When the Redeemer of the world walked among men, many who identified themselves with him as his disciples, afterward forsook him, and became his bitterest enemies. The Saviour tested their faith, and developed the real characters of the most ardent believers by applying spiritual truths to their hearts. At one time when the multitude were gathered about him, he uttered a truth revealing the requirements for his service, and the people were offended. Jesus said unto them:—
“Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. . . . Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”
The Saviour knew the character of those who claimed to be his followers, and his words tested the quality of their faith. He spoke a sacred, eternal truth regarding the relation that must exist between himself and his followers. Their spiritual life must be sustained by assimilating the principles of the truth. They must accept, believe, and act upon the words he uttered, which were spirit and life; and by this means they would become partakers of the divine nature. They must be Christlike, meek and lowly of heart, self-denying, self-sacrificing; they must walk in the narrow path trodden by the Man of Calvary, if they would share in the gift of life, and the glory of heaven. But the test was too great. They walked no more with him. They could not hear the saying, nor comprehend the nature of the truth he taught.
As they turned away from the divine Teacher, a different spirit took control of their minds. They could see nothing attractive in him whom they had once found so interesting. They sought out his enemies, for they were in harmony with their spirit and work. They carried all kinds of false reports, misinterpreted his words, falsified his statements, and impugned his motives, thus inflaming the passions of men, and confirming them in hatred and unbelief. They sustained their course by gathering up every item that could be turned against him; and such indignation was stirred up by these apostates that his life was in danger, and he could not walk in Jewry, but went into Galilee. Even his relatives were so influenced that they partook of this bitter spirit of prejudice and unbelief, and thought that he could not be the Messiah. They were dissatisfied with his manner of working, and urged that if he were the Saviour of the people, he should make himself known by asserting his power and sustaining his claims. “For,” says the inspired Word, “neither did his brethren believe in him.” The unbelief of his kindred was most cutting to the heart of Jesus.
What a position was this for the Son of God, the Majesty of heaven! “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Even his brethren did not believe on him. But did this prove his mission a failure? Did it destroy his truth and make him a false teacher, an impostor? Jesus answered his unbelieving brethren as they urged him to prove his Messiahship before the world, “My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” “And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.”
There was a division among the people concerning the world’s Redeemer. Like seeks like. Like appreciates like, and those who loved truth gave their verdict of the righteousness of Jesus; but wherever evil exists, it leagues with evil for the destruction of the good. Fallen men and fallen angels, by likeness of purpose and principle, will join in a desperate and determined companionship to resist truth and righteousness. When Satan can induce men, as he induced angels, to unite with him in rebellion, he has them as his allies and associates in every enterprise formed for the seduction of souls from the principles of truth. Whatever disunion there may be among themselves on other matters, the wicked are one in their opposition and hatred of the truth.
The Word of God declares that the followers of Christ will be called upon to endure trials for the sake of truth. Says Paul, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution;” for “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” Said our Lord, “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”
With what zeal will the workers of iniquity pursue their satanic purpose! They will put light for darkness, and darkness for light, until they will sincerely believe they are servants of God, and doing him service by persecuting his children. It has been so in the conflicts of the past; and in the closing work of God the same spirit will be manifested. Says the prophet, “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Jesus was treated as the worst of malefactors, and the servant is not greater than his Lord. Said the Saviour, “These things will they do unto you, because7they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them.”
In these last days, when iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall wax cold, God will have a people to glorify his name, and stand as reprovers of unrighteousness. They are to be a “peculiar people,” who will be true to the law of God when the world shall seek to make void its precepts; and when the converting power of God works through his servants, the hosts of darkness will array themselves in bitter and determined opposition. Satan will work with “all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.” He will employ every device of deception to seduce the souls of men, and if “it were possible,” he will “deceive the very elect.”
We must put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand. There will be a constant conflict from the time of our determination to serve the God of heaven, until we are delivered out of this present evil world. There is no release from this war. The work of God for this time cannot be accomplished without arousing opposition, reproach, and calumny. Satan is at enmity with the truth, and he will instigate against its advocates every manner of warfare. His efforts to overthrow the Word of God will not be wholly confined to the ranks of its avowed enemies; but among those who claim to believe and practice it, “some shall depart from the faith.” The impression given by those who have turned away from the doctrines of the Bible, is that the work committed to men for this day will come to a speedy end, and thus they make it manifest that they have esteemed themselves as the very pillars of the truth. “Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his;” and the work goes on to accomplish the fulfilment of the sure word of prophecy. The infinite God is the originator and sustainer of his work and his people. The cause of Christ does not stand in the wisdom of man, and it cannot be overthrown by his power. “The Lord knoweth them that are his.” He can discern the steadfast souls who stand by faith, who will not be moved from their allegiance to him and his law. He reads the hearts of his children, and knows those, also, that believe not.
