Review and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 26. (7/1/1909)

Review and Herald

Jul 1, 1909

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jul 1, 1909

The Great Guest Came

By Edwin Markham

While the cobbler mused, there passed his pane A beggar drenched by the driving rain; He called him in from the stony street, And gave him shoes for his bruised feet.

The beggar went, and there came a crone, Her face with wrinkles of sorrow sown; A bundle of fagots bowed her back, And she was spent with the wrench and rack. He gave her his loaf, and steadied her load As she took her way on the weary road.

Then to his door came a little child, Lost and afraid in the world so wild— In the big, dark world. Catching it up, He gave it the milk in the waiting cup, And led it home to its mother's arms, Out of the reach of the world's alarms.

The day went down in the crimson west, And with it the hope of the blessed Guest. And Conrad sighed as the world turned gray: “Why is it, Lord, that Your feet delay? Did You forget that this was the day? Then soft, in the silence, a voice he heard: “Lift up your heart, for I kept My word. Three times I came to your friendly door; Three times My shadow was on your floor: I was the beggar with bruised feet; I was the woman you gave to eat; I was the child on the homeless street.”

— Edwin Markham.

THE WORK — AND — THE WORKERS

By Editor

Up to June 22 we had received orders for 32,000 copies of the July Life and Health.

“Since leaving Washington, D. C., I have worked eighteen hours,” writes one of our lady agents for Life and Health, “and have sold 442 magazines.” This is an average sale of over 24 magazines an hour.

Of fifty States and countries listed, forty-one circulated 24,249 more copies of the June Life and Health than of the May issue, or an average gain of 591 copies for each State. Only nine States showed any loss.

The reading of the little book, “A Man of Valor,” will not only entertain, but will impart a large amount of information concerning the rites and ceremonies of ancient Israel, which will make other portions of the Old Testament clear to the young mind. No young person should be deprived of the benefits of this excellent book. Price, 75 cents, post-paid.

“I received the magazines, and began work with them last Wednesday,” writes a lady agent in Idaho. “I sold 50 copies of Life and Health Wednesday in the residence district of the city. Thursday and Friday I went out with Liberty among the business men in the offices and stores. I sold 100 copies each day, making 250 copies in three days. I have had practically no experience, and feel that I am succeeding very well. I hope to sell 1,600 magazines next month.”

By mistake, in the issue of the Review bearing date of June 24, Nos. 36, 37, 39, 42, and 47, Words of Truth Series, were quoted at ½ cent each. The proper prices of these excellent tracts are as follows: No. 42, “Second Coming of Christ,” 2 cents; No. 47, “Court Week in Heaven,” ¼ cent; No. 36, “We Would See Jesus,” 1 cent; No. 39, “What Do These Things Mean?” 1 cent; No. 37, “Signs of Our Times,” 1 cent. Perhaps the low prices quoted on these truth-filled tracts may attract the special attention of many of our readers.

“Camp-Meeting Sanitation” is the title of a new tract just printed by the Review and Herald Publishing Association, containing full instruction on what to do, and what not to do, in connection with the preparation and the maintenance of a camp-ground in harmony with the light given this denomination on health reform. It impresses the necessity of setting a high standard in the sanitation of our camp-grounds. Citing the camp of Israel as a model, it gives the details in all matters pertaining to the location of the camp, the water-supply, the food, the kitchen, the dishes, the restaurant, the garbage, the store, and many other items in connection with camp-grounds. Every individual attending camp-meeting should have a copy of this tract for reference in the arranging of the temporary cotton-home on the grounds.

Our presses and bindery are running nights in order to keep up with the orders for the July Life and Health.

The New Jersey Tract Society has just sent us forty-four yearly subscriptions for the Protestant Magazine, and thirty subscriptions for Liberty. The most of these will be sent to ministers, rabbis, and public officials of New Jersey’s largest cities.

“I have better success in selling the Temperance number of the Youth’s Instructor than any other magazine,” writes a young Ohio student. “I enjoy selling a magazine in which the people are interested.” Many students are earning their scholarships this summer through the sale of this special number.

FACSIMILE OF COVER PAGE. ORIGINAL PRINTED IN TWO COLORS

A gentleman and his wife sold 475 copies of Liberty in St. Paul, Minn., during four days of last week. They write: “We expect to do even better in Minneapolis this week. Yesterday we sold 58 copies of Life and Health, and 141 copies of Liberty.”

