Testimony to the Church — No. 21a

Missionary Work.

December 10, 1871, I was shown that God would accomplish a great work through the truth, if devoted, self-sacrificing men would give themselves unreservedly to the work of presenting the truth to those in darkness. Those who have a knowledge of the precious truth, who are consecrated to God, should avail themselves of every opportunity where there is an opening to press in the truth. Angels of God are moving on the hearts and consciences of the people of other nations, and honest souls are troubled as they witness the signs of the times in the unsettled state of the nations. The inquiry arises in their hearts, What will be the end of all these things? While God and angels are at work to impress hearts, the servants of Christ seem to be asleep. There are but few working in unison with the heavenly messengers. All men and women who are Christians in every sense of the word should be workers in the vineyard of the Lord. They should be wide awake, zealously laboring for the salvation of their fellow-men, and should imitate the example the Saviour of the world has given them in his life of self-denial, and sacrifice, and faithful, earnest labor. T21a 201.1

There has been but little missionary spirit among Sabbath-keeping Adventists. If ministers and people were sufficiently aroused, they would not rest thus indifferently, while God has honored them by making them the depositaries of his law, by printing it in their minds, and writing it upon their hearts. These truths of vital importance are to test the world; and yet in our own country there are cities, villages, and towns, that have never heard the warning message. Young men, who feel stirred with the appeals that have been made for help in this great work of advancing the cause of God, make some advance moves, but do not get the burden of the work upon them sufficiently to accomplish what they might. They are willing to do a small work, which does not require special effort Therefore, they do not learn to place their whole dependence upon God, and by living faith raw from the great Fountain and Source of light and strength, in order that their efforts should prove wholly successful. T21a 201.2

Those who think that they have a work to do for the Master should not commence their efforts among the churches; but they should go out into new fields, and prove their gifts. They can test themselves in this way, and settle the matter, to their own satisfaction, whether God has indeed chosen them for this work. They will feel the necessity of studying the word of God, and praying earnestly for heavenly wisdom and divine aid from God. They will be brought where they will be obtaining a most valuable experience by meeting with opponents who bring up objections against the important positions of our faith. They will feel their weakness, and be driven to the word of God and prayer. In this exercise of their gifts, they will be learning and improving, and gaining confidence, and courage, and faith, and will eventually have a valuable experience. T21a 202.1

The Brn. Lane commenced right in this work. In their labor they did not go among the churches, but went out into new fields. They commenced humble. They were little in their own eyes, and felt the necessity of their whole dependence being in God These brothers are now in great danger of becoming self-sufficient, especially Elbert. In his discussion with opponents, the truth has obtained the victory, and Bro. Elbert has begun to feel strong in himself. As soon as he gets above the simplicity of the work, then his labors will not benefit the precious cause of God. Bro. Elbert should not encourage a love for discussions, but avoid them whenever he can. These contests with the powers of darkness in debate seldom result the best for the advancement of the present truth. T21a 203.1

If young men who commence to labor in this cause would have the missionary spirit, they would give evidence that God has indeed called them to the work. But when they do not go out into new places, but are content to go from church to church, they give evidence that the burden of the work is not upon them. The ideas of our young preachers are not broad enough. Their zeal is too feeble. Were the young men awake, and devoted to the Lord, they would be diligent every moment of their time, and seek to qualify themselves for laborers in missionary fields rather than to be fitting themselves to become combatants. T21a 203.2

Young men should be qualifying themselves to become familiar with other languages, that God may use them as mediums to communicate his saving truth to those of other nations. These young men may obtain a knowledge of other languages, even while engaged in laboring for sinners. If they are economical of their time, they can be improving their mind, and qualifying themselves for more extended usefulness. Young women who have borne but little responsibility, if they devote themselves to God, can be qualifying themselves by study to become familiar with other languages. They could devote themselves to the work of translating. T21a 204.1

