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Review and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 64.

The Measure of Life

Review and Herald

Dec 30, 1915

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 30, 1915

The Measure of Life

By WORTHIE HARRIS HOLDEN

WORTHIE HARRIS HOLDEN
Sigh not for the years that have vanished, With their sorrows, their joys, and their care; They rest in the garden of Silence, 'Neath its myrrh and its sweet blossoms fair.
But up on the housetop, embracing The morning's fresh breath with its dew, Thank God for the daybreak awaking, And your courage and purpose renew.
We live not in years, but in action; For deeds mark the life of the soul, And man lives the most and the longest When heaven-born motives control.
So seizing the NOW with its blessings, The present seems freighted with cheer; Our spirits breathe fresh inspiration And zeal, in the morn of the year.

Protestant Missions a Challenge to Catholics

A WRITER in the Catholic journal America feels that the foreign missionary operations being carried on by Protestants constitute a challenge to the Catholic Church, and that Catholics should quicken their efforts in a more active propaganda in behalf of their own church. He cites the fact that the Congregational churches alone collected during the past year more than one million dollars for foreign missions. “Many other denominations have gathered hardly less, and some considerably more.” He then asks where his own church stands in missionary activity. He finds it difficult to understand “why, at a time when Protestants have in great numbers lost their belief in the vital truths of Christianity, and are openly denying the divinity of Christ and the inspiration of the Sacred Scriptures, the sects should nevertheless develop a new and widespread missionary propaganda.”
He consoles himself that in the Catholic Church “we have everything that is wanting to these denominations,” and therefore feels that his brethren should bestir themselves to greater activity in missionary propaganda.
While many in the great Protestant church have, as this writer states, lost their faith in the cardinal doctrines of Christianity, we are glad indeed that there are still thousands of earnest Christians who heartily respond to the demands of suffering humanity, to the calls of those in heathen lands, and who are ready to give of their means to carry the gospel to those in darkness. Many devoted men and women of the various Protestant denominations are found in mission fields today, doing valiant service for the Master.
And we would indeed that this missionary zeal might stir the Catholic Church to put forth the same spirit of earnest missionary endeavor as have these heralds of the cross. The sad fact remains, however, that Catholic missionary effort has not accomplished very much for the nations and peoples among whom it has been put forth. Indeed, judged from the Protestant missionary standpoint, those countries which are dominantly Catholic at the present time are quite as much in need of the gospel of Christ as are the peoples of heathen lands. Hence, we have not much to expect from a quickening of Catholic missionary effort.

Temperance Gains

By Editor

THE friends of temperance are claiming steady gains in their campaign against the great evil of intemperance. It is even claimed that last year New York, considered the stronghold of the liquor interests, had the greatest proportionate gain of any State in the Union. This gain was threefold in its character: in no-license territory, in increased representation in the State legislature, and in representation in the national Congress. During the past year there has been a net gain of seventy-eight dry towns. Out of the 932 townships in the State, 511 are controlled by temperance sentiment.
It is encouraging to note the growing sentiment in favor of temperance which is controlling the operation of some of the large corporations throughout the country. It is felt that in the maintenance of first-class efficiency, employees must be prohibited from using alcoholic liquors. Particularly is this sentiment growing in the operation of some of the great railroads. Beginning with the new year, according to the Indianapolis News, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad will prohibit the serving of alcoholic liquors in its dining and buffet cars. It is believed also that the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, the Michigan Central, and Missouri Pacific roads will take similar action. The News, in commenting on this, declares:—
Liquor was served in the dining cars for the convenience of the public and for the profit of the railroads. Now that they find public sentiment changing and becoming generally averse to the liquor business, the railroads likewise discover that by dispensing liquor on board trains they are actually weakening discipline. Many of the greatest transportation systems of the country long ago declared in favor of absolute prohibition. Promotion and favors are conferred on those who do not drink, and a premium is thus placed on "efficient abstinence."
It is most encouraging to see the growth of this temperance sentiment. We believe that the readers of the REVIEW in their local communities should do everything in their power, consistent with right principles and methods, to advance the cause of temperance reform. With prohibition generally observed throughout the country, much of the suffering which now exists would be avoided. We are indeed our brothers' keeper, and should seek to save and safeguard those who have become so weakened as to be unable to resist the temptations which the liquor traffic places before them.

