The Present Work by A. C. Bourdeau

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 6, 1875

The Present Work.

By A. C. Bourdeau

EVERY lover of truth, whose heart is in the work, can truly hail with joy the omens of good we have relative to the present work, and doubtless such are deeply interested in what has appeared in the REVIEW, and in our other journals of late, concerning the advancement and prosperity of the cause.

Our several institutions at Battle Creek, Mich., stand on a permanent basis, and serve as strong levers in pushing forward the work; the mission to the Pacific Coast, and the formation of a Publishing Association there, is no more a matter of uncertainty, but an established fact; the European mission is a wonderful reality; the organization of the Tract and Missionary Society promises to be a very effectual means of furthering the cause of truth; and still broader and better plans are being laid for the rapid progress of the work. Truly, the Lord, in his loving kindness, has set his hand to the work, and is opening the way in a wonderful manner for the spread of the truth among “peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”

But the question arises, Where do we stand with reference to the present work? Are we coming up to the help of the Lord against the mighty? The great adversary is on the move, and uses great deception in opposing God’s people. He assails us where we the least suspect him. While the unerring word teaches us that we are living in the last days, that Christ’s appearing is very near, and that those who heed the last warning message to the world will escape the wrath of God, and be received into the blest mansions above, it also plainly teaches us that “in the last days perilous times shall come,” that “the devil is come down, . . . having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time,” and that we should therefore be “sober, and watch unto prayer,” and work out our “own salvation with fear and trembling.” We are still in the world, and have its allurements, its fashions, and its pride, to contend with. And formal professors around us, who love ease and the approbation of the world—ministers and people—have an influence which is not salutary upon those even who are trying to have the cause of God at heart, and who are desirous to see it prosper.

“Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed;” and we should be advancing and coming up with the work as the message rises. We need to be more fully awake to the importance of drawing near to the Lord and holding sweet communion with him, of having our affections weaned from the things of this world, and set on things above, and of laboring with our might to let our light shine, and of striving by a well-ordered life and a godly conversation to lead others to glorify our Heavenly Father by obeying the whole truth. These thoughts may have lost their force on some by frequent repetition, yet it ought not to be so; their importance is such that they should be kept in mind constantly.

Dear brethren, shall we not try to be more in earnest in serving the Lord? May we not get into a better place, and be prepared to co-operate with the Lord in this blessed work? O let us be much in prayer, struggle on, and hope on to the end, that when our work is done, and our battles are over, we may be found among the blest to whom it shall be said, “Well done.”

A. C. BOURDEAU.