Our publications should be printed in other languages, that foreign nations may be reached. Much can be done through the medium of the press, but much more if the influence of the labors of the living preacher goes with our publications. Missionaries are needed to go to other nations, to preach the truth in a guarded, careful manner. The cause of present truth can be greatly extended by personal effort. The contact of individual mind with individual mind will do more to remove prejudice, if the labor is discreet, than our publications alone can do. Those who engage in this work should not consult their ease or inclination. They should not have love for popularity or display. T21a 204.2

When the churches see young men possessing zeal to qualify themselves to extend their labors to cities, villages, and towns, that have never been aroused to the truth, and missionaries volunteer to go to other nations, to carry the truth to them, the churches will be encouraged and strengthened far more than to have the labors of inexperienced young men. The churches, as they see their ministers’ hearts all aglow with love and zeal for the truth and a desire to save souls, will arouse themselves. The churches generally have the gifts and power within themselves to bless and strengthen themselves, and gather into the fold sheep and lambs. They need to be thrown upon their own resources, and so call into active service all the gifts that are lying dormant. T21a 205.1

As churches are established, it should be set before them that it is even from among them that men must be taken to carry the truth to others, and raise new churches; therefore, they must all work, and cultivate to the very utmost the talents God has given them, and they be training their minds to engage in the service of their Master. If these messengers are pure in heart and life, if their example is what it should be, their labors will be highly successful; for they have a most powerful truth, clear and connected, and convincing arguments. They have God on their side, and the angels of God to work with their efforts. T21a 205.2

Why there has been so little accomplished by those who preach the truth, is not wholly because the truth they bear is unpopular, but because the men who bear the message are not sanctified by the truths they preach. The Saviour withdraws his smiles, and the inspiration of his Spirit is not upon them. The presence and power of God to convict the sinner and cleanse from all unrighteousness is not manifest. Sudden destruction is right upon the people, and yet they are not fearfully alarmed. The unconsecrated minister makes the work very hard for those who follow after them, and who have the burden and spirit of the work upon them. T21a 206.1

The Lord has moved upon men of other tongues, and has brought them under the influence of the truth, that they should be qualified to labor in his cause. He has brought them within reach of the Office of publication, that its managers might avail themselves of their services, if they were awake to the wants of the cause. Publications are needed in other languages, to raise an interest and the spirit of inquiry among other nations. T21a 206.2

In a most remarkable manner, the Lord wrought upon the heart of Marcus Lichtenstein, and directed the course of this young man to Battle Creek, that he should there be brought under the influence of the truth, and be converted, and united to the Office of publication, and should obtain an experience. His education in the Jewish religion would qualify him to prepare publications. His knowledge of Hebrew would be a help to the Office in the preparation of publications to gain access to a class that otherwise could not be reached. The gift God gave to the Office in Marcus was no inferior gift. His deportment and conscientiousness were in accordance with the principles of the wonderful truths he was beginning to see and appreciate. T21a 207.1

But the influence of those in the Office grieved and discouraged Marcus. Those young men who did not, esteem Marcus as he deserved, and whose Christian life was a contradiction to their profession, were the means that Satan used to separate from the Office the gift which God had given to it. He went away perplexed, grieved, and discouraged. Those who had had years of experience, and who should have had the love of Christ in their hearts, were so far separated from God by selfishness, pride, and their own folly, that they could not discern the especial work of God in Marcus’ being connected with the Office. T21a 207.2

The course pursued by these unconsecrated ones toward Marcus resulted in his leaving the Office. Marcus was a true gentleman. He possessed excellent traits of character. He had a high sense of the Christian religion. The coldness, and backslidings, and lack of principle, exhibited by those who had for years professed the Christian religion, distressed and vexed him. Unbelief took possession of his soul. Those who labored in the Office are accountable for his leaving the Office. Marcus was treated with disrespect by some. His imperfect speech in our language excited the mirth of those who ought to have been a blessing to Marcus; and his imperfect English should have caused their hearts to magnify God that a stranger to Christ and the truth had been united with them to do a work that those who could speak the English language readily could not do. They should have seen the providence of God in converting this educated Jew to the Christian religion to do his part in proclaiming the message to all nations, and tongues, and people. T21a 208.1