Note and Comment

Abundant Harvests

THE harvests of the United States this year have surpassed any ever before recorded. The value of the principal farm crops, based on prices paid to farmers December 1, was announced by the Department of Agriculture in its final estimate as $5,568,773,000, making 1915 a banner year both in value and in production of crops.
The unusual situation of extraordinary production and high prices, probably never before so pronounced, is credited principally to the European war.

Pope to Bless Wireless

THE Scriptures speak of increase of knowledge as a sign of the last days; and on all sides we see the evident fulfillment of this prophecy in the multiplication of inventions, one of the latest of which is wireless telegraphy. We do not doubt that this will prove a means in God's hands of forwarding the third angel's message.
The public press brings the news that this invention is to be officially blessed by the Pope. We quote from the New York Times of December 14:—
Vatican circles announce that the Pope is preparing to bless wireless telegraphy officially, thus restoring the ancient custom of the church to bless inventions which confer great benefits on humanity.
It seems very strange indeed to think of the Pope's blessing the wireless. The Papacy has always opposed the advance of human knowledge. It condemned Galileo's theory that the earth and the other planets revolved around the sun, and made him recant. It has hindered investigation in many lines by placing books on the Index or by destroying them entirely.

The Week of Prayer and After

By Editor

ANOTHER week of prayer is past. To the people of God it has brought untold blessings. The editor never enjoyed an occasion of this kind so rich in spiritual blessings as the week just past, and this is the testimony which he has heard from many of his brethren. For these blessed experiences we praise the Lord.
What will the aftermath of the week of prayer prove to be? Shall we retain the blessings we have received, or will they gradually eke out of our hearts, and the close of another year find us again as sadly in need of a revival as we were at the beginning of this last occasion? True, we shall need a continual revival, a daily and hourly refreshing from the Lord, but it is the purpose of God that we shall retain what we receive, and that every added blessing shall serve only to increase our spirit of consecration, and the measure of our strength for Christian service.
We shall retain the blessing of the week of prayer if we follow on to know the Lord in the same way that we have received him. Says the apostle Paul to the Colossians: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Col. 2:6, 7. We received the Lord Jesus during the week of prayer by the confession of sin, by the surrender of self, by the acceptance of the divine promises, by the exercise of living faith, by the ministry of service. We shall be able to walk in the Lord Jesus if we continue the exercise of these same activities. Our experience must not be a passive but an active experience.
We fail many times because our efforts are of a spasmodic character. We shall be made partakers of Christ only as “we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” Our power in the overcoming of sin will be in the formation of right habits of thought and life. Says the servant of the Lord: “If you will find voice and time to pray, God will find time and voice to answer.”—Review and Herald, April 1, 1890. “The life of the soul depends upon habitual communion with God.”—Id., April 22, 1884. “When it becomes the habit of the soul to converse with God, the power of the evil one is broken; for Satan cannot abide near the soul that draws nigh unto God.”—Id., Dec. 3, 1889. We need to form the habit of conversing with God, and when this habit is formed, the promise is that the power of the evil one shall be broken.
We should continue in the year to come as we have begun, keeping ourselves continually upon the altar. Let us keep our sins confessed up to date, living in all good conscience before God and our fellows, doing every day the best we know. Let us have daily communion with God in the study of his Word and in secret devotion. Let us seek every day to make our lives a blessing to our fellows. In this experience there will be life and light and liberty, and we shall have during 1916 not alone one week of communion with God, but fifty-two weeks,—a year of prayer, a year of earnest Christian service.

To the Fields in 1915

By W. A. S.

