The Missionary Leader for 1943

MISSIONARY LEADER VOLUME 31 SYDNEY, SEPTEMBER, 1943 NUMBER 9 papers? The last I had heard she had brought a hundred people to the truth." "She is still going strong," he replied, "and the list of souls is now 150." A Great Work Programme I cease to wonder at results like this when I read in the Spirit of prophecy that "invisible GEORGE BUTLER armies of light and power attend the meek and lowly ones who believe and claim the promises of God."—"Acts of the Apostles," page 154. A GREAT work programme is placed in the but excusing ourselves on the ground that as "There it is !" I said. I was looking at these hands of evangelists of the living Word, as we did not begin at the first there is no use simple agents and wondering how it was all "labourers together with God." We have the trying to step in at such a late hour? Or done. Now I saw that it was the work of last warning message to take to the whole perhaps you try to make excuse for idleness "invisible armies of light and power," who were world, and only a short time in which to do by hiding the one talent which you possess, looking only for true and humble agents the work. The Apostle James tells us that instead of putting it to use. "Go work today through whom to work. That made it plain. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and in My vineyard" is the ringing command of the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and the Master as it comes down through the ages On the back of one of the maps in my Bible widows in their affliction, and to keep himself in this late hour of earth's day. And all who I have for many years looked at this state- unspotted from the world." James I: 27. The are willing to respond and go to work will ment: "The talents of the humble cottager are prophet Isaiah gives us the details of James's receive His just reward in the final settlement. needed in the house-to-house labour, and can summary, in the following clear language:— accomplish more in this work than brilliant Christ lived a life of service from the cradle gifts."—"Testimonies," Vol. IX, pages 37, 38. "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to the grave. He worked day and night in to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the behalf of His Father's business. So success- There is here no premium placed on indolence heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go fully did He perform His life task that He was or mental sluggishness and distaste for applica- free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not able to say, "Father, I have glorified Thee on tion to earnest study. But the humble cottager to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou the earth: I have finished the work which may perhaps be more ready to study the real bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? Thou gayest Me to do." Would that we, essentials, the really deeper things of God, than when thou seest the naked, that thou cover called to be messengers of Jesus Christ in the one with brilliant gifts. him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine these last hours of probation, might each be Once, when I was on a visit to Oslo, Norway, own flesh?" Isa. 58: 6, 7. able to bear the same testimony as to faith- an old man of brilliant gifts, a man of repute In these verses we have eight different re- fulness in the work assigned to us! in the engineering world, wept as he told me quirements specified, and connected with these how a scrubwoman—one of our aged sisters requirements are sixteen blessings, as set forth who came to do cleaning in his home—had in the remaining verses of the chapter. This taught him how to read his Bible. She had is a work programme, and the servant of the Invisible Armies evidently taught him our way of giving a Bible reading—following a topic through by texts Lord tells us this programme should be in W. A. SPICER operation in every Seventh - day Adventist from one book or chapter to another. "Why," church. It calls for willing labour and conse- As I used to visit some of our mission fields, he exclaimed, "she taught me how to make a crated service by every member of the church. I marvelled at the fruitage that came sometimes path through the Bible!" His eyes filled with from the efforts of very simple and untutored tears as he told of the help that old sister had In Christ's parables of the talents and of the been to him. It seemed to me that he was not workers in the vineyard, the principles of ser- believers. The last time I was down in the Inter-American Division I met Elder C. E. far from the kingdom, and perhaps even in it, vice in the Master's vineyard are brought to though he was not quite a member at that time. view. In the distribution of talents, to one Wood, Superintendent of the Mexican Union. is given five, to another two, and to another "Well," I said, "how is that little old lady There is danger in getting our eyes on the one. The record shows that all talent-holders getting on, with the black bag full of tracts and world's idea of training to meet great issues. We must keep in mind the "invisible armies," made the same percentage of gain, except the and do our part with just what we have, one-talent man, who did not attempt to use 1,111.T.-^411"111^IPT".10,11.-"UTIP,,gr always seeking for more. Here is the picture the talent, but buried it out of sight. Here given us of the closing days: "God will use we can see an example of the practical work- ways and means by which it will be seen that ing out of an unchangeable law of nature, in Transforming Commonplace He is taking the reins in His own hands. The that what is not used is lost. Every Christian Affairs workers will be surprised by the simple means should thank God that he has received at least that He will use to bring about and perfect His one talent, and should earnestly seek to use EDGAR FRANK work of righteousness. Those who are ac- t to God's glory. It is not the number of counted good workers will need to draw nigh talents that counts, but the use made of them. A MAN I know has made an altar Of his factory bench. to God, they will need the divine touch. They To those who hear the spoken Word today will need to drink more deeply and continuously there is a lesson of encouragement in the And one has turned the counter in his store Into a place of sacrifice and holy ministry. at the fountain of living water, in order that parable of the labourers in the vineyard. We they may discern God's work at every point." read that some began work early in the morn- Another still has changed his office desk Into a pulpit desk, from which to speak and —"Testimonies to Ministers," page 300. ing, others began at noon, and still others at write, What a wonderful work lies before us—a the eleventh hour. And yet at the eleventh Transforming commonplace affairs work within reach of every believer! hour, some were not working, and the Master Into the business of the King. asked, "Why stand ye here all the day idle?" A Martha in our midst has made The ready answer came, "No man hath hired Her kitchen table a communion table. us." In modern parlance, this is the same as A postman makes his daily round HOME MISSIONARY GEMS saying, "The conference committee has not A walk in the temple of God. employed us." But the command of the Mas- IN the place of shifting your responsibility upon someone whom you think more richly ter was, "Go, work!" And they started in. To all of these each daily happening But when the time for settlement came, all the endowed than you are, work according to your Has come to be a whisper from the lips of ability.—"The Desire of Ages," page 370. workers received the same pay—those who had God, toiled from early morning until late at night, Each separate task a listening-post, and those who began between the eleventh and And every common circumstance "THE call of the hour—the last solemn hour twelfth hour. A wayside shrine. —is not to experience mere rapture or offer No doubt today some would question the up hollow words of praise, but to do His justice of such compensation. But we should bidding in the waiting fields." remember that the dear Lord does not recom- pense us by the time we begin, or the amount SUCCESSFUL work for Christ depends not so we do, or by the noise we make about it, but much on numbers or talent as upon pureness rather by our willingness to act when duty is of purpose, the true simplicity of earnest, pointed out. dependent faith.—"The Desire of Ages," page How are we responding to the calls for work- 370.

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