This is the most remarkable and solemn period of human history. It is the “time of the end” which began in 1798, and which is to usher in the end of time. It is the “day of His preparation” foretold by Nahum. It is the “days of the voice of the seventh angel,” in the beginning of which the gospel work is to be finished.GCB October 1, 1902, page 653.5

This is the hour of God’s judgment, during which the last threefold message of warning and salvation is being given to the world to prepare it for the coming of the Son of Man. This is the time of sealing the people of God, during which, and until it is accomplished, the angels are holding the nations from world-wide revolution and destruction.GCB October 1, 1902, page 653.6

No generation ever faced the tremendous problems which confront both the world and the church to-day. A crisis is surely imminent. This is the deep, sober conviction of the most thoughtful men the world over.GCB October 1, 1902, page 653.7

The church may well pause and search for its bearings at such a time. Its only sure and infallible guide now, as in all past time, is the Word of God made clear to our finite minds by the Holy Spirit. The meaning of all that surrounds us is made plain by that word. There is no question as to where we are nor what we should do.GCB October 1, 1902, page 653.8

Every line of prophecy in the Scriptures is entirely fulfilled, save the last link of each, which connects time with eternity. The signs given by our Saviour to make the world know that he is about to come, have been fulfilled. The working of Satan which the Lord said would be with all power and signs and lying wonders just before the end is everywhere manifest. The most subtle delusions of every kind are abroad in the land, sweeping into darkness and down to perdition millions of the human family. National, political, social, industrial, and religious conditions to-day are exactly what the Word of God declares they will be at the coming of Christ. There need not be any doubt, then, in the mind of the earnest, enlightened Bible student as to the meaning of the present situation.GCB October 1, 1902, page 653.9

Nor should the church of God miss its way at this time. Its mission to the world is plain. Its field of operation is well defined, and its work clearly expressed. Every order ever sent down to the church from her great Head to give His message to the world falls upon our ears to-day with new emphasis and force. Every example of missionary effort handed down to us from the experience of God’s people becomes both an exhortation and a lesson.GCB October 1, 1902, page 653.10

At this point it may be well to halt a moment, and take a good square look at the extent of the field. “Lift up your eyes,” said Christ, “and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” John 4:35. “The field is the world.” Matthew 13:38. “Go yet into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15. “Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8. “I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” Revelation 14:6. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:14.GCB October 1, 1902, page 654.1

There is nothing uncertain nor ambiguous about these scriptures. They define our field of service as definitely as words can do it. And that field is nothing less than the whole wide world. The glorious truth that has saved our souls we are to tell to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.GCB October 1, 1902, page 654.2

Never in its long and eventful history has the church of God stood face to face with a more definite and divinely appointed mission than it does to-day. Never has it surveyed such a vast field to be harvested. Never has it looked into so many open doors, nor listened to so many Macedonian calls. And never has the church been provided with such abundant facilities for world-wide service.GCB October 1, 1902, page 654.3

The missionary problem of to-day means far more to Seventh-day Adventists than it does to other religious bodies. Our field is more than the so-called heathen lands—it is the world—Christendom and heathendom. The message we have to proclaim is not for those only who have never heard the gospel—it is a call to all the people of the world to prepare to meet their God. The churches themselves must hear this message and the call for God’s people to come out. Thus every land and every spot where men dwell must be reckoned as our mission field. Never before has the field of God’s people been so wide as it is today.GCB October 1, 1902, page 654.4

This great task would be impossible of accomplishment were it not for the marvelous preparations God has made during the last century. It is essential that we recognize the guiding hand of God in these preparations.GCB October 1, 1902, page 654.5

The following practical, yet eloquent, statements from Arthur T. Pierson are worthy of a place in this reading:—GCB October 1, 1902, page 654.6

“Is it of no importance, and has it no significance, that, at last, we know the whole world—the field we are bidden to sow with the seed of the kingdom? that we have such facilities for reaching every nation, that no peoples are any longer afar off? that civilization is so widespread that barbarism scarcely anywhere survives? that the various nations are coming into fraternal bonds of mutual sympathy, assimilation, and co-operation? that there remains no nation of any standing that openly encourages human slavery? and that every grand preparation, of steam, electricity, printing-press, postal union, common schools, etc., has been given to us for doing world-wide work?GCB October 1, 1902, page 654.7

“There is, indeed, a superintending Providence of God in foreign missions.... In opening the doors, He has made sea and land the highways for national intercourse, and the avenues to national brotherhood. In multiplying the facilities for world-wide evangelization, He has practically annihilated time and space, and demolished even the barriers of language. The printing and circulation of the Bible in so many tongues (about four hundred) reverses the miracle of Babel and repeats the miracle of Pentecost. With the organization of the church army now so complete, but one thing more is needful; namely, to recognize the invisible Captain of the Lord’s hosts as actually on the field, to hear His clarion call summoning us to the front, to echo and obey His word of command as we hear His ‘Forward, march!’ We may well be confident that it is His mission we are executing, and that He is with us; we may well rally all our forces in united and sympathetic action. In the firm faith of His leadership let us pierce the very center of the foe, turn his staggering wings, and move forward as one united host in one overwhelming charge ‘till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.’”GCB October 1, 1902, page 654.8