Again as we look back from the open door of the new year, we see that the Lord of the harvest has been sending forth laborers into the whitening fields abroad. Nearly two thousand years ago the prophet on the isle of Patmos saw a people keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, pushing on toward every nation and kindred and tongue and people with the last message of the everlasting gospel. Year by year we see this prophecy of the latter days fulfilling, and month by month the messengers are bidding good-by to friends and dear ones, and launching forth into the depths of the world's great need.
During 1915 the departures were as follows:—

MARCH

R. J. Brown and family, to China.
R. L. and Mrs. Kimble, to India.
R. B. and Mrs. Owen, to Korea.
Clarence C. and Mrs. Hall, to Japan.
D. Nicholson and wife, from Australia to the Solomon Islands.

APRIL

W. E. Straw and family, to South Africa.

MAY

Geo. R. E. McNay and family, to South Africa.
Geo. C. Jenks and family, to South Africa.
Miss May Pontey, from Australia to Samoa.

JUNE

D. D. and Mrs. Fitch, to Porto Rico.
Mrs. D. A. Fitch, to Porto Rico.

JULY

C. V. and Mrs. Achenbach, to Peru, South America.
H. A. B. and Mrs. Robinson, to Spain.
A. W. Knight, from Australia to India.
Miss Millie Sauerwein, to Peru, South America.
Miss Ruth McCully, to Cuba.
Miss Irene Fourie, from Natal to Nyasaland, British Central Africa.

AUGUST

R. T. Baer and family, to Argentina, South America.
Eugene Leland (returning) and wife, to Bermuda.
V. D. Hawley and family, to Cuba.
Chas. M. Paden and family, to Honduras, Central America.
G. S. Joseph, from Australia to India.
W. Joseph, from Australia to India.
A. C. and Mrs. Chesson, from Fiji to India.
Edgar H. and Mrs. James, from Australia to China.
Clarence H. and Mrs. Davis, from Australia to China.
H. J. and Mrs. Hurlow, from Cape Colony, South Africa, to Nyasaland.

SEPTEMBER

J. M. and Mrs. Howell, to Peru, South America.
J. Wilson and Mrs. Rowland, to Malaysia.
I. C. and Mrs. Schmidt, to Malaysia.
Dr. and Mrs. D. E. Davenport, to China.
Chas. F. and Mrs. Glascock, to China.
Roland and Mrs. Loasby, to India.
L. T. Heaton and family, to the Hawaiian Islands.

OCTOBER

J. G. and Mrs. Gjording, to China.
Miss Edith Frye, to Porto Rico.
Miss Ethel Frye, to Porto Rico.
C. T. and Mrs. Everett, from Australia to Singapore.
H. A. Skinner, from Australia to India.
R. A. Thrist, from Australia to India.
C. Stafford and family, from Australia to India.
Eric B. and Mrs. Hare, from Australia to Burma.

NOVEMBER

C. F. Neumann and family, to Argentina, South America.

DECEMBER

C. M. Snow and family, to Australia.
O. Montgomery and family, to South America.
This list totals seventy-seven missionaries newly entering the fields. We do not list those who are returning after furlough. The list for 1914 totaled 103. The great war in Europe has made it impossible for the European Division to send out workers as formerly; in fact, in the list this year there does not appear one appointment from that division to any of the fields. Yet seventy-seven new missionaries sent out in one year is still a cheering and remarkable record. That it is possible to commission so many is due to the fact that in all our churches the brethren and sisters are praying and working and giving for missions, never forgetting that the pressure is upon us continually. With volunteers ever ready to forsake all and go, and with consecrated hearts bringing into the treasury the gifts for missions, the Lord is leading his people on to the finishing of the work.
W. A. S.

The Morning Watch

By I. H. EVANS.

