p. 61 | Now For The Work by Dudley Marvin Canright

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Woodland, Cal. · Oct 22, 1874

Now For The Work.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Now that it is a settled fact that the SIGNS will be permanently established upon this coast, I, for one, am determined to do my utmost to make it a success. Those who are able to write will do all they can to furnish good, sound, stirring articles upon the important doctrines of our faith, just such as the people need. The press is fast becoming the great educating power of the age. All the thinking classes look to it, not only for the news of the day, but for information upon every subject. In theology, the preacher does not hold the high, controlling position that he once did when all the instruction the people obtained came through him. Now even the common people are expected to read and think and learn for themselves. Many a layman is better informed upon Bible subjects than his pastor. Books and papers are the means whence he obtains his information.

Every intelligent family is expected to take a weekly paper and many take a dozen. Wide awake men of all parties, sects and callings, procure the influence of the press and bend every effort to use it in their interest. Shall we be behind them in using this mighty lever to move the world? To us God has committed the solemn responsibility of sounding the last message of mercy to the world. Our preachers are few. Evidently God designs that this work shall be largely done by means of tracts and papers. Now look at a few facts. It is only within this present century that the steam printing press, the steamboat, the steam cars, and the telegraph were invented. By means of these how rapidly intelligence can be conveyed over the world! To-night a man makes a speech in London. To-morrow morning we read it at our breakfast tables in San Francisco. Yes, and millions more are reading it in all parts of the world at the same time. Why should these wonderful inventions be all brought out together just at this time. Is this a mere chance? Rather, is not the providence of God in all this? Has he not ordered it thus so that a few men in a short time can send this message to every family in the world? I firmly believe this to be the real truth in the matter. See how the Lord has blessed the tract societies who have taken hold of this branch of the work. We have reason to expect that the time will come when our people will canvass every town and put reading matter upon the present truth into every family in the whole land. This is where the Lord's providence is leading us.

What a field we have before us upon this coast. California, Oregon, Nevada, Washington Territory, British Columbia, and the islands of the Pacific. There can be no better fields for labor than these. But where are our preachers to send into these fields? We cannot, we must not wait for them. By the blessing of God we will fill the SIGNS with the precious truth. Then we ask our friends to take hold with all their might and send it to the thousands of families all up and down this coast. We have confidence in them that they will do it. Of course it will require a sacrifice, with thought and earnest work to do this. But we need to do it for our own good. The long winter evenings are drawing near, just the time when people have leisure to read. They calculate to subscribe for some paper about this time of year. Let us go to work immediately. Come friends, we feel deeply interested in the success of the SIGNS, but we must have your co-operation, one and all.

D. M. CANRIGHT.