Manuscript Releases, vol. 9 [Nos. 664-770]

MR No. 695—Evangelistic Methods to which Seventh-day Adventists Are Not Called

The gospel wagon is an absorbing of money and of time. And what does it leave behind? Experience will show that the results are not proportionate to the expenditure. Camp meetings, large and small, are needed, to give the proper kind of education in religious exercises. They give also the discipline of organization and order. 9MR 81.1

There is such a thing as conducting gospel work in a way that does harm to the workers. This is not the way to accomplish the work that must be done for our world. We are not to follow the methods of the Salvation Army. Preach the truth, then pray the truth. Have more camp meetings to bring the truth before the people in its very simplicity. Do as we have done: Help the people to go to the camp meetings. Provide food and lodging for them. Let the meetings continue one or two weeks.... 9MR 81.2

A very limited amount of good may possibly be done with the gospel wagon. But if the workers have a real love for souls, they may find more effective ways of working.... 9MR 81.3

I am troubled when I see so many ways devised to expend means which, from the light God has been pleased to give me, will result in very little advancement unto eternal life. I know that other methods could be devised that would be less expensive and would leave a much better after-influence.—Letter 3, 1899, pp. 12, 13, (To J. H. Kellogg, January 5, 1899.) 9MR 81.4