A fearless magazine, like a fearless man, sometimes makes enemies. For instance, we have just received the following letter from “A Reader of one ‘Liberty,’” enclosed in a returned copy of Liberty for the second quarter: “Gentlemen: Your ‘unprejudiced’ Liberty has just fallen into my hands through one of your agents, and a careful perusal of it has convinced me that one should never judge a book [magazine] by its cover. I don’t believe you could find a more hypocritical name for such a magazine, and I can assure you that unless your magazine is sold under some other title, I won’t be induced again to invest ten cents in fifty sheets of bigotry.” Can any of our Liberty agents give us the name of this clerical gentleman? By not signing his name to the letter, he has, unfortunately, cut himself off from any help our editors might be able to render him. This is the first adverse comment we have received this year on Liberty magazine. Send $1 for twenty-five copies of this interesting number. We have but a few copies left.

The Northern Illinois Tract Society has just ordered 3,000 copies of the July Life and Health. We have increased our first printing order from 60,000 to 65,000 copies. Judging from the orders that are coming in by every mail, this number will have a circulation of not less than 75,000 copies.

Have you read Elder W. A. Spicer’s thrilling story of “Young Martyrs of the Book Cause,” which appeared in the Youth’s Instructor? This article is well worth the price of a year’s subscription. The old folks, the youth, and the wee children enjoy reading the Youth’s Instructor, or hearing it read. Subscription price, $1 a year. Send in your order to-day.

The Pocket Edition of “Early Writings” is becoming quite popular with our workers. The book in this style will be sent, post-paid, for $1.25. A limited number of genuine morocco, with gilt edges and gold sides, have been prepared, and will be sent, post-paid, for $1.50. The paper covers sell for 35 cents. The regular edition, bound in cloth, is furnished for 75 cents; in leather, $1.25.

Many of the conference laborers are recognizing the value of our Conference Laborer’s Record. It is the opinion of nearly every one who has purchased this little book that it is well adapted to the needs of the workers in keeping record of labor, expenses, etc. The laborers find everything desirable in this little record-book. It is convenient, handy, complete; has a place for everything. Price, 50 cents, post-paid.

New York leads, thus far, in our list of fifty-five States and countries that have circulated the Protestant Magazine. California stands second, Michigan third, Wisconsin fourth, Pennsylvania fifth, Colorado sixth, Washington seventh, New Jersey eighth, Illinois ninth, and Iowa tenth. California has sent us the largest number of yearly subscriptions, while New York has sold the largest number through agents. This new magazine is meeting with favor everywhere.

Elder L. G. Moore recently canvassed the city of Lansing, Mich., for yearly subscriptions to the Protestant Magazine. He writes us as follows: “Enclosed you will find 52 yearly subscriptions. I wish it were ten times as many, for this is one of the best magazines ever published by our people. Every one to whom I showed it wanted it, with one exception. I hope you may be able soon to send it out once a month. May God help you in the preparation of the articles. One minister said: ‘It is timely, and an eye-opener.’ Enclosed find $8.80 to pay for the subscriptions, $1 being for 25 copies of the July Life and Health.” As the Protestant Magazine enters the theological field, our ministers are, in the nature of the case, the best prepared to introduce it to the sympathizers with genuine Protestantism, who receive it gladly. Any one who sends us ten or more yearly cash subscriptions thereby becomes our agent. If possible, send all orders through your tract society.

Editorial

By Editor

Sparks From the General Conference

The Key-note: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, . . . and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

Mrs. E. G. White: “Here is the Word, my brethren [holding up the Bible]. Open this Word to your children; present it in your schools; present it, I beseech you, wherever you are; and live by the Word of God. Here is life; here is salvation.”

From a Far Country: “The message is onward here,” wrote Elder R. C. Porter to the Conference from South Africa. “We have no discouraging word to offer regarding the outlook for the future. . . . Our difficulties are varied and great. But God is greater than our difficulties. In his strength we are able to go up at once and possess the land.”

“Before Many Peoples, . . . and Kings:”

One paragraph of Elder L. R. Conradi’s report for Europe reminds us of the commission in Rev. 10:11: “Not only has the truth reached thousands of honest believers in the middle and common classes,” he said, “but some of the nobility have taken a stand with us, and others are interested. It may be of interest to know that the dowager empress of Russia and the queen of Denmark have registered their names at the Skodsborg Sanitarium, and that the queen of one of the European countries has offered to write a preface to the ‘Ministry of Healing’ if we will publish it in her language, to help in establishing a sanitarium there. Other royal personages have bought a number of our publications from our faithful canvassers, or have accepted them as tokens of kindness. Thus to-day the message reaches the high and the low, the rich and the poor, the university professor and the peasant, the heathen in his blindness, the unbeliever, the Mohammedan, the Jew, the Roman, and the Greek Catholic, and the various sects of Protestants.”

S. N. Haskell: “Elder J. N. Andrews used to come to me when I began to preach as a young man, and put his hand on my head occasionally, and say, ‘Remember this, young man: God will never allow the third angel’s message to go out at the back door. There will be a triumph to this truth such as you have never seen.’ It is not by might, nor by power, but by God’s Spirit, that this will be accomplished.”