ANOTHER new year is at hand, and many will make new resolutions concerning their Christian experience and future activities. Some will turn over a clean, white page, unsullied by mistakes, and resolve to make a better record in holy living than they made during the year just closing. This resolution is good. Every Christian should reconsecrate himself, and determine to take a new stand against sin and the weaknesses of the flesh.
We ask ourselves, What reasonable basis have I for expecting a better Christian experience during the new year than I have had? This is an important question. Every Christian should face it, and consider it until he can give it a satisfactory answer. Surely, our resolves will not make us better unless we avail ourselves of helps which we did not appropriate during the past year. One cannot grow in the Christian life without definite planning and real self-discipline. No child can develop rightly without proper regulations and suitable instruction; and the Christian ever needs to avail himself of certain helps, if he expects to make progress in the divine life.
One can hardly make a more fatal mistake than to rely on resolutions, without appropriating to himself the helps provided for spiritual growth. Even the most resolute may soon fall back into his former habits, his faith become weak, and he lose courage and hope. To be a Christian means self-discipline, constant watching, and continual feeding of the soul with such food as will cause it to grow. And the discipline of self is one of the hardest things the Christian must do. By this we do not mean that it is hard to serve Christ. The difficulty does not lie in what God requires, but in our exercising such self-denial, and disciplining ourselves in such a way, as will cause us to use the means provided for growth in grace.
No Christian can make continual progress in his experience without taking time for study, prayer, and meditation. It is not sufficient that he be busy in the Lord's work, or that his time be fully occupied in teaching the truth or trying to persuade others to be Christians. He must study the Word of God, and take time for prayer and communion with God, before there is any reasonable ground for expecting spiritual growth.
Study of the Word is more than simply reading a chapter in the Bible at worship. One must read the Word of God alone, for his soul's edification and instruction. It must be a study for one's own soul. The short prayer in family devotions morning and evening is not sufficient. There must be communion with God, time for prayer, and time for meditation. In order to have these blessings come to us, there must be a special time set apart for this. Nothing should be permitted to come in to hinder; pressure of work must not be allowed to cheat us of this time of devotion.
There is no time in the day more suitable for the season of study and prayer than the early morning hour just after rising. It may mean, to many of us, rising an hour or half an hour earlier than we otherwise should. This calls for self-discipline, self-denial; but it also means spiritual growth and power.
Looking over the Morning Watch for 1916, we are deeply impressed with the help it is planned to afford. At the beginning, we read the following:—

My New Year's Resolve

Resolved, That I will this year endeavor, by God's help, to live a simple, sincere, and active Christian life; repelling promptly every thought of discontent, discouragement, impurity, and self-seeking; cultivating cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity, and the habit of holy silence; exercising economy in expenditure, carefulness in conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity to every trust, and a childlike trust in God. I will make an earnest effort to spend some time in Bible study and prayer every day, and at least once a week make some personal effort to encourage or draw some one nearer to Christ.
We believe this Morning Watch “New Year's Resolve” ought to be the resolve of every Christian, whether young or old. If it is carried out,—and this will be only through self-discipline and determination,—the results will be rapid spiritual growth and a victorious Christian life.
But this splendid resolve is only the beginning of the Morning Watch. It is followed with Scriptural readings for each day, month by month, during the year. It also has topics calling for special prayers for ourselves and in behalf of others. Then there is a daily record for missionary work done, covering all lines of missionary activity. Why should not this Morning Watch pamphlet be in the hands of every Seventh-day Adventist? We know of no one help or agency prepared by us that will insure better results in our Christian life than a continued use of the Morning Watch. Surely one cannot carefully follow the plan outlined in the Morning Watch pamphlet prepared by the Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department and not make growth in the spiritual life. We should very much like to see every Seventh-day Adventist in the North American Division Conference have one of these booklets, and, on the first day of the new year, make the “New Year's Resolve” his own, and day by day spend some time in studying the scriptures assigned and in secret prayer.
I. H. EVANS.

“Saul Eyed David”

By G. B. T.

