionary spirit, can find but very little time to spend in the homes of favorite families, who are real social, congenial spirits. To spend his time with these leisurely would bring upon his soul leanness and a sense of guilt. His mind is reaching out ever for opportunities to form new acquaintances, and help those who most need help, instead of seeking for present enjoyment among old social friends.

The foregoing may illustrate missionary labor generally. It is missionary work, and not missionary diversion merely, that is called for at this time. It is an easy thing to scrape up names almost indiscriminately, or, under missionary enthusiasm, to raise money to pay for them, and to make large reports of papers sent and money raised, may be pleasing. And yet, in all this there may be but very little real missionary labor, and very trifling good accomplished. But when you come to going from house to house to labor, and with real burden of soul to converse and pray in tears with the people, it is then that you find work.

We do not raise too much money for missionary purposes. Nor do we circulate too many papers and books. But for want of a proper amount of real missionary labor, not one-tenth of the good is accomplished that might be with the same amount of money and printed matter. A brother sent us one hundred and twenty names from Toledo, Ohio. We did expect that he would feel duty to follow these up, and send us means to help publish the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. But only one person has paid. The one hundred and twenty papers cost $240 less $2.00 paid by one of the number.

This fairly illustrates the course of a class of men among us. In their missionary labors they are very liberal with other people's money. It has been our object to cut off this reckless waste of means that we have spoken against, gathering up names indiscriminately and then bestowing no further labor. Labor is wanted. Labor must be bestowed, both before and after taking names for our periodicals.

Eld. Haskell strikes the point of importance in the missionary work when he says in REVIEW for Oct. 28:—

“All that have any knowledge of this truth should feel a burden of the work resting upon them. Parents should so feel the importance of this matter that their children will partake of its inspiration, and feel an anxiety to do something to help forward the cause of God. Children can do something. They can not only make an investment of their pennies where it will pay large interest in this life, but fruit will be seen of their lives in the kingdom of God. Last year, when the effort was made to get the Hygienic Almanac into the families of the city of Boston, the children of Bro. Wood and others went from house to house and sold a large number of them. Many would purchase because a child offered them for sale.”

“Brethren, sisters, and children, should take a part in this work as above indicated. We have not less than five thousand individuals who have paid their dollar and thus have become members of our Tract Societies, and all of these have friends to whom the almanac would prove a blessing, and by whom it would be appreciated.”

“The times demand action from consecrated hearts. Other branches of the missionary work should not be neglected, but all should be carried forward together.”

If our missionary workers had one-tenth part of the courage and real hang on to them that these trained book and picture canvassers have, more than half would pay for our periodicals and other publications by those who receive them. But because this work does not partake of the nature of pleasing diversion they dodge it. The true spirit of missionary labor for this time is expressed in the third and last call to the supper in these earnest words of hold on, and hang on: “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in.” The brethren and sisters must nerve themselves for this work, and in humility, and in a right spirit press the matter forward. There are a few persons who have more zeal than wisdom who should be held back. It is the prudent, retiring ones who need to break over natural diffidence, and with the help and blessing of God, enter into the work with a will.

Eld. Haskell’s system of missionary labor is good. His zeal is right. Now if he can inspire the spirit of labor in the very hearts of our people, the missionary cause will move forward. He has connected with this work relief for orphans and widows. We do not object to proper attention being given to the wants of these. But we call attention to the wants of our active ministers in the States of Minnesota, Kansas, and of Missouri. We recommend that Elds. Haskell and Canright confer upon the subject of their condition, and bring them relief if possible.

We shall keep to the point, that the first claim upon the liberalities of our people is the cause of the Third Angel’s Message. J. W.