Throwing the Life-Line

By William Ambrose Spicer

If lost souls are not dependent for eternal life on getting the message of salvation, there is no meaning in the words of Scripture, and nothing in religion. But there is something in religion—everything in it, for time and for eternity. There is a message that will save the perishing, if they will receive it.

And God, who so loved the world, has committed to us that message, and commands us to go with it to every people and tongue.

Right now, with an empty mission treasury, with no money to send new workers or to supply monthly remittances that should now be on the way to those already in the field, we are making up the midsummer offering. This offering is a life-line flung out to the perishing. How far shall the line reach?

A total of only $9,000 or $10,000, as was received last year, would come fatally short of reaching the needs this year. What would be thought of the life-guardsman who, with lines of longer reach available, should throw out a thirty-foot line toward men and women struggling in the waves fifty feet away?

We must not do such a thing in flinging out the line of this saving message. “Lengthen thy cords!” is the command. A five-dollar gift where ten might be given, is throwing the short line. Giving the ten, or twenty, where to the one hundred might be spared instead, is failing to discharge the responsibility.

Nobody, when people are drowning, stops to discuss whether the shorter line will reach, or whether the longer one is required. The longest available is flung out. Let us lay hands on whatever means we can get, and throw out the life-line to perishing souls whose cry comes to us from all the ends of the earth.

W. A. S.

Important Changes

By A. G. DANIELLS

DURING the late General Conference there came to this people, through the spirit of prophecy, earnest appeals in behalf of the cities, especially those in the South and the East. The following brief quotations show the urgency of these appeals:—

Behold our cities and their need of the gospel. The need of earnest labor among the multitudes in the cities has been kept before me for more than twenty years. Who is carrying a burden for our large cities? . . . What is being done in the Eastern cities where the advent message was first proclaimed? The cities of the West have had advantages, but who in the East have been burdened to take up the work of going over the ground that in the early days of the message was baptized with the truth of the Lord’s soon coming? The light has been given that the truth should go again to the Eastern States where we first began our work, and where we had our experiences. . . . “Repeat the message; repeat the message,” were the words spoken to me over and over again. “Tell my people to repeat the message in the places where it was first preached, and where church after church took their position for the truth, the power of God witnessing to the message in a remarkable manner.”

In connection with this counsel regarding the cities, a message came to Prof. W. W. Prescott, calling him to this work. To him the word came: “I am instructed to say to Elder Prescott, You are needed in the fields that are opening for evangelistic work; and when you make the Lord your trust, and, like a little child, cast your helpless soul upon your Saviour, he will be your righteousness, he will be your sanctification, he will be your power to reach the people by the messages of truth. Wonderful reformations will be seen, and there will be an awakening and a conversion of many souls who are now ignorant of what is the truth for these last days.”

Brother Prescott began at once to plan for public work in the cities. Arrangements

were made to release him from the editorship of the REVIEW AND HERALD and Liberty, also the chairmanship of the board of trustees of the Review and Herald Publishing Association. Elder W. A. Spicer has been chosen editor of the REVIEW, Brother C. M. Snow has been made editor of Liberty, and Elder F. M. Wilcox has been elected president of the board of trustees. Brother Spicer will remain secretary of the General Conference, but will be given more help. Professor Prescott, as one of the associate editors of the REVIEW, will continue to furnish articles on important features of our message and work.

It is no light matter to make a change in the editorship of our church paper, and the subject was carefully considered, but we are confident that the conclusion reached will meet with the approval of our people. Brother Spicer’s wide acquaintance with all denominational affairs, and his intimate touch with many fields, as secretary of the General Conference, in addition to his varied experiences in editorial work, will be of special advantage to him in carrying the new responsibility thus placed upon him.

The instruction that came to us regarding the work now to be done in the cities of the East where our message was first proclaimed, made a deep impression upon those attending the Conference. A number of the ministers located in the West began to think seriously about responding to the call for more help for the East. We are surely in the closing hours of our work. Great wisdom is needed that we may move in harmony with the Lord’s purpose. Let all pray that the special blessing of God shall attend the larger efforts we shall endeavor to make in behalf of these cities.

A. G. DANIELLS.

Further Word From Turkey

OUR people will read with sympathetic interest yet another word regarding the sad experiences in Turkey, though this account describes the same scenes dealt with in the communications printed last week. It will be remembered that the Mission Board is asking all to put something extra into the midsummer offering, to enable necessary relief to be sent our brethren who are in need. Elder Robert Greaves, of Smyrna, wrote, May 10, that a Greek brother had just reached the city from the scene of the massacre. Elder Greaves says: Five of our brethren have lost their lives, and most of the others are rendered homeless. He himself narrowly escaped being killed, and was caught twice, when it seemed his end had come. But when they found out he was a Greek, they let him go, after robbing him of what money he had in his pockets. He is a little better off than most of our brethren, and had a store; but it was burned to the ground, though fortunately his house, which was in another part of town, has been spared.