“And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.” 1 Sam. 18:9. “Saul eyed David.” In these words is concentrated the very essence of all that is wicked and mean in a depraved human heart. All cruelty, envy, jealousy, ill will, rivalry, spite, hatred, malice, revenge, and even murder itself, lurk in these words. What a wretched condition to be in, to be envious and offended with the excellency and real merit seen in another, and to hate those whom we really should approve.
The very depth of deception, guile, and hypocrisy is thus expressed in one short sentence. In a few words the Spirit lifts as it were the lid, and allows us to look beneath, and, lo! what a cesspool of wickedness is revealed in the natural heart!
And why is David “eyed” by Saul? He had done nothing to merit the wicked glances of the king. Blessed of God, he was coming to the front as the anointed leader. Saul, forsaken of God because of sin, hears the people say that while Saul had slain his thousands, David had slain tens of thousands. He sees the shadows lengthen, and his sun decline. Another whom God had chosen was being regarded by the people as greater than he. Rather than see this, he allowed his envious and rebellious heart of jealousy to lead him to attempt the murder of him whom the Lord had anointed king. Truly, “jealousy is cruel as the grave.” We know of nothing more devilish, whether manifested in the family, the neighborhood, or the church. It is the very spirit of Lucifer himself, for it was envy that transformed the covering cherub, the attendant of the throne of God, into the prince of devils.
The world is filled with the mischief-working elements of envy. It is thefoundation of all evil. “Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” James 3:16. Trace all strife, bickerings, and division to their source, and you will find envy and jealousy lurking around. Men talk about having revenge, of retaliating, of a “day of reckoning,” or an “account to settle.” It is all envy. It makes the heart unforgiving, unrelenting, cold, and inexorable.
We find nations are “eying” each other. Statesmen “eye” their rivals for fame and for the plaudits of the people. The business man “eyes” his competitor; and sometimes the venomous glances of the serpent of the bottomless pit are seen in the church of the most high God. It is among the possibilities for this wicked thing to creep into the heart and lead ministers of righteousness to “eye” each other, and, while they profess to be laboring for souls, to be consumed themselves with the hellish fire of jealousy. A retiring church or Sabbath school officer or teacher may “eye” the one chosen by the church to carry the burdens and responsibilities he has been carrying, and while pretending to help the work forward, may secretly hope the administration or work of his successor will be less conspicuous than his own, if not a failure.
Schools and other institutions established by the Lord to advance his work in the earth may “eye” each other; and those responsible for their management, while outwardly giving expression to words of brotherly commendation, may secretly cherish feelings of resentment at the prosperity of another institution. There is nothing too mean to grow on the baneful bush of envy. Its roots reach into the regions of darkness, and takes fast hold upon hell itself. Envy perpetrated on Calvary a crime which shocked the universe—the crucifixion of the Son of God. “For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.” Matt. 27:18.
By nature envy lurks in every human heart. Nothing can uproot this noxious plant except the power of God through the Holy Spirit. But he who holds the winds by his power, and rules the eternal domain by his word, is able and willing to deliver us from this and all other sin.
G. B. T.

Paradise Valley Sanitarium

By F. M. W.

Notes From the Field—No. 8

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA is the great health resort of the United States. Thousands of tourists visit this section of the country every year. The tide of travel has been very greatly quickened during the last few months on account of the Panama Exposition at San Francisco. The annual influx of visitors to the State, many of them seeking health, has called into existence a large number of sanitariums. Nearly every town of any size has some sort of sanitarium or medical resort. It was with the idea of reaching this class of people that our sanitariums in Southern California were established.

