General Conference Bulletin, vol. 3

THE REGIONS BEYOND

L. A. HOOPES

Our world is a field of missionary toil. We are to present before the people the love of God, not only as the motive of effort, but as the model of all our plans. We must work in the way he worked. His example is to be our pattern. GCB July 1, 1900, page 162.5

The Lord has given men and women capabilities and tact and skill, to be used to his name’s glory. When sincere, earnest efforts are put forth to win souls to God, we shall see of the salvation of God. Those who claim to be Christians should make an unreserved surrender of all they have to the Lord. Their time, their substance, and their influence are required of them by Him who willingly gave himself to save to the uttermost all who come to him. Those who claim to be children of God should throw the whole weight of their influence on the side of Christ, for his sake practicing self-denial and self-sacrifice. There is need of close communion with God and entire conformity to his will. This is the secret of gaining the power that will convict and convert sinners. The church has failed because she has not come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty influences of the Satanic force Church members have not as they should, pressed back the powers of darkness. This is the reason of the deficiency in the church to-day. The quickening power of God is needed. Men and women who love God supremely and their neighbors as themselves, are needed, men and women who crave the power of God, that they may bear witness to the love of Jesus. GCB July 1, 1900, page 162.6

Church members are to be God’s instruments in seeking to save those ready to perish. Be they many or few, they are to confer together, laying before one another their designs and plans, and obtaining the benefit of one another’s perception and foresight as to the best plans for securing success in the work. There are to be found no separate parties, who shall supply themselves with all the facilities for ensuring success, at the same time leaving those who should have equal encouragement, and means with which to carry on the work, with nothing with which to do the work which means the adding of new territory to the Lord’s kingdom. GCB July 1, 1900, page 163.1

The many fields in the Lord’s vineyard which have not been touched, call upon the places in which institutions are already established, to understand the situation. Let men curtail their ambition to branch out in a field which by God’s appointment has already been worked. Let there not be on the part of churches, families, or individuals any withholding of the means needed to furnish God’s servants with facilities for doing the work in regions beyond. Let not those in the fields where the work is established think of the great things they can do, and continue to expand self to large proportions, while other portions of the Lord’s vineyard are destitute of the advantages by which the work might be properly done. This is a religion of selfishness, and is offensive to God. It is a selfish ambition which leads men to call for more facilities in a field already possessing ample facilities, while missionary fields are in need of the advantages which these worked fields have in abundance. GCB July 1, 1900, page 163.2

The Lord’s work in new territories is to be carried forward to a successful accomplishment. In this work God’s plan is to be followed, not the inclinations of those who would gather into the section over which they have supervision, every possible advantage, “to give,” as they say, “character to the work,” while the utter destitution of other parts of the Lord’s vineyard is forgotten. Every work will be tested by God. Every thread of selfishness drawn in will be drawn out. GCB July 1, 1900, page 163.3

After nine years of struggling, we begin to see some signs of success in this country. But the advancement has been made under the most trying circumstances. In order to advance the work we have been obliged to borrow thousands of dollars. I tell you in the name of the Lord that this need not have been. If our institutions, our sanitariums and publishing houses, had bound about their desire for more facilities, and had shown an unselfish interest in the work so constantly set before them, the cause in foreign fields would certainly have made much more advancement, and marked success would have attended the business of which they were stewards. The selfish desire which some have shown, to use all the means to enrich one portion of the Lord’s vineyard, reveals unfaithful stewardship; and I am charged to make this appeal to God’s people. GCB July 1, 1900, page 163.4

The great Head of the church has given talents to the company of believers. He has given his Word to mold the character, and his Spirit to bring all things to their remembrance. He desires his people to bring into their work the true principles of missionary effort. Many of the Lord’s servants are numbered with those of whom John wrote, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” Those who are left to plant the standard in new places are to have a keen, sanctified interest in every plan which is related, directly or indirectly, to the great work of warning the world. Those who have stood in positions of trust, faithful men who have been led and guided by God, are to thank him for his molding, fashioning power. They are to carry his work onward and upward to perfect accomplishment. They are to move with careful, prayerful consideration, lest they mar the influence of the work by changing the order which the Lord has said should be followed. As they advance, step by step, they are to mind the same things, to advance in the same lines, that the truth may never be dishonored or lose its sacred, holy influence in the sight of the world. GCB July 1, 1900, page 163.5

As those who took up the work at the beginning of the message have advanced by self-denial and self-sacrifice, God has given them his blessing. They have had much to learn, they have made mistakes, they have needed continual guidance and counsel; but they have had reason for constant gratitude, because the work has gone forward in spite of poverty and a lack of facilities. They strained every nerve to make the work a success, to establish those buildings which were necessary for the proper development of the work; and under all circumstances the Lord guided them. GCB July 1, 1900, page 164.1