After the trouble was over, before leaving Adana, he found the rest of our brethren gathered together in a church, just about destitute. He carried them clothes from his house, and tried to relieve their immediate wants. As the Bible depository had not been destroyed, he was thoughtful enough to go there and get them all new Bibles, so that at least they might have God’s Word to read in this their calamity.

Brother Donnoglov, who has just come to Smyrna, has had a most trying experience. Bullets were flying around him like hail, and men were being shot on every side. But our Heavenly Father has seen fit to protect him, and like a true child of God, he busied himself in helping others. When a hospital was in danger from fire, a carriage was obtained to move the patients who could not walk. But they could find no horses to draw the carriage; so he and another man hitched themselves up as horses, and drew the carriage through the streets. He said it seemed to him that the Lord was going to protect him, and he tried to do what he could. But now that it is all over, he is feeling the effects, and seems like one half dazed. He was so nervous that he could hardly tell us about the death of our brethren.

Most of our brethren [in the province of Adana] have lost all they had, and desolation is lying all around them. Just at present we hardly know how we can best help them. It is difficult to help individuals just now, as all are classed together, and a small portion of bread is dealt to each. The excitement and enthusiastic benevolence will soon die down, and I feel that we must be ready to help them.

Another Opportunity

By A. G. DANIELLS.

At no time since launching our foreign mission work in 1874 have Seventh-day Adventists faced greater opportunities for doing a good work for the world than at this present time. At no time have we looked into so many wide-open doors to be entered. At no time have we had pressed upon us such earnest calls for help.

All who have read the reports presented by our foreign workers at the recent General Conference must have been deeply impressed with the fact that a great work must now be done by us. This cheers the hearts of all true believers in this message, because it gives fresh evidence that the work is soon to close, and then God's people will receive their glorious reward.

But it should be realized by all that a larger work means a larger expense. The more our message extends over the world, the more means will be required for its support. The midsummer offering for 1909 ought to be the largest in our history. It must be if it meets the demands of the hour.

We are profoundly thankful that our most workers in foreign fields can truthfully give us such encouraging reports. Everywhere the message is extending. In all nations men and women are taking their stand for the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This brings hope and joy to their hearts, and it makes us rejoice. We see that our labor is not in vain. We see, too, that our gifts are not wasted. Results of this kind are the greatest that can be secured by the use of money.

What a great help it would be to the cause if the millions that will be worse than squandered during the coming fourth-of-July celebrations were given to foreign missions, to save and bless suffering and sorrowing humanity. Of course this will not be done. But Seventh-day Adventists can put the money God has given them into the cause for missions, and we believe they will do so.

A. G. DANIELLS.

A Foretaste of the Final Victory

By C. M. S.

God is demonstrating before our eyes from day to day his ability to make a success of his work in spite of the inefficiency of his instruments and the opposition of his enemies. Among this people, as a people, as well as among individuals, as individuals, we see the constant fulfilment of this scripture: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Phil. 1:6.

Nations have stood in the way of this message to hinder its progress among the people. But we have seen repeatedly how God has brought the devices of the great men to naught, and opened the doors of such nations for the freer entrance of his truth. He has used the very oppressions of such nations to his own praise and the spread of his last message of mercy, when exiles have raised up churches in the place of their exile, and when jailers have been compelled to acknowledge that God was working in behalf of those whom they had imprisoned. Siberia thus becomes not a prison-house of inactivity, but a new mission field, a new center of light. “We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” How true it is! That weapon is not considered a prosperous weapon which operates in favor of the cause against which it is formed. And such are all the weapons devised and formed against the progress of the third angel’s message. Says the Word: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” It can not carry out the intent of its deviser. God will turn its edge against its own cause.

How often we look with trembling upon the threatened passage of some

nation that threatens to close its doors against any further proclamation of this gospel of the kingdom; but in some way, through means that God alone could devise, the message continues to go and to make conquests for the cause of righteousness. He who brought a world out of nothing, light out of darkness, hope out of despair, and life out of death, knows how to bring out of the mine of this dark world most precious jewels for the crown of his glory in the kingdom of light. Such is the God whom we serve; and his message committed to us is a manifesto of victory as well as a command to action. The representatives of the many nations at this Conference are but an earnest of the completed work when we shall see the representatives of every nation under heaven in the kingdom of God as the result of the proclamation of this message to every nation and kindred and tongue and people.

C. M. S.

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