Paradise Valley Sanitarium

Following the close of the Loma Linda council, it was our privilege to spend several days at the Paradise Valley Sanitarium, located one and one-half miles from National City, and six miles from San Diego. Probably better and more equable climatic conditions are to be found in this place than in the locality of any other sanitarium in this country. There is but little comparative change in temperature between night and morning, and in the various seasons of the year. The institution is splendidly located, the views from the verandas extending southward into Old Mexico, and westward to the broad Pacific, where ocean liners may be clearly seen plying back and forth between the ports of the West coast and between this and other countries. Santiago, a city of nearly one hundred thousand inhabitants, furnishes a large amount of the patronage for this institution. We were pleased to find the sanitarium fairly well filled with guests, although the winter season is the time of largest patronage.
It was a pleasure to mingle with the guests, some of whom were deeply interested in our church work. Dr. W. J. Johnson is the only physician in this institution, but, though unaided, his services are affording excellent satisfaction, not only to the guests, but to the management and workers of the institution. Brother Charles E. Rice is business manager, his wife, Mrs. June Rice, is matron, and Miss Myrtle M. Phillips is head nurse. Brother and Sister Rice have worked very hard for the building up of the work here, and the Lord has certainly blessed the efforts of the earnest, united family which we found in this institution.
Since our last visit extensive and much-needed repairs have been made, and we found the sanitarium and its equipment in excellent condition. This sanitarium, like other of our institutions, is handicapped with a heavy load of interest-bearing indebtedness, but substantial reduction has been made in this debt during the last few years. The hearty cooperation between the medical and business departments in this institution has contributed greatly to its success. This spirit of cooperation must characterize every branch of our denominational work if it is to succeed. When our brethren and sisters work hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder, keeping the glory of God in mind rather than their own personal honor and advancement, God will recognize this spirit. The most improved facilities are demanded by the character of the work which our sanitariums are attempting to do. They need to employ the most efficient and up-to-date methods in their operation along both medical and business lines, but even these methods will not succeed without the spirit of cooperation. Better a thousand times to work unitedly with poor equipment than to have every needed facility with the spirit of division and pulling apart in the family of workers. United we stand; divided we fall.
If we were sick and in need of rest, we know of no institution where we could find a more delightful climate than at the Paradise Valley Sanitarium, or where there is a more wholesome spirit.
We were pleased to meet at this place Elder and Mrs. Meade MacGuire. Sister MacGuire came to the sanitarium months ago in a very serious state of health, but by the blessing of the Lord she has so far recovered as to take the position of cashier and accountant in the sanitarium, where she is rendering most efficient service. We met here also Brother B. E. Tefft, at one time a faithful, earnest colporteur, but who has been compelled on account of ill health to lead a quiet life for a number of years. The Lord is blessing Brother Tefft in the local responsibilities which he carries from time to time in connection with the church and the sanitarium.
It was our privilege during our visit to meet with the church and speak to them on the occasion of their prayer meeting on Wednesday evening.

