Providing Church Buildings
Memorials for the Truth—When an interest is aroused in any
town or city, that interest should be followed up. The place should be
thoroughly worked, until a humble house of worship stands as a sign,
a memorial of God’s Sabbath, a light amid the moral darkness. These
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memorials are to stand in many places as witnesses to the truth. God
in His mercy has provided that the messengers of the gospel shall go
to all countries, tongues, and peoples, until the standard of truth shall
be established in all parts of the inhabited world.—
Testimonies For
The Church 6:100
(1900).
It Assures a Stable Work—Wherever a company of believers is
raised up, a house of worship should be built. Let not the workers
leave the place without accomplishing this.
In many places where the message has been preached and souls
have accepted it, they are in limited circumstances, and can do but
little toward securing advantages that would give character to the
work. Often this renders it difficult to extend the work. As persons
become interested in the truth, they are told by the ministers of other
churches,—and these words are echoed by the church members,—
“These people have no church, and you have no place of worship. You
are a small company, poor and unlearned. In a short time the ministers
will go away, and then the interest will die down. Then you will give
up all these new ideas which you have received.”
Can we suppose that this will not bring strong temptation to those
who see the reasons of our faith and are convicted by the Spirit of
God in regard to present truth? It has to be often repeated, that from a
small beginning large interests may grow. If wisdom and sanctified
judgment and skillful generalship are manifested by us in building up
the interests of our Redeemer’s kingdom, we shall do all in our power
to assure the people of the stability of our work. Humble sanctuaries
will be erected where those who accept the truth may find a place
to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience.—
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Testimonies For The Church 6:100, 101
(1900).
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