Chapter 39—A Witness Unto All Nations
You Know Not Which Shall Prosper—There has been a slothful
neglect and a criminal unbelief among us as a people, which has kept
us back from doing the work God has left us to do in letting our light
shine forth to those of other nations. There is a fearfulness to venture
out and to run risks in this great work, fearing that the expenditure of
means would not bring returns. What if means are used and yet we
cannot see that souls have been saved by it? What if there is a dead
loss of a portion of our means? Better work and keep at work than to
do nothing. You know not which shall prosper, this or that.
God will have men who will venture anything and everything to
save souls. Those who will not move until they can see every step of
the way clearly before them, will not be of advantage at this time to
forward the truth of God. There must be workers now who will push
ahead in the dark as well as in the light, and who will hold up bravely
under discouragements and disappointed hopes, and yet work on with
faith, with tears and patient hope, sowing beside all waters, trusting
the Lord to bring the increase. God calls for men of nerve, of hope,
faith, and endurance, to work to the point.—
Life Sketches of Ellen G.
White, 213, 214
.
Experience With an Australian Citrus Grower—There was one
man whom, with his whole family, we highly prized. He is a reading
man, and has a large farm, on which grow the choicest of oranges and
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lemons, with other fruit. But he did not in the beginning fully take his
position for the truth, and went back. They told me about this. In the
night season the angel of the Lord seemed to stand by me, saying, “Go
to Brother H, place your books before him, and this will save his soul.”
I visited with him, taking with me a few of my large books. I talked
with him just as though he were with us. I talked of his responsibilities.
I said, “You have great responsibilities, my brother. Here are your
neighbors all around you. You are accountable for every one of them.
You have a knowledge of the truth, and if you love the truth, and stand
in your integrity, you will win souls for Christ.
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