Our work is an aggressive one, and as faithful soldiers of Jesus, we must bear the blood-stained banner into the very strongholds of the enemy. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” If we will consent to lay down our arms, to lower the blood-stained banner, to become the captives and servants of Satan, we may be released from the conflict and the suffering. But this peace will be gained only at the loss of Christ and heaven. We cannot accept peace on such conditions. Let it be war, war, to the end of earth’s history, rather than peace through apostasy and sin.
The work of apostasy begins in some secret rebellion of the heart against the requirements of God’s law. Unholy desires, unlawful ambitions, are cherished and indulged, and unbelief and darkness separate the soul from God. If we do not overcome these evils, they will overcome us. Men who have long been advancing in the path of truth, will be tested with trial and temptation. Those who listen to the suggestions of Satan, and swerve from their integrity, begin the downward path, and some masterful temptation hastens them on in the way of apostasy, till their descent is marked and rapid. Sins that were once most repugnant, become attractive, and are welcomed and practiced by those who have cast off the fear of God and their allegiance to his law. But the most pleasurable beginning in transgression will end in misery, degradation, and ruin.
We need to be constantly on our guard, to watch and pray lest we enter into temptation. The indulgence of spiritual pride, of unholy desires, of evil thoughts, of anything that separates us from an intimate and sacred association with Jesus, imperils our souls. We must have living faith in God. We must “fight the good fight of faith,” if we would “lay hold on eternal life.” We are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” If the thought of apostasy is grievous to you, and you do not desire to become the enemies of the truth, the accusers of the brethren, then “abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good;” and believe in him who is “able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.”—Review and Herald, May 8, 1888.
Sharing His Labors, Then Entering into His Joys
By R. W. Parmele
R. W. PARMELE
In the strenuous times in which we live, we are in danger of becoming so absorbed in the affairs of this life that we shall neglect our duty to the cause of God. It is not that the Lord is so limited in resources that we are called upon to help in his work, but it is because he has taken us into partnership with himself in the business of saving souls. And thus having shared his labors and sacrifice, we shall be able in the life to come to share his joy over the results. He calls upon every one of his people to thus yoke up with him. To all who will respond, he will finally say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
The Lord does not need money to buy provisions for his workers, for he could rain upon them angels' food, as once he did.
He does not need money with which to clothe them, for he could miraculously preserve their clothing, as he preserved Israel's in the wilderness.
He does not need money for traveling expenses, for he could transport his laborers, as he did Philip, after the latter had baptized the Ethiopian eunuch.
If he needed money for any other purpose, he could send one of his servants fishing, and get a supply from the fish's mouth, as once he did.
Moreover, he is not even dependent on a human instrument, for he could lead people to himself and his truth, as he did Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor.
But should the Lord do all his work in that way, none of us would have the privilege of entering into his labors and sacrifice. As a consequence, we could not enter into his joy when the work is done. To provide for this, the Lord has chosen “by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe,” and has so arranged it that money is necessary to the conduct of the work. So either by active service or by contributions, or by both, all may have a part. Then when the work is finished, all may alike enter into the joy of the Lord. What a condescension on the part of our heavenly Father! What a privilege is thus afforded us!
“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.”
Faith
By A. S. BOOTH
A. S. BOOTH
HEAVEN is filled with blessing and power for those who will come in faith and prayer to receive it at the hand of the Lord. Faith must accompany prayer, if we expect to receive the blessing the Lord has for us. The real trial of our faith comes when the perplexities of life seem to overwhelm the soul. It is then that it must come to our relief.
Job was blessed with all that heart could wish. Financial, physical, and spiritual blessings were his. When the time of his trial came, all his material blessings were taken from him, his sons and his daughters were slain, and the cruel finger of disease touched his flesh, and from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet he was afflicted with boils.
This was more than his good wife could bear. She gave up her faith in God, and came to her husband and said, “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.”
