WILL THEY DO IT? by M. Wood

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 2, 1876

WILL THEY DO IT?

By M. Wood

This question, asked by Bro. White, is a momentous one deserving the most careful and prayerful consideration of all; and it should be (and no doubt will be) answered in the affirmative by every living member of the T. and M. Society from Maine to California.

If I am not mistaken in the object of the T. and M. Society, it was, at its formation and organization, destined to act in co-operation with those bearing heavy burdens and filling responsible positions in the cause of God. We are told that the T. and M. Society bears the same relation to the third angel’s message that the right arm does to the body. It has become an auxiliary in sounding forth the last warning message. And while it is an established fact, that this army of workers has rendered most efficient assistance to our ministers and the cause generally in the distribution of our periodicals, yet from a scriptural stand-point we have not done one-twentieth of what we might have done, were we fully consecrated to the work of God.

Now, brethren, shall we redeem the time, return to primitive holiness, place ourselves in close connection with Heaven, and carry out those Heaven-born principles in our every-day lives? God in his infinite mercy has given us light and knowledge of his will to be communicated to others. We thus become living channels through which the truth of God finds its way to honest souls struggling for light and liberty. Though we may never in this life witness the good resulting from our labors, yet there is no cause for us to be discouraged, become weary in well doing, and settle down content with the achievements already made in this noble enterprise. God forbid that a single individual in the missionary corps should lay down his arms and feel at ease while the Macedonian cry is being heard from every quarter of the field.

In what better way can we aid the cause of God, and help our fellow-creatures on to eternal glory than by placing in their hands such reading matter as will, if perused and its teachings put to a practical use, lead them to the Lamb of God? The SIGNS OF THE TIMES is a paper designed for that very purpose. It is our missionary, or pioneer, paper, offered to the Tract Society for the small sum of $1.50 per year, post-paid. What an easy matter, brethren, to increase the circulation of the SIGNS ten, twenty, yes, thirty thousand, before the first of January, 1877! The sixteen Conferences have a membership of upwards of 10,000. We will venture to say that in this number there are not a dozen individuals but that could obtain at least one subscriber for the SIGNS; and many, if they would give themselves to the work, could obtain scores of subscribers for this most valuable paper. And as delays are dangerous, it is expedient that we enter upon our winter campaign at once, not in a careless, haphazard style, but in a judicious, systematic manner, ordering our business through the State secretary.

Dear friends, it is time to awake and exercise faith in God and his work, and to make advance moves while public sentiment is turned in favor of these unpopular truths. I verily believe that a live, energetic canvasser, devoted to the cause of God and consecrated to his service, could by well-matured plans enter the city of Haverhill, Mass., and obtain at least five hundred subscribers for the SIGNS and REFORMER. Sr. White’s lecture on temperance in that city carried everything by storm. It has allayed prejudice, and won the hearts of the leading people of the place, who are favorably impressed with the doctrines taught by S. D. Adventists. We look upon this opening as brought about by a special providence of God.

Let us in our respective districts follow up these openings so providentially brought about. Now will you do it? Yes! let ten thousand voices reply, we will do it, God’s grace assisting.

While penning these lines in behalf of the SIGNS struggling in its infancy for freedom, a sister called to see me upon business. I made known to her the subject upon which I was writing. She thought she could not obtain many subscribers, but she gave me $50 for the SIGNS. Reader, “go thou, and do likewise.” M. Wood.