Chapter 9—Types of Work in Neighborhood
Evangelism
A Large Work Before Our Churches—There is a work to be
done by our churches that few have any idea of.... We shall have to
give of our means to support laborers in the harvest field, and we shall
rejoice in the sheaves gathered in. But while this is right, there is a
work, as yet untouched, that must be done. The mission of Christ was
to heal the sick, encourage the hopeless, bind up the brokenhearted.
This work of restoration is to be carried on among the needy suffering
ones of humanity.
God calls not only for your benevolence but for your cheerful
countenance, your hopeful words, the grasp of your hand. Relieve
some of God’s afflicted ones. Some are sick, and hope has departed.
Bring back the sunlight to them. There are souls who have lost their
courage; speak to them, pray for them. There are those who need the
bread of life. Read to them from the Word of God. There is a soul
sickness no balm can reach, no medicine heal. Pray for these, and
bring them to Jesus Christ. And in all your work Christ will be present
to make impressions upon human hearts.—
Manuscript 105, 1898
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Visit Every Family and Know Their Spiritual Condition—
Wherever a church is established, all the members should engage ac-
tively in a missionary work. They should visit every family in the neigh-
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borhood and know their spiritual condition. If professed Christians
had engaged in this work from the time when their names were first
placed on the church books, there would not now be such widespread
unbelief, such depths of iniquity, such unparalleled wickedness, as is
seen in the world at the present time. If every church member had
sought to enlighten others, thousands upon thousands would today
stand with God’s commandment-keeping people.
And not only in the world do we see the result of the church’s
neglect to work in Christ’s lines. By this neglect a condition of things
has been brought into the church that has eclipsed the high and holy
interests of the work of God. A spirit of criticism and bitterness has
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