Job’s faith failed him not. If there ever was a time in his experience that he needed to hold fast the mighty arm of God, it was while sitting in the dust and ashes, with apparently everything against him. Job answered, “Thou speakest as one of the foolish women.” The most foolish thing Job could have done would have been to give up his faith in the Lord. He remained faithful. His good wife, profiting by his example, renewed her consecration, and shared in the double blessing of the latter days of Job.
Israel’s experience at the Red Sea8should bring hope and courage to all who are afflicted. God opened the most difficult way. God’s people might have stood some chance of escaping to the mountains, or defeating their enemies, but they could not ford the Red Sea.
We are safe in saying, however, that the Red Sea never would have parted for the people to pass over if they had refused to obey God. When they trusted in Jehovah and moved forward, their difficulties vanished, and their enemies suffered defeat. Then Israel had the privilege of shouting the praise of God for blessings received.
Conditions do not make any difference with God. He can overrule in all conditions, and bring the victory to those who will be loyal to him. It is to his honor and glory so to do. We do not know what the Lord can do for us until we give him a chance. The way to give him the chance is to be faithful, no matter what the trial or difficulty. The greater the trial or affliction, the greater the opportunity for God to bring glory to his holy name, and the opportunity for us to gain wonderful victory.
Though severe trials present wonderful opportunity for great victories, yet they also admit of fearful defeat. If we trust in our own strength, we are sure to meet with defeat; but if we remember to hold fast the mighty arm of God, the victory is ours.
Job counted it a very foolish thing to give up faith in God in the affliction that came to him. So in the difficulties of life the greatest mistake that can be made is to forget the Lord. He is especially near in our times of trouble. Shall we not take him into our confidence, and pray that the good Spirit will bring to our remembrance, when the adversary tempts the strongest, that God is our helper, ever anxious and ready to give us the victory? Shall we not educate ourselves to seek God in a special way in times of adversity? May the Lord help us so to do, that we may have a personal experience in the things of God, be prepared to endure the trials that await the people of God, and eventually be saved in the kingdom.
Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Law and the Gospel
By MILTON C. WILCOX
The Law of God — No. 5
The Law and the Gospel
MILTON C. WILCOX
The Law
The law is God’s rule of moral conduct, the expression of “the whole duty of man.” Eccl. 12: 13, 14. In it is “the form of knowledge and of the truth.” Rom. 2: 20. It bears witness to “the righteousness of God.” Rom. 3: 21. “Through the law cometh the knowledge of sin;” nay, “I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Rom. 3: 20; 7: 7.
And that “law is holy, and the commandment [every commandment of the law] holy, and righteous, and good.” Rom. 7: 12. Listen to the sweet singer of Israel as he by the Spirit extols the law:—
“The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul:
The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart:
The commandment of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring forever:
The ordinances of Jehovah are true, and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
In keeping them there is great reward.”
Ps. 19: 7-11, A. R. V.
And yet there is no salvation in the law. It cannot save man; for man is a sinner, and no law can justify or make righteous the person who transgresses its requirements. He who transgresses the first commandment is condemned by the law as an idolater. He who transgresses the sixth commandment is condemned as a murderer. Every infraction and transgression, great or small, in motive or deed, the law condemns.
It reveals to man what he is,—apart from God a condemned criminal chained to a “body of sin,” in himself a lazar house of corruption, hopeless, despairing. He is afflicted with the incurable leprosy of sin. The disease may not be apparent to men or to the victim, but the poison is there, and the law infallibly finds it, and points out the symptoms of disease. “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.”
The disease is universal. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3: 23. There are none exempt. It is a part of the very nature of humanity. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jer. 17: 9. The question is pertinent. Sin in its nature is deceitful, deadening to the moral sense. Man does not, cannot, know his own heart. God alone can know it, and therefore we read, “I, Jehovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” God alone knows the sinful heart, God alone can read and reveal it. He reveals it by means of his holy law. “Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law.” Rom. 7: 7. “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3: 20. Its revealing, penetrating power must visit our hearts, probe our wounds, and declare to us the condition of our souls.
The English Revised Version reads, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is desperately sick.” The only physician who can diagnose the malady is God. Man talks of heredity, environment, but God sums it all up in one little word of three letters, “s-i-n,” “the transgression of the law” of God. Read its fruitage in the words of our Lord in Mark 7: 21-23; in the words of the great apostle in Gal. 5: 19, 20. Read them as expressing the condition of your own soul. Admit in self-abasement that it is all true; the faithful Physician, who never spoke falsely, has not deceived us, does not deceive.