If those who are connected with the Office were awake, and had not been spiritually paralyzed, Bro. Brownsberger would long ago have been connected with the Office, and might now be prepared to do a good work which much needs to be done. He should have been engaged in teaching young men and women, that they might be qualified now to become workers in missionary fields. T21a 208.2

Those engaged in the work were about two-thirds dead because of their yielding to wrong influences. They were where God could not impress them by his Holy Spirit. And oh! how my heart aches as I see that so much time has passed, and a great work that might have been done is left undone because those in important positions have not walked in the light. Satan has stood prepared to sympathize with those men in holy office, and tell them God does not require of them as much zeal and unselfish, devoted interest as Bro. White expects, and they settle down carelessly in Satan's easy chair, and the ever-vigilant, persevering foe binds them in chains of darkness, while they think that they are all right. Satan works on their right hand and on their left, and all around them; and they know it not. They call darkness light, and light darkness. T21a 209.1

If those in the Office of publication are indeed engaged in the sacred work of giving the last solemn message of warning to the world, how careful should they be to carry out in their lives the principles of the truth they are handling. They should have pure hearts and clean hands. T21a 209.2

Our people connected with the Office have not been awake to improve the privileges within their reach, and secure all the talent and influence that God has provided for them. There, is a very great failure with nearly all connected with the Office of realizing the importance and sacredness of the work. Pride and selfishness exist to a very great degree, and angels of God are not attracted to that Office as they would be if hearts were pure and in communion with God. Those laboring in the Office have not had a vivid sense that the truths that they were handling were of heavenly origin, to accomplish a certain and special work as did the preaching of Noah before the flood. As the preaching of Noah warned, tested, and proved, the inhabitants of the world before the flood of waters destroyed them from off the face of the earth, so is the truth of God for these last days doing a similar work of warning, testing, and proving the world. The publications which go forth from the Office bear the signet of the Eternal. They are being scattered all through the land, and are deciding the destiny of souls. Men are now greatly needed who can translate and prepare our publications in other languages to reach all tongues, and that the messages of warning may go to all nations, that they may be tested by the light of the truth, that men and women, as they see the light, may turn from the transgression to the obedience of the law of God. T21a 210.1

Every opportunity should be improved to extend the truth to other nations. This will be attended with considerable expense, but expense should in no case hinder the performance of this work. Means are of no value only as they are used to advance the interest of the kingdom of God. The Lord has lent men means for this very purpose^* to use in sending the truth to their fellow-men. There is a great amount of surplus means in the ranks of Seventh-day Adventists. The withholding of this means selfishly from the cause of God is blinding their eyes to the importance of the work of God, making it impossible for them to discern the solemnity of the times in which we live, or the value of eternal riches. They do not view Calvary in the right light, and therefore cannot appreciate the worth of the soul for which Christ paid such an infinite price. T21a 211.1

Men will invest means in that which they value the most and which they think will bring to them the greatest profits. When men will run great risks and invest much in worldly enterprises, but are unwilling to venture or invest much in the cause of God to send the truth to their fellow-men, they evidence that they value their earthly treasure more highly than the heavenly just in proportion as their works show. T21a 211.2

If men would lay their earthly treasures upon the altar of God, and work as zealously to secure the heavenly treasure as they have the earthly, they would invest means cheerfully and gladly wherever they could see an opportunity to do good and aid the cause of their Master, who intrusted them with means to test and prove their fidelity to him. Christ has given them unmistakable evidence of his love and fidelity to them. He left Heaven, his riches and glory, and for their sakes became poor, that they through his poverty might be made rich. After he has thus condescended to save man, Christ requires no less of man than that he should deny himself, and use the means he has lent him in saving his fellow-men, and by thus doing, give evidence of his love for his Redeemer, and show that he values the salvation brought to him by such an infinite sacrifice. T21a 212.1

