The Bible Echo
May 21, 1894
Preach in Regions Beyond
The love that was manifested in the life and character of Christ is no narrow, selfish affection. You are to be constrained by His love to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to your hand. “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” The work ever before the minister of Christ is to preach the gospel, both to those that are nigh, and “in regions beyond.” It involves self-denial, and necessitates cross-bearing. This kind of work, that will lead us continually to be faithful home missionaries and to press forward into new fields, must be carried on more and more as we near the close of earth's history. The gospel is not to be restricted to any time, or confined to any place. The world is the field for the gospel minister, and the whole human family is his congregation. When he has finished giving a discourse, his work is only just entered upon; for the word of life is to be presented from house to house. The truth must be carried from city to city, from street to street, from family to family. Every method by which access may be gained to the homes of the people must be tried; for the messenger must become acquainted with the people. The truth must be carried from province to province, from kingdom to kingdom. The highways and byways must be thoroughly gleaned, and the message must spread from continent to continent, until the whole earth is belted with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. BEcho May 21, 1894, par. 1
Ministers and missionaries must ever keep in view the “regions beyond.” The Saviour has said of His people, “Ye are the light of the world.” The truth is to be proclaimed; the light is to shine forth in clear, steady rays. Self-denial, self-sacrifice, whole-heartedness, must be put into the work; the light must shine forth until precious souls are brought to take their stand on the Lord's side. Then the worker is to press on into the “regions beyond,” where souls are to be gathered, and precious light shine amid the moral darkness that enshrouds the people. Thus must the truth be preached until the minds of those who sit in darkness as under the pall of death, are enlightened, and elevated, and broadened. Every worker must stand at his post of duty, not only to preach, but to come close to souls, to become acquainted with them at their homes, as did Jesus, working unselfishly, devotedly, until the work is well bound off. When one company is raised up to carry light to the community, openings will be seen that invite the labourers into the “regions beyond.” The workers for God will ever be pressing onward, ever depending upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit. BEcho May 21, 1894, par. 2
The Lord will not approve of ministers spending much of their time with churches that already believe the truth. When they preach to those who understand the truth for this time, and labour with them, devoting their time to the flock, they teach the people to depend upon them in their various perplexities. It is needful that our churches should be visited by ministers, but the churches must not expect that the minister is to hold them up and make them believe. By such a course the church is weakened rather than strengthened. Ministers have a work to do that will call them away from believing companies; for they are to bear the warning message to those who have never heard the truth for this time. BEcho May 21, 1894, par. 3
The minister who presents to the people the third angel's message must not think that he is called upon to bring in various ideas to charm the senses of the people, but from the very introduction of his work he is to present the truth in its sacred, solemn character. He is to let his hearers understand that he bears a message of warning that is to test the world, and prepare a people for the great day of the Lord. Pleasing tales and anecdotes may attract the people, and churches may be raised up, and attracted and bound to the messenger; but the practical truth in the heart, the possession of the faith that works by love and purifies the soul, may be wanting. It will be more difficult to mould and reshape a church that has been so fashioned, than to go forth and preach in regions beyond; for those who have accepted a theory of the truth have not been transformed by the Holy Spirit. God's workmen must not follow after the world's practices and customs in the least. Any course that the minister shall pursue that will lead the people to look to him and depend upon him, is not after the working of the Holy Spirit. The pure word of God alone must be preached to the people in clear lines, and its convincing, controlling power on heart and life will alone transform the character and save the soul. “The word of the Lord endureth forever.” “The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” The “simple” here mentioned are not those who are devoid of reasoning powers, but those who are not puffed up with self-conceit. The simple are those who are emptied of self, and in whom the vacuum has been supplied by the Holy Spirit, which brings every power of body and soul into subjection, and moulds and fashions the character after the divine pattern. BEcho May 21, 1894, par. 4