There is no hope for the sinner in the law. He admits that it is good, he acknowledges the justice of its condemnation, but he finds in his fallen, sinful nature no power to meet its holy requirements. He is “under the law,” under its condemnation.
The Gospel
But not to glory over us does God reveal to us our sins; not to tantalize us does he show us our helplessness in our human struggles with the demons of passions within. Not to reproach us does his holy law probe the innermost recesses of the heart, and reveal to us in the white light of his Spirit the intents and motives of our actions. Not to cast us off does he show us our unfitness to dwell with him.
God in his love reveals to us our sins, that he may cover our shame with his glory. He shows our helplessness, that we may learn his infinite helpfulness in victory everlasting. He permits his holy law to probe to the depths the inherent selfishness of our human heart, that his presence may shine away the darkness, and place therein the sunlight of divine love and sanctified, blessed service. To those who come to him he reveals the blackness of sin, but with the promise, He “that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
All this is the work of the gospel of the Son of God, good tidings of a mighty Saviour, “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Rom. 1: 16. That gospel received, brings “forgiveness of sins” “freely by his grace,” brings to the unrighteous the “righteousness of God,” takes away “the carnal mind,” changes the heart, blots out the sins, makes of the man a “new creature,” writes God’s holy law upon the heart, and sets the erstwhile bondslave free from sin’s slavery. We read of it in such scriptures as Luke 2: 10-12; Rom. 3: 19-31; chapters 5 to 8; Hebrews 8, and in fact, throughout the entire Bible, from its first note to fallen man in Genesis, to the grand song of triumph in the sublime Revelation of Patmos.
In that gospel is revealed the righteousness of God, not a different righteousness than is in the law; for to its correctness the law bears witness. Rom. 3: 21. It releases man from the condemnation of the law, takes him from “under the law,” and places him “under grace,” God’s bondservant of love.
The believer is therefore no longer “under the law,” but with the law. It is a part of his very nature. It is incorporated into his character. He is a living epistle of God in which God has written his law by his Spirit on the “heart of flesh.”
Will the believer then hate God’s law? —Nay, he will love it. God’s love binds him to God’s government. God’s Spirit writes God’s law upon his heart. Listen to the testimony of men regenerated by the power of the gospel: “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the9day.” Ps. 119: 97. “Great peace have they that love thy law; and they have no occasion of stumbling.” Verse 165, A. R. V. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.” Gal. 5: 6. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5: 3.
Such is God’s law, and its condemnation and revelation to the sinner.
Such is God’s gospel, and its power to lift the condemnation, change the heart, and make the former sinner an obedient child of God. The message which does not aim to bring man back to obedience to God is a spurious gospel. Thank God for the genuine!
Mountain View, Cal.
Sermons at Camp Meetings
By CLARENCE SANTEE
CLARENCE SANTEE
The sermons preached at our camp meetings have a more far-reaching influence than many realize. It has been my lot to follow camp meetings by series of tent meetings. I have carefully noted the influence of the camp meeting on the community, and the nature of the sermons that exerted that influence.
The conditions at the camp meeting are usually these: Seventh-day Adventists who have been instructed in their faith for years, come together in numbers from five hundred to fifteen hundred. They are prepared to hear the strongest and most positive statements and assertions upon the doctrines of greatest controversy, often without the carefully prepared proofs that would be given under other circumstances, toned to the perception of those who have never heard these things; and our people readily respond with hearty “Amens.” This encourages the speaker, and other unguarded statements follow. These are listened to by an outside attendance of from fifty to one hundred and fifty or two hundred. The next meeting is attended by the hundreds of our own people, and the changeable outside attendance is not noticeable. A few of these usually express appreciation, while the larger number come and go in silence.
Those who work from house to house after the camp meeting has closed, find more nearly the influence of the sermons preached than any can who attend only the camp meeting.
When a tent is pitched in a new place for a series of meetings, we carefully lead those who have never heard these views, which to them often at first seem to be impossibilities, step by step until they can see clearly the connections and the ultimate truths. Can we expect more from those who for the first time hear these truths on the camp ground? If not, then should not the preaching be of such a nature as would lead people to accept Christ as their Saviour, believe the Scriptures, and cause them to desire a better understanding of the views of this people?
In a meeting following what is called “a good camp meeting,” I found a large per cent of those who had attended, hard to reach because of one or two sermons to which they had listened. Our own people did not need them, and the others were not prepared for them.
