Our Sabbath Service

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, Cal. · Aug 8, 1906

Our Sabbath Service.

OUR SABBATH MEETING, JULY 21, 3 P. M.

Our church in this place has been using, since the Pacific Press built here, the office chapel. When the building was burned it left us without a place of worship. But as our boarding-house was spared and the weather was beautiful and balmy, we decided to meet on the porch and in front of the unburned building.

It was stated in the beginning by Elder M. C. Wilcox, who as elder in the church, had the meeting in charge, that we would not have a sermon, but talks from various persons. Some of our brethren were still throwing water on the fire, and a goodly number of the town people were present. The services were opened by singing,

"Jesus lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly."

Fervent prayer was offered by Elder E. R. Palmer.

The second song was

"The cross that He gave may be heavy, But it ne'er outweighs His grace."

We epitomize the talks given, for we are sure they will be of interest to our readers.

Remarks by C. H. Jones, General Manager Pacific Press.

Little did we think when we left this place last night and went to our homes that we would come here to-day and see this building in ruins. We meet here to-day with hearts bowed down with sorrow and grief for the loss of this beautiful plant. The sun shines just as brightly as it ever did, yet it seems to me that a gloom is cast over it. Yet this is God's work, and though these material things have been destroyed, God's work will go on. We are God's servants and he has permitted this calamity to come upon us for some good reason. There may be several lessons for us to learn, and this is the way I have felt from the beginning. I wanted to search my own heart, study my own relation to God's work and see where I have been out of the way, and how I could better relate myself to His work. I feel like giving myself anew to the Lord.

The work is increasing. God is calling for laborers and there is something for everyone to do. God has given to every man, woman and child a work to do. We want to find that work.

We had a little meeting last night. We met at Brother Palmer's from 2 o'clock A. M. until 3 talking over what shall be done. We hope to be able to give something more definite to-morrow morning as we meet here at 8 o'clock. We do not want any of the employees to get discouraged or get alarmed and leave here. We want to talk with every one. We do not want one single employee to leave until we have a chance to counsel with you in reference to the matter. Now is the time that God wants men, men of courage, men of faith. This may have come to test our faith. It is a test of faith. Now shall we shrink back? No, now is the time for every man to stand at his post.

We cannot help but feel somewhat discouraged as we look upon these ruins, but we can look forward to the future. I do not dare to think of last night. There is more work for us to-day than there was yesterday. So brethren and sisters, and friends, and fellow laborers, let us take courage. Let us draw nearer and nearer together and near to God. Let us put our shoulders to the wheel, and with God's help, bring a blessing out of this calamity. I have faith to believe that this will be done. Let us take courage, every one of us. We want you to be thinking about these things. Let us never desert our post of duty in such a trying time as this.

Remarks by H. W. Cottrell, President of the Company.

The calamity that has befallen us this time caused by fire is far greater than the one which befell us as the result of the earthquake. This is apparent to all without stating it. We cannot understand it. It is not known by anyone why this should have been permitted to come to us, but in the language of the prophet, let us say each to the other, "Be of good courage." Institutions may burn. Men connected with institutions may die. Men and women connected with institutions or allied with the faith held by this denomination may denounce it and renounce it, but the truth stands. The truth cannot be burned. The truth will never deny itself. It remains the same yesterday, today and forever. For this, personally, I feel very grateful.

Let this be a time when our words are few and well chosen. Let us not judge or decide why this has come to us. God only knows. Out of all this, in the end, each will see and understand at least that God has turned the calamity to a great blessing to us as individuals and the cause of God at large. My sympathies are with you, but my faith is in God. I trust that yours will be as never before. To-day is the time for self humbling, for self-examination, for consecration of ourselves to be workers with God as never before. I am glad to know that the cause of God does not depend upon material things, upon institutions. There were no great institutions in the days of Christ. The greatest means for the spread of light and truth and the work of God in all this world is a man connected with God and imbued with the Holy Spirit. But with this and with the institutions still more may be done. May God help us, and unite us together as never before one in Him, and He the One.

From W. T. Knox, President of California Conference.

