550
Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
by subscription, raise the amount of the full price of the paper and
supply the destitute families. How much better would this plan be
than throwing the poor upon the mercies of the publishing house or
the tract and missionary society.
The same course should be pursued toward the Signs. With slight
variations, this paper has been increasing in interest and in moral worth
as a pioneer sheet since its establishment. These periodicals are one in
interest. They are two instrumentalities in the great field to do their
specific work in disseminating light in this day of God’s preparation.
All should engage just as earnestly to build up the one as the other.
“The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are
[599]
open unto their cry.” Christ will succor those who flee to Him for
wisdom and strength. If they meet duty and trial with humility of soul,
depending upon Jesus, His mighty angel will be round about them,
and He whom they have trusted will prove an all-sufficient helper in
every emergency. Those who occupy responsible positions should
daily become more intimately acquainted with the excellency, the
faithfulness, and the love of Christ. They should be able to exclaim
with assurance: “I know whom I have believed.” These men should
work as brethren, without one feeling of strife. Each should do his
duty, knowing that the eye of God is searching motives and purposes,
and reading the inmost feelings of the soul. The work is one. And
if leading men do not let their own mind and their own feelings and
ideas come in to rule and change the Lord’s design, there will be the
most perfect harmony between these two branches of the same work.
Our people should make greater efforts to extend the circulation
of the Review. If our brethren and sisters would only manifest greater
earnestness and put forth more persevering efforts to accomplish this,
it would be done. Every family should have this paper. And if they
would deny themselves their darling luxuries, tea and coffee, many
who do not now have its weekly visits might pay for the messenger
of light to come into their household. Almost every family takes one
or more secular papers, and these frequently contain love stories and
exciting tales of villainy and murder which injure the minds of all
who read them. Those who consent to do without the Review and
Herald lose much. Through its pages Christ may speak to them in
warnings, in reproofs and counsel, which would change the current of
their thoughts and be to them as the bread of life.