Now is the time to use means for God. Now is the time to be rich in good works, laying up in store for ourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that we may lay hold on eternal life. One soul saved in the kingdom of God is of more value than all earthly riches. We are answerable to God for the souls of those with whom we are brought into contact, and the more closely our connections with our fellowmen, the greater is our responsibility. We are one great brotherhood, and the welfare of our fellow-men should be our great interest. We have not one moment to lose. If we have been careless in this matter it is high time we were now in earnest to redeem the time, lest the blood of souls be found in our garments. As children of God, none of us are excused from taking a part in the great work of Christ, in the salvation of our fellow-men. T21a 212.2

It will be a difficult work to overcome prejudice and convince the unbelieving that our efforts are disinterested to help them. But this should not hinder our labor. There is no precept in the Word of God that tells us to do good to those only who appreciate and respond to our efforts, and to benefit those only who will thank us for it. God has sent us to work in his vineyard. It is our business to do all we can. “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; thou knowest not which shall prosper, this or that.” We have too little faith. We limit the Holy One of Israel. We should any of us be grateful that God condescends to use us as his instruments. For every earnest prayer put up in faith for anything, answers will be returned. They may not come just as we have expected; but they will come—not perhaps as we have devised, but at the very time when we most need them. But oh! how sinful is our unbelief! “If ye abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” T21a 213.1

Young men who engage in this work should not trust too much to their own abilities. They are inexperienced, and should seek to learn wisdom from those who have had a long experience in the work, and who have had opportunities to study character. T21a 214.1

Instead of our ministering brethren laboring among the churches, God designs that we should spread abroad, and our missionary labor be extended over as much ground as we can possibly occupy to advantage, going in every direction to raise up new companies. We should ever leave upon the minds of new disciples an impression of the importance of our mission. As able men are converted to the truth, they should not require laborers to keep their flagging faith alive; but these men should be impressed with the necessity of laboring in the vineyard. As long as churches rely upon laborers from abroad to strengthen and encourage their faith, they will not become strong in themselves. They should be instructed that their strength will increase in proportion to their personal efforts. The more closely the New-Testament plan is followed in missionary labor, the more successful will be the efforts put forth. T21a 214.2

We should work as did our divine Teacher, sowing the seeds of truth with care, anxiety, and self-denial. We must have the mind of Christ if we would not become weary in well-doing. His was a life of continued sacrifice for others’ good. We must follow his example. The seed of truth we must sow, and trust in God to quicken it to life. The precious seed may lie dormant for some time, when the grace of God may convict the heart, and the seed sown be awakened to life, and spring up and bear fruit to the glory of God. Missionaries in this great work are wanted to labor unselfishly, earnestly, and perseveringly, as co-workers with Christ and the heavenly angels in the salvation of their fellow-men. T21a 215.1

Especially should our ministers beware of indolence and of pride, which are apt to grow out of a consciousness that we have the truth, and strength of arguments which our opponents cannot meet; and while the truths which we handle are mighty to the pulling down of the strongholds of the powers of darkness, there is danger of neglecting personal piety, purity of heart, and entire consecration to God. There is danger of their feeling that they are rich and increased with goods, while they lack the essential qualifications of a Christian. They may be wretched, poor, blind, miserable, and naked. They do not feel the necessity of living in obedience to Christ every day and every hour. Spiritual pride eats out the vitals of religion. In order to preserve humility, it would be well to remember how we appear in the sight of a holy God who reads every secret of the soul, and how we should appear in the sight of our fellow-men if they all knew us as well as God knows us. For this reason, to humble us, we are directed to confess our faults, and improve this opportunity to subdue our pride. T21a 215.2

Ministers should not neglect physical exercise. They should seek to make themselves useful, and be a help where they are dependent upon the hospitalities of others. They should not allow others to wait upon them, but rather lighten the burdens of those who have so great a respect for the gospel ministry that they would put themselves to great inconvenience in doing for them that which they should do for themselves. The poor health of some of our ministers is because of their neglect of physical exercise in useful labor. T21a 216.1