Glendale Sanitarium

Five hours’ ride from the Paradise Valley Sanitarium brought us to the sanitarium at Glendale, a little suburban town near Los Angeles. This institution is reached by excellent trolley service from the larger city, from which the greater part of its patronage is derived. In contrast with the quiet, rural surroundings of the Paradise Valley Sanitarium, the Glendale Sanitarium is really a city institution. It occupies, however, a very quiet section of the town, and the beautiful grounds on which it is located, ornamented with palms and ferns, are very attractive, supplying in a large measure the lack of the quiet rural atmosphere. This institution is practically always well filled with guests. At the time of our visit it was enjoying an excellent patronage.
The medical staff is composed of three regular physicians,—Dr. D. D. Comstock, Dr. Belle Wood-Comstock, and Dr. Mary Zener. Miss L. A. Santee is head nurse. For several years a strong educational campaign throughout the territory and among the churches contiguous to Glendale, has been carried forward by the physicians and nurses of this institution. Reports of this educational work have appeared in the columns of the REVIEW from time to time. The Lord has added his blessing to theearnest efforts of these medical workers.
The institution has in Elder V. H. Lucas an efficient business manager, who is laboring earnestly to promote the general interests of the work. The Lord is giving him wisdom in dealing with the perplexing problems which he has to meet. Brother C. F. Marvin, as chaplain of the institution, looks after the spiritual interests of the family. His labors are greatly appreciated by both the guests and the workers.
We have always enjoyed meeting with the nurses in Glendale. We found here a devoted company of young men and women who have given their lives to the cause of suffering humanity. Many excellent workers have gone out from this institution, some to foreign fields, and we believe that from the ranks of those who are now in training, others will go out to earth’s remotest bounds as bearers of the gospel message. To the young people in the sanitarium, and to a large number of the church people, it was our privilege to speak Sabbath afternoon.
The sanitarium is carrying on a branch institution in Los Angeles under the direction of Dr. H. F. Rand. We were glad to find Brother and Sister Rand still earnestly engaged in the work. The Lord is blessing the efforts which are being put forth in the great city of Los Angeles.
An earnest effort is being made on the part of the Pacific Union Conference to rid its institutions of all indebtedness. During the past year a very faithful campaign has been carried on under the leadership of Elder G. W. Reaser, in the raising of an educational relief fund of $150,000. This amount will enable our brethren to pay all indebtedness on their educational institutions, and also to do needed promotion work, particularly in connection with Pacific Union College. Their efforts in raising this fund have been greatly blessed, and at the time of the Loma Linda council $142,000 was already pledged, with a number of additional pledges representing several thousand dollars contingent on the sale of property. The brethren confidently expected that the close of the year would witness the full realization of their hopes in the raising of this large fund. We rejoice to see these efforts being made in various sections of the field. Surely the Lord would have us free from the great burden of debt, and we believe that where earnest efforts are put forth, his providence will open the way for this to be accomplished.
Similar efforts were made last year in behalf of the educational work in the Columbia Union Conference, resulting in entirely freeing the academy at Mount Vernon, Ohio, from debts under which it had labored for many years. The brethren in the Atlantic Union Conference hope to see the indebtedness on South Lancaster Academy fully met as the result of their efforts in behalf of the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund during 1915.
And as we seek to pay off these great loads of indebtedness, let us learn the lesson of avoiding debt in the future. The building of institutions should be made conditional on the raising of the necessary funds before the work is begun. When the Lord, by his providence, commands us to arise and build, he is willing to supply the means whereby the work may be done, as he did for the tabernacle in the wilderness. The first step we are to take in observing the command, is to go to the people and solicit funds for the work, believing that the same Spirit which leads us to build will open the hearts of the people to provide the means for the building.
Returning from California by way of the Southern Pacific, it was our privilege to call at our State office in San Antonio, and greet Brother and Sister C. C. Mattison at the headquarters of the South Texas Conference. We shall remember their courtesy, and also the hospitality of Brother and Sister Conway, by whom we were kindly entertained.
Sabbath was spent with the church in New Orleans, La. We had the privilege of speaking to the seventy-five believers living in this great metropolis of the South. Brother and Sister J. A. Morrow are carrying forward the work in this center. The Lord is blessing their labors. At the time of our visit an active campaign was going on in behalf of the Harvest Ingathering Signs. This church has already paid into the treasury its full quota of twenty cents a week a member for the cause of missions, but it is still pressing forward in the work, taking pleasure in exceeding the standard set for them.
What is being done in New Orleans is but a beginning of the great work which should be done in this important city of the South. Here we find a cosmopolitan population, a mingling of two civilizations, represented in English and Latin America. We shall rejoice when the time comes that funds can be appropriated to carry forward an active work, not alone for the English-speaking people, but also for the French- and Spanish-speaking peoples living here.
We recount many times the providences of God in connection with the advancement of this movement. We may well do this, for the Lord has wrought in marvelous ways; but let us not forget that much more remains to be done than has yet been accomplished. The unwarned multitudes in our great cities, not alone in North America, but in the whole world, make stirring appeal to our liberality and our missionary endeavor. We must do for them all that lies in our power. But as we cannot do all that we would, we must believe that God will take account of our feeble efforts, and will bless them and make them effective with his own mighty power to the carrying forward of this work to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. When the work in any field is handicapped by the lack of men and means, let us remember that, having done the best we can, the infinite God will add the resources of his power to every honest, sacrificing effort which is put forth. It required only six days for the material earth to come forth from his creative hand. By the exercise of that same power, the finishing of this work may be accomplished speedily. May God grant that we shall so fully consecrate ourselves to him that we may prove unobstructed channels through which his grace may freely flow to the world.
F. M. W.
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