In a recent communication from the Spirit of Prophecy we are told that “the whole world is opening to the gospel.” Let us thank God for this cheering assurance. Our missionaries in every land testify that this is the truth. By means of the mariner’s compass, the application of steam and electricity, and the use of the printing-press, the whole world is brought close together and into sympathetic touch. Barriers to gospel work have been leveled, the doors to nearly all nations have been thrown wide open, and the world now lies at the feet of the church.GCB October 1, 1902, page 654.9

So far as open doors and prepared fields are concerned, we as a people have every reason to thank God and take courage. Wherever our laborers have gone they have found that others have labored and that we are permitted to enter into their labors.GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.1

The European field has been opened, entered, and organized. All the countries of Europe, European Russia, the Balkan States, Turkey, Syria, and Egypt are associated together under the European General Conference. The territorial area of this field is seven and a half millions of square miles. The population is five hundred millions. This field contains thirty separate nations, speaking thirty different languages. It has thirty different governments with twenty different rulers.GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.2

Our people in the United States can scarcely realize the magnitude of the European field. Its area is twice that of the United States, including Alaska, while its population is one third of that of the world, and six times that of the United States. The difficulties involved in giving this message in so many languages to people living in so many governments with their varied and complicated laws can only be appreciated by those on the ground.GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.3

But with all these conditions confronting our missionaries, they have prosecuted their work with courageous hearts, and their labors in those countries have been in a good measure successful. Scattered among the vast multitudes of that field there are now eight thousand Sabbath keepers. These are organized into three hundred churches. We are maintaining in that field sixty-two ordained ministers, thirty-three licensed preachers, and eighty-three licensed missionaries.GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.4

The various parts of the European field have been well organized. There are three Union Conferences and two Union Mission Fields. Within these Union organizations there are eleven local conferences and twenty separate local mission fields.GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.5

The Union Conferences are the British Union, with a population of forty-two millions; the Scandinavian, with twelve millions; and the German with two hundred and fifty-five millions. The Union mission fields are the Latin Union, with a population of one hundred millions, and the Oriental with fifty-six millions.GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.6

Then there are India, China, and Japan with their teeming millions. “The harvest truly is great,” and the laborers indeed few. Yet these fields are ready for our messengers. Their doors are open. Yea, more, they are calling us to come over and help them.GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.7

Burma’s door is open. There the Lord has raised up a Sabbath keeper who has stood alone two years, not knowing that there was another Christian Sabbath keeper in the world. And in the same land He has filled the hearts of many people with an inquiring spirit. Burma calls loudly to this people for a messenger. How different this situation to-day to what it was when the saintly Judson entered that land ninety years ago. Shall Burma wait? or shall this call find a quick response from this people?GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.8

God has gone before us into Italy, and even Rome itself, and prepared the way for our messengers. Two dear sisters in Rome have embraced this message. They have been keeping the Sabbath three years or more. During that time they have stood alone in that great dark city, waiting for us to send them a messenger. These young women are well educated, and stand so related to many people in Rome that they can render great help to our work. Although Italians, they speak English fluently. They hold themselves in readiness to join our mission band on their arrival, and give them every possible service in acquiring the language and becoming acquainted with a large class of nice people. It seems impossible that a more favorable opening could be created. And praise the Lord, a laborer has been secured for that field, and is now on his way. In a few months a permanent mission will have been established by this people in the city of Rome.GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.9

The openings and calls here mentioned are by no means the only ones that could be cited. Indeed, they are scarcely exceptions to what we find in all lands. Our missionaries in South America send the most encouraging reports from that seemingly hard field. And the same may be said of Africa. Every step we take to give this message in new fields brings to our knowledge direct, unmistakable evidences that God has gone before us into all lands to open doors and prepare hearts for this message.GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.10

Now, brethren, what do these things mean? Think soberly and answer honestly. Why has God led explorers to find and bring into clear, full view every nation in the world? Why has He led missionaries and Bible translators hard after explorers to all the people of the world? Why has He filled the minds of men with the spirit of investigation, invention, and discovery? Why has He, by means of steam railways, steamships, electric telegraph, and cable lines, the printing press, and many other devices, brought all nations so close together and into such unity of thought? And, having done all this, why has He moved hearts to call for the light of the third angel’s message? Surely it is for the one great purpose of sending His messengers in haste to all these nations to proclaim to them His last message—the third angel’s message of Revelation 14.GCB October 1, 1902, page 655.11

Brethren, let us here and now determine that we will be true to our God; that we will respond promptly to these calls, and that we will at once enter the open doors.GCB October 1, 1902, page 656.1

A. G. DANIELLS.

SAVED TO SERVE

CONSECRATION OF OUR MEANS TO SERVICE