Methods of Labor by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 22, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 20.

Methods of Labor.

By Editor

THERE can be no doubt that the success of any laborer in the cause of God depends much upon the methods chosen and pursued. The canvasser, the colporter, and the preacher may, by a judicious course, win and attract the interest of those with whom they have to deal, toward the truth they present; or they may, by injudicious methods, repel and turn them away, to their everlasting injury. We should never sink the truth to a low level to conciliate the prejudices of any; nor should we ever needlessly stir up or come in conflict with their prejudices, so as to close their eyes and ears against the truth. There is "a golden mean" which should constantly be kept in view. The Saviour gave a rule embodying remarkable wisdom when he said: "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

The first great requisite to success in the work of God is a loving heart. "Speaking the truth in love," said Paul. First, we should love God, the author and giver of the truth. Secondly, we should love the truth which he has given to us. Thirdly, we should love those to whom we speak, and whom we hope to benefit by the truth. If such be the condition of our mind and heart, our labor cannot fail to be fruitful. But if either of these elements be lacking our work will show defects of some kind.

The work of the Third Angel's Message is a providential work. It is not a work, in either its matter or methods, which somebody devised and adopted according to their own choice. The Spirit of God not only impressed the truths of the Revelation upon the minds of his servants, but enlightened them in regard to their personal labors under their new and varied circumstances, leading them as he did the Israelites of old, in a way they knew not. Many have risen up and for a while stood in doubt of the propriety of the methods pursued; but time and experience proved that it is well to follow where the Lord leads, though we cannot always see the full result in advance.

In this very subject we have a solution of the question often proposed, why it is that so few ministers from other denominations are found in the ministry of this message. It is not because none have embraced it, for quite a number have done so, but they very seldom enter upon its labors in public; very few have been successful in an effort in that direction. The reason is this: They have their habits fixed, and must work according to the established methods of their several churches, and they find it about impossible to conform to the necessities of so great a change of circumstances. And then the question follows: Why not work after those methods? And, Would not our influence be greater and better if we conformed to the customs and methods of the denominations around us?

Our answer is in the negative, and for two reasons. 1. It is impossible. Our circumstances will not admit of it. The churches of the other denominations place almost their entire dependence for existence on a settled pastor. As a Presbyterian paper lamentingly said: "When the minister is gone, all is gone." Many a church, with a fair-sized membership, closes up its house of worship for want of a settled preacher. But ours is altogether a missionary work. We have not preachers enough to supply a tithe of our churches, if we would; but we would not if we could. If our work is a missionary work, our people, to be in the work, must be a missionary people. And experience has taught us that nothing but persevering labor will keep the missionary spirit alive in any people. No, we cannot and would not have settled pastors over our churches.

2. The people do not expect such a work from us. To work after the old church methods is to rob the message of its life and power. We have seen it tried. We knew a minister who would not introduce any doctrine of the present truth to a community until he had preached about a week after the old style, or what he called revival sermons, to get up a good interest and enlist in his favor the feelings of the people. But he afterward confessed that it was labor to no purpose. In the first place, the people were disappointed; they expected something different, and were anxious to hear it. And this fact may be borne in mind by our laborers: the majority of the people are tired of hearing read little essays on common topics, miscalled "sermons." They will hail with joy solid instruction from the word of God. There is power in the word of truth when "poured forth in the Spirit." And again, he said that after he had preached a week, and got the congregation up to the revival standard, when he struck on to the doctrines of the message his hearers dropped back to the place they occupied when he commenced his work.

And we had a recital of the same experience from a Seventh-day Baptist brother who had labored in a tent. He said at first he started with preaching one or two weeks on general subjects, and after working up a strong religious feeling in his congregation he would introduce the Sabbath, and his hearers would listen to his arguments and act in reference to them exactly as if he had never preached to them before. Some who had been his warmest friends, and manifested the most zeal and fervor, would turn away from the truth with scorn. And some who had appeared to be quite unaffected by his preaching before, would listen to the Bible proofs with interest, and accept the whole truth. He said that he had learned that if he presented the Sabbath at all he found it just as well to "pitch in" at the beginning; the effect was just as good, and he saved much time.

The principle is what we are aiming at; not the particular form in which the truth should first be presented in any place. We always preferred opening a series of sermons with the prophecies, the messages, and the sanctuary, and let those subjects introduce the law and the Sabbath, as they really do in the book of God. But the point is this, that the present truth is not benefited, its presentation is not accelerated or strengthened, by resorting to the methods adopted by the denominations in an entirely different work.

We are strongly impressed with the conviction that herein is a suggestion to those who go to labor in other lands. While it may be specially undesirable to arouse their prejudices in those lands, it may be true there as well as here that God blesses those means and methods to which his Spirit has given its sanction in the rise and progress of this work. Our message is to go to "many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings;" and the Lord himself chose the place, and means, and methods of its rise and progress, and his providence has ever indicated his will in carrying on the work, and his Spirit instructed in the way. A sanctified judgment, or, as Bro. White used to express it, "sanctified common sense" is very desirable in such a work. But the Lord has promised to guide us in judgment if we meekly depend on him, and do not choose our own ways or endeavor to labor in our own strength.

"Surely, God is good to Israel." Nothing but goodness and mercy have followed us in this precious cause,—this glorious work. And his mercy endureth forever, and will ever rest upon those who delight in his commandments, and who strive to glorify him in all that they do. As yet we can say, "the lines are fallen to us in pleasant places." Opposition to the truth is little, merely nothing. How important that we wisely improve our opportunities while they are so favorable. How important that every laborer study to show himself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, whose work shall be approved in the day of account.