Cities of Northern Europe
363
effort, even at some expense, to bring the light before the people. This
message is to be given to the world; but unless our brethren have broad
ideas and plans, they will not see much accomplished.
While we should labor earnestly for the poorer classes, we are not
to confine our efforts to them, nor should our plans be so laid that we
shall have only this class of hearers. Men of ability are needed. The
more intellectual ability is brought into the work, so long as the talent
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is consecrated to God and sanctified by His Spirit, the more perfect the
work will be, and the higher it will stand before the world. The people
generally will refuse the message of warning; yet efforts must be made
to bring the truth before those of position and education as well as the
poor and illiterate.—
Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of
the Seventh-day Adventists, 183, 184
(1886).
Sweden’s Hall Problem—In Orebro, as well as in Copenhagen, I
am convinced that we might have had a good hearing if our brethren
had secured a suitable hall to accommodate the people. But they did
not expect much, and therefore did not receive much. We cannot expect
people to come out to hear unpopular truth when the meetings are ad-
vertised to be held in a basement, or in a small hall that will seat only a
hundred persons. The character and importance of our work are judged
by the efforts made to bring it before the public. When these efforts are
so limited, the impression is given that the message we present is not
worthy of notice. Thus by their lack of faith our laborers sometimes
make the work very hard for themselves.—
Historical Sketches of the
Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 200
(1886).
Northern Europe’s Harvest Evident—I was shown that many in
Northern Europe had embraced the truth through reading. Their souls
were hungering for light and knowledge when some tracts or papers
came into their hands, and they were represented to me as reading.
The wants of their souls were met; the Spirit of God softened and
impressed their hearts; tears were in their eyes, and sobs came from
burdened hearts. They knelt with the leaflets in their hands, and with
earnest prayer besought the Lord to lead them and help them to receive
the light as it was from Him. Some surrendered themselves to God.
Uncertainty was gone; and as they accepted the truth upon the Sabbath
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of the fourth commandment, they felt that they were indeed standing
upon the Rock of Ages. Many persons scattered all through Northern