As the matter has resulted, I was shown that it would have been better had the Brn. Bourdeaus done what they could in the preparation of tracts to be circulated among the French people. If these works were not prepared in all their perfection, they might better have been circulated, that the French people could have an opportunity to search the evidences of our faith. There are great risks in delay. The French should have had books setting forth the reasons of our faith Brn. Bourdeau were not prepared to do justice to these works, for they needed to be spiritualized and enlivened themselves, and the books prepared would bear the stamp of their minds. They needed to be corrected, lest their preaching and writing should be tedious. They needed to educate themselves to come at once to the point, and make the essential features of our faith stand forth clearly before the people. The work has been hindered by Satan, and much has been lost because these works were not prepared as they should have been. Brn. Bourdeau can do much good if they are fully devoted to the work, and if they will follow the light God has given them. T21a 216.2

At the camp-meeting at Lancaster, 1870, the committee on publication of books considered the matter of preparing pamphlets to be circulated among the French people. The decision was in accordance with the light which God had previously given in testimony, that the tracts for other nations should be prepared with the greatest of care, and should not be left alone to the Brn. Bourdeau to bear the stamp of their minds. After Brn. Andrews, White, Waggoner, and Bourdeau had consulted over the matter, they decided to unite their efforts in placing before other tongues and nations the desired works. These tracts should be brief, right to the point, and made intensely interesting. T21a 217.1

But I regret to say that nothing has been done in regard to these books. Brn. Waggoner and Andrews have seemed to feel no burden of the matter since this decision, although they assumed equal responsibilities with my husband. My husband and myself attended twelve camp-meetings that season, besides laboring three weeks in Missouri. We were worn. We had done too much labor. We returned home to have the additional care of my husband's parents. Mother White was helpless from a stroke of paralysis. Father White was very feeble. We found the Office of publication suffering for want of proper help. Bro. Smith, who edited the Review, was at Rochester, N. Y., recovering from fever. Adelia Van Horn, our secretary, was sick with fever. Bro. Gage was at home, sick with fever, through needless exposure to wet and cold in taking a trip for pleasure to Chicago. The important posts were deserted by several. Bro. Bell had left the Instructor, and he was away. T21a 218.1

My husband took hold of the work, and I helped him what I could in the work that had been deserted by others. The Reformer, that had been edited by Bro. Gage, was sinking. Our people were losing their interest in it. My husband took it in its sinking condition, and made every effort to enliven and give it interest. He also worked earnestly for the Review and Instructor. In addition to this labor, we found upon our return from the camp-meeting campaign packages of letters laid aside for our examination, containing difficult matters which must be decided. All these letters required much thought and careful answers. T21a 218.2

The pressure of work, and the wearing anxiety in connection with the Office, was telling upon my husband. Home matters were neglected. His father and mother who were with us could receive but little attention from him personally. But that which grieved him most was the letters of discouragement coming from Brn. Waggoner and Andrews while he was standing under an almost insupportable weight of care and labor. My husband, by the help of God, improved the Review by enlarging it; also the Instructor. He resurrected the Reformer, which was apparently dead. He performed the labor which should have been shared with no less than three besides himself. And at the General Conference which followed this exhausting labor, there was additional care and burdens which nearly finished him. He had a slight shock of paralysis. Since that time, he has been standing under continual pressure of care and heavy, wearing responsibilities. He has had no time to revise tracts for other languages, or to write upon subjects of present truth. The blame of publications not being given to the French people does not vest upon my husband, for he positively could not do this work in addition to the accumulation of burdens which unjustly fell upon him. He has stood under the burdens that no other man would lift. T21a 219.1

My husband has divorced himself from the interest of his family to supply the want of labor in others. He has had no social enjoyment with his family. After his increased labor during the Conference of 1872 his strength seemed to give way. He could do no more. He should not sleep or rest nights. Nearly every night I was obliged to be up with him from two to four hours giving him treatment to relieve his sufferings. We then felt clear to drop the burdens that we had borne and flee for our lives from Battle Creek. We are in Colorado mountains and my husband is now fast improving in health. His physical and mental vigor are returning. The first of next week we leave the retired mountains of Colorado for California. T21a 220.1