When the points of greatest difference are presented in sermons, such as the Sabbath or the nature of man, it should be with great care, leading the people only far enough to cause them to desire more. Strong, radical sermons, heard for the first time, are certainly “strong meat” rather than the “milk” which the Lord counsels to be given to those who are but babes.
A minister may close the ears of ten or fifteen by a strong sermon at the camp meeting, and among the hundreds present it is not noticeable. But if the same mistake is made by the minister who holds a series of meetings with from forty to seventy-five in attendance, he will spend sleepless nights seeking God that he remove the results of that mistaken sermon and his own unguarded course, that the hardened heart may be won back.
Following a camp meeting, he, at times, finds the same condition, but he may not have been the cause. It calls for the same seeking of God, that the results of the unguarded course of some other may also be removed.
If no words were spoken that would cause a smile at the evident weaknesses so palpable in other beliefs; if the strong points of difference between Seventh-day Adventists and others were carefully presented, with the life of Christ as the central thought, using the strong, plain texts, so positive in themselves, as suggestive for thought, and not as texts to prove a lack of common sense in the objector who does not at once accept, I feel sure that the field would be left many times in better shape for an abundant harvest.
A man came to Christ for sight. Christ’s first effort only caused the man to see “men as trees walking.” A later application was necessary before he could see clearly. Unless we are assured that we can do better work than Christ did, would it not be well to leave the patient at the first application in a good condition for the second?
Lodi, Cal.
An Ideal Good for Our Children
By J. W. Chadwick
If our minds are resolutely set on an ideal good, and if we follow this with an inflexible patience and persistency, then, though we may often blunder in our choice of ways and means, somehow the grace and sweetness of our inner life will pass into our children’s hearts.—J. W. Chadwick.
Reaching Hearts Through Sympathy
“UNLESS our hearts go out to people, we shall never reach their hearts. We may talk to them forever, but unless we have this loving sympathy we might as well be silent.”
The Master is building a temple,
Bright, beautiful as the sun,
That shall stand in its burnished glory
As eternity’s years roll on.
He has wrought with infinite patience
Through many weary years;
Oft was his heart sore heavy,
Dimmed were his eyes with tears.
He laid the sure foundation
Many thousand years ago,
And never has ceased his labors,
Though his progress has been slow.
Yes, long has the temple been building,
For though planned by the Master-
mind,
The many stones he needed
Were scattered and hard to find.
But every year of the ages
Has yielded to him its best,
And all of earth’s far corners
Have answered to his quest.
To the firm and sure foundation,
Which has stood the test of time,
He has anchored tried stones of beauty,
Gathered from every clime.
To the faith-enlightened vision,
E’en now is his work complete;
For, though hell should open its flood-
gates,
Naught can his plan defeat.
The Master, with infinite foresight,
Beheld the structure done,
When he placed the Chief Stone of the
corner,
And the work was just begun.
He saw just what was needed
To beautify each place,
Then found the stone to fill it,
And polished it by his grace,—
Polished until its surface
Shone with a luster fair,
Then placed it next to its fellow,
And with love cemented it there.
His eye, searching through the ages,
And scanning these present days,
Saw many willing and ready
To fill a place to his praise.
No time and no place and no people
Too remote for his eye to see,
When, drawing his plan for the temple,
He provided for you and for me.
He is saving our place in the structure
That some day will shine as the sun;
In love he now joins us together,
And will build us in as one.
Oh, we’re nearing the grand dedication,
When the Lord to his temple will come,
When he’ll seal each fair stone with his
signet,
And dwell with his people at home.
Now lift up your gates, O ye temple,
Swing open your glittering door,
That the King in his beauty may enter,—
The King whom his people adore.
Now cry out, ye stones, in your rapture,
Let praises your voices employ,
While the stars of the morn sing to-
gether,
And the sons of God shout in their joy.
Piedmont, Cal.
Samoa
By Joseph E. Steed
JOSEPH E. STEED
The Samoan group consists of nine islands. They are very mountainous, but are well wooded with various tropical trees. The three largest islands are Savaii, Upolu, and Tutuila. The latter, with a few very small adjacent ones, belongs to the United States.
The population of what is now British Samoa is about 40,000 natives, 400 whites, and 500 half-castes. In American Samoa there are about 6,780 natives, 179 whites, and 292 half-castes. Besides these there are 2,200 Chinese coolies who do the most of the work on the plantations, and about 500 other islanders who work at places of business in Apia.