Those who enter the work later, to find things ready to their hand, should at least attempt to pay the debt they owe the Lord, and the workers who went before them, by carrying the truth into new territories, until it has gone to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In every country men and women are to be raised up to carry forward the very work begun by those who have been laid away to rest. The memory of those pioneer workers is to be guarded, and from their treasure of experience, the workers of to-day are to learn to pass from one line of advanced work to another, following the methods declared by the Holy Spirit to be in the order of God, asserting the principles enjoined in the Word, carrying the aggressive welfare into new fields. GCB July 1, 1900, page 164.2

Home and foreign missions are to share equally of God’s trust money. In planning for the work, the difficulties to be met in foreign fields are to be considered. Let not those who have every advantage be niggardly in appropriating means for the advancement of the work in mission fields. For Christ’s sake, willing support is to be given to the work of the gospel, which is to be carried to all parts of the world. And by the work of the press the work is to be established and confirmed. GCB July 1, 1900, page 164.3

Christ should never again be dishonored, and his cause put to shame by a lack of the true missionary spirit. A great mistake has been made. In their selfishness men have grasped means and advantages for their own field, though knowing the need of help in new fields. They have not supplied that which was necessary for the progress of the work. They have not helped their brethren fight the battle which once had to be fought in the fields they now occupy. GCB July 1, 1900, page 164.4

The work all over the world is to receive consideration. New fields are to be entered. Let those at the heart of the work remember that much means and much hard labor is required to accomplish the work in new fields. Let them be faithful stewards of the Lord’s goods. Let them not feel that they are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, but let them practice true, Bible religion, which enjoins self-sacrifice at every step. They are to closely examine the needs of the work, reviewing the needs of all the fields; for they are God’s agents set for the extension of the truth, in all parts of the world. They are not excusable if they remain in blindness and ignorance regarding the needs of the work. They are to know the advantages and defects of each field, and then with a true spirit of unselfish interest they are to work for the accomplishment of the work as a whole. GCB July 1, 1900, page 164.5

In this work all the churches which have been established are to act a part, according to their several ability. If difficulties come up in missionary fields, let investigation be made without delay, lest the path of duty be hid or made obscure. As these questions come up before those who are wise in God’s wisdom, examination will be united with the exercise of prudence. By using the knowledge God has given them, men will gain a clear, sharp experience. By exercising their God-given ability in helping to plant the standard of truth in new territory, they will receive great blessing. After they have unselfishly tried to gain a right understanding of the situation, they are to approach the mercy-seat asking for clear intuition and an unselfish purpose, that they may see the necessities of far-off fields. As they ask the Lord to help them to advance the work in regions beyond, they will receive grace from on high. Never will they seek the Lord in vain. GCB July 1, 1900, page 164.6

But when men close the eyes of their understanding, lest they shall see and the sympathies of their hearts be awakened, lest they shall feel and be obliged to act, they become hardened and selfish, unfitted to serve God in any capacity. GCB July 1, 1900, page 165.1

America was long the field of missionary conflict. God has prospered the work in that country. If those there had cherished the spirit of self-sacrificing missionary effort, fewer unnecessary buildings would have been erected, and the kingdom of Christ would have been extended to many regions. There would have been shown a missionary zeal which has not yet been developed by those whose duty it is to carry the needs of the work on their souls. Much more would have been done to plant the standard in other places besides America. GCB July 1, 1900, page 165.2

But selfishness, so abhorrent to God, came in. The work was neglected, when there was plenty of means to send missionaries abroad to preach the gospel, raise up churches, and erect meeting-houses. If men had worked actively on the Lord’s plan, laboring earnestly and unselfishly to impart what God had given them, churches would have been established in many places. The standard would have been planted in new fields. Witness would have been borne to the truth in many more cities. God’s memorial of creation, the seventh-day Sabbath, would have been honored. GCB July 1, 1900, page 165.3

The great Head of the church permitted a parable to be enacted in your midst at the last General Conference. You were led to expect, from one claiming to be converted, a large donation, pledged to different branches of the work. Apparently the one who was to have made this donation was as sincere as any man in the Conference, but he disappeared, and all came to nothing. GCB July 1, 1900, page 165.4

Just in this way has God been disappointed in his people, whom he has enriched abundantly with all good things, but who have failed to fulfill his expectations. GCB July 1, 1900, page 165.5

A straightforward plan is to be followed in dealing with believers in home and foreign fields. An unselfish equality is to be maintained among the working forces. Money is to be provided to support missionaries. An agent should be appointed to investigate the situation in foreign countries and to report. Those in the places where the work has been established should bind about their supposed wants, that the work in foreign fields may go forward. In the institutions which have been established there will be a desire to grasp more and still more advantages. But the Lord declares that this should not be. The means in his treasury is to be used in building up the work in the places where there are no conveniences. The workers in foreign fields should not be left to beg. The condition of every new mission field should be examined, that there may be equality in the distribution of means. GCB July 1, 1900, page 165.6

MRS. E. G. WHITE. GCB July 1, 1900, page 165.7