218 Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists
We must act, and God will not fail us. He will do his part, when we
in faith do ours. Brethren and sisters who have been long in the truth,
you have not done the work God calls upon you to do. Where is your
love for souls?
Error is prevailing everywhere. The great adversary of souls is
mustering his forces. He is setting every device in operation in order
to confuse the minds of men with specious errors, and thus destroy
souls. Those with whom God has intrusted the treasures of his truth
are to let the light shine amid the moral darkness.
Seventh-day Adventists are making progress, doubling their num-
bers, establishing missions, and unfurling the banner of truth in the
dark places of the earth; and yet the work moves far more slowly than
God would have it. The members of the church are not individually
aroused to put forth the earnest effort they are capable of making, and
every branch of the work is crippled by the lack of fervent piety, and
devoted, humble, God-fearing laborers. Where are the soldiers of the
cross of Christ? Let the God-fearing, the honest, the single-hearted,
who look steadfastly to the glory of God, prepare themselves for the
battle against error. There are too many faint, cowardly hearts in this
hour of spiritual conflict. Oh that out of weakness they may be made
strong, and wax valiant in fight, and put to flight the armies of the
aliens!
There is a class that are represented by Meroz. The missionary
spirit has never taken hold of their souls. The calls of foreign missions
have not stirred them to action. What account will those render to
God, who are doing nothing in his cause,—nothing to win souls to
Christ? Such will receive the denunciation, “Thou wicked and slothful
servant.”
The interest and labors of the church must be extended more
earnestly and decidedly to both home and foreign missions. Those
who have been successful in using their talents to secure earthly trea-
sures should now employ these capabilities to advance God’s cause
and build up his kingdom. Their tact and ability sanctified to God, will
be accepted, and he will make it effective in the grand work of turning
men from error to truth. There should be deep heart-searching with
our young men and women to see if they have not a work to do for
the Master. There is a work to be accomplished which money cannot
do. Destitute fields must be supplied with earnest laborers, with those