The climate of Samoa is very variable and moist, the rainfall for the last five years averaged 126 inches. The most pleasant time of the year is during the winter, or dry season, from May to November, when the southeast trade winds prevail.
The gospel was first brought to this group by Messrs. Williams and Barff, of the London Missionary Society, with some Tahitian teachers, in the year 1830. Early in the year 1891 the “Pitcairn” visited Samoa on her first voyage. In 1896 Dr. F. E. Braucht began work in a medical institution at a place called Matautu, removing afterward to a new institution at Apia, where he worked for a number of years. Other workers were added, among them Delos Lake, W. E. Floding, Dr. Vollmer, Dr. M. G. Kellogg, and others; but on account of the trying nature of the climate, they had to leave, one after another, until Samoa was without a worker bearing the last message.
At the Australasian Union Conference council of 1907, it was decided that my family and I should reopen the work in Samoa. It was through trust in Him who had called us that we consented to pick up the broken threads. During the two years spent in that field at that time, we were able by the help of a young man and a young woman, who have since spent some time in our Australasian Missionary College, to have quite a number of tracts translated into the Samoan language, and now through their help at the college printing press, we have a nice monthly paper called the Tala Moni, which literally means “Tell Truth.” With this literature we are enabled to give the truth to the many people in this group, and also to other small groups near by. On account of failing health the writer had to return to the people we loved so well. Once again our trust is in him that he will supply our every need according to the riches of his grace. While looking at the evidences of the closing work and at the prevailing wickedness of these dark lands, our hearts go out to our heavenly Father for wisdom to do his work in a way that will glorify him.
BAPTISMAL SCENE IN SAMOA
This land is teeming with sickness. Visiting from place to place, our hearts often ache as we seem so powerless to help these needy people. Much of this condition is brought about by their sinful habits, and many, if healed, would return to their old ways. Notwithstanding all that the enemy would use to discourage us, we have the precious promise that there will be some from this land who will stand on the sea of glass, and our work is not without many encouraging features.
During our absence from the field, Brother H. T. Howse has been carrying on the work, and is now at a place called Saluafata, where we expect soon to have a training school to prepare some of these islanders to carry this message to their own people. Now that we have literature, we are able to do much more for the spiritual welfare of the native population. Our Tala Moni has an issue of one thousand a month, and is much help in reaching this people. The result has been that quite a good interest has sprung up in different places. With the assistance of our new “Bible Readings,” we have had much inquiry after the truth, and for a time we were well employed holding studies with the natives. When we reached this experience, we saw that we needed a meetinghouse. The Lord opened the way for us to obtain a piece of land and to build, and we now have a nice place that we can call our own, in which we can hold our meetings, with land enough to meet any growing demands that may be made for the work in this part of the field.
We are glad to be able to say that the outcome of this interest has given us an addition to our church of ten native members, some of whom are already taking the burden of carrying the message to their own people. It would be interesting, perhaps, to the readers to know something of what it meant to one man and his wife who took their stand for the truth and were baptized. This man was a high chief of his village, a position which meant much to him.
Many of the heathen customs brought down through the ages, and condoned by the other missions of today, must be abandoned when men and women take their stand with us in this last message. We have been told that a chief would never join this church, because he would not give up those things that are condemned by our church. Among the many evils that this man had to renounce were the keeping of a taupou, that is, a virgin, that must entertain his guests by dancing almost nude; the making of feasts for every occasion, and often for the dead, in which the pig plays a prominent part, as also the large supply of kava (a drink that is made from the root of a very pungent plant), which is called the royal drink of chiefs, the making of which is a very important part of the occasion; and smoking, as a chief usually has a good bed of tobacco. You will see from this how interested11we were in watching this man while studying the Word of God on the question of health, and our interest was increased when, the study over, Brother Howse and I walked out of the rear of his house, and the first thing we came to was a bed of tobacco, then a bed of kava, then over a wall were the pigs. We prayed that he would be able to stand the test, and the Lord granted our petition. This chief had to give up his name, Mana, which means “power,” and take another name given him in his youth, Faimalo, which means “make a kingdom.” He is the man shown in the picture as just about to be baptized. Our prayer is that God will bless the good work begun. When this man went back to his home, he took thirty Tala Monis to give away, thus seeking to win others to the truth.