I do not know that there is anything that I can say in addition to what has already been said by the previous speakers. I heard of this terrible calamity, as it now appears to us, on the camp ground this morning. A few ministers were in a tent seeking the Lord when the messenger came to us from Mountain View, and when he spoke the few words that revealed to us this catastrophe, it seemed as though all my strength had passed from me. Even after the hours have intervened between then and now, it seems to me to be a terrible experience for the people of God to be called to pass through, and yet I look upon it now as an experience that has been permitted by a loving and merciful Father, one who cares far more for this little handful of people who are here this afternoon than for all his institutions throughout the whole earth. And while we cannot see except as through a glass darkly this afternoon we need not be staggered. He has a lesson in this for us to learn, and if we will learn it He will lead us into a broader field than He has ever led us before.

I want to say to you all that I feel for those who have been more intimately connected with the institution than I have. I know that your hearts must have been wrung during the past few hours, but I am sure, dear brethren and sisters, that God will use this to work good for us and honor to His own name and truth if we will relate ourselves to Him aright. If we will seek Him he will establish this institution upon a foundation of broader usefulness than it has ever been in the past. I do not feel this afternoon to multiply words, but only to say that my faith in God is strong to-day and I believe that He will lead us out of this difficulty.

The above remarks seemed to find a hearty response in all our force of employees. Nearly every one is willing to do anything or go anywhere, if so he can help the institution and the cause for which it stands.

Many of them are now scattered. Kind offers from other firms have called them away and given them employment for a time; but all are ready and anxious to return. May God guide and bless them all.

Remarks by E. R. Palmer, Secretary of the General Conference Publishing Committee.

"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His."

Since I awoke from sound sleep at midnight last night and looked out upon that blazing building, I have been casting about for old anchorages whereby I might have my own heart steadied, that I might be fitted for service when it is needed, and I feel to-day more like listening than like talking. First of all I feel that I want to listen to the voice of God. God has been speaking to us, and it is our business just now, instead of trying to find out who was to blame for that calamity, to listen to what God has to say to us as individuals, that we may relate ourselves aright to the future.

I know this, that the work of God is a temple not made with hands. If every institution that we have built, and there are many throughout the wide world, were swept away to-day, the foundation of God would stand just as firmly as it did yesterday, and the work of God would go on as strongly in the future, provided that the sweeping away of institutions led to the strengthening and the uniting of the church of God which is made up of individuals, and not of institutions.

I think I have already narrated to you at one time, words that I heard a Methodist minister speak on board the steamer Oceanic when we were crossing the Atlantic ocean three or four years ago. He preached in the saloon on the question of personal service. Later we were talking together, and in referring to his sermon, I asked him, To what extent do you consider that great institutions are important in the work of God? His reply was very striking. He said, "Institutionalism and formalism are one and the same. When a man ceases his personal devotion, he establishes a form to take its place. When a congregation ceases its personal service for God, it erects a great institution to do the work for them. That is the reason why congregations, denominations, that are farthest away from God have the largest number of wealthy institutions. The church of God in the days of its greatest prosperity had no great institutions to which it could point, but relied directly upon God to carry forward the work which is God's.

I believe that God has given us institutions to carry forward His work, but as we labor in them from day to day we love them so much that God has to bring us back to our anchorage, and to learn to transfer our affections to that which is more enduring.

I was present when the Review and Herald publishing house was burned. That was the oldest of our publishing houses, and one that God had used for many years in carrying the message to many parts of the world. Through the sacrifice and the active work of our people that institution was financially strong, but evils crept in until it seemed that it was necessary for God to remove that great institution and again throw His people more directly upon Him for help and blessing in carrying forward the work. There is this that we can look back to that is a great encouragement to me, since the day the Review and Herald went down, although $200,000 worth of property was destroyed, yet that publishing association has done a stronger and more effective work for God since that day than it had done before; and I believe today, although with you I feel chastised, I feel in my soul to-day that this experience will serve to draw us together in bonds that will be stronger than that institution ever was, and I believe that with this bond of union we can take up the work that we have in hand and go forward and do a greater work for God than we would have done if that institution had remained; but this depends upon how we relate ourselves to this experience. Personally I feel a great desire to get down at the feet of Jesus and listen to what He has to say. If we will touch shoulders and go forward with the work, picking up the broken cords, God will bring a great blessing out of this for us.