p. 22 | Our Urgent Need by H. S. Gurney

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 14, 1864

Our Urgent Need.

By H. S. Gurney

Bro. White: It seems to me the third second-advent message has risen to a position which calls for more earnest prayer to God in a little different direction than formerly. Systematic order has proved a success so that messengers in the field are now cared for without embarrassment either by them or the church.

Formerly, before system and order was established, the church was poorly prepared to take care of those who gave their time to preach the message. Now there is a change, and while the people are calling for help in every direction, the wise servant feels inadequate for the amount of labor appearing before him and he calls for help.

Brethren, has he not a right to call and expect from us? We must feel on this point. God will be inquired of concerning this thing. Let us pray fervently that God will send help to those servants now in the field by raising up those who shall be humble instruments in the hands of God to meet the demands of the times in this last work.

I feel like making a business of prayer to God, the Lord of the harvest, to send more laborers into the harvest field.

With the sanction of the Lord of the harvest who directs us to pray, and the preparatory work in the church for it, we should feel deeply, and consequently pray earnestly, that the Lord of the harvest will send more laborers into the harvest field to help those faithful servants in filling the numerous calls for help in this day of preparation for the Lord's coming.

I have no doubt the Lord will work in this direction when he sees a corresponding work and feeling of necessity and earnest prayer in the church. This work should not rest on a few. The feeling should be universal and the prayer united with faith unwavering.

Will not God be inquired of concerning this thing? Yes, verily. Then certainly there is a foundation to rest faith upon, and if the work moves slowly, it will be because our unbelief hinders. In a pecuniary sense nothing hinders. Then let us be careful that unbelief does not condemn us. Let us prove the Lord and see if a blessing is not even now ready in fullness and power. Yours waiting and watching.

H. S. GURNEY.

Jackson, Mich.