Bible Workers Exchange

Personal Words of Encouragement

In a session of the General Confer­ence Committee there incidentally came up for consideration the present status of the Bible work in the unions and conferences of North America, and the possibilities for the accomplish­ment of far-reaching results through this phase of activity. It was intensely interesting to listen to the various speakers in referring to the effectiveness of the Bible work as demonstrated in past experience. Visualizing the readers of the Bible workers' exchange who would so gladly listen in on this particularly interesting discussion, we took our pencil and made a few jot­tings for your benefit.

Elder O. Montgomery, vice-president of the General Conference, said:

" There is apparent at the present time a tendency to drift away from the proper recognition of the importance of the Bible work, and a consequent lack in the employment of Bible work­ers. The result is that the majority of our young women seek training in lines of activity other than the Bible work. I believe that in all the union sessions special attention should be given to the importance of developing and training Bible workers. The great­est possible service which can be ren­dered by the ministry is to recruit Bible workers capable of carrying double responsibility,— first, teaching the truth to the people in their homes, and second, co-operating with the Home Missionary Department in train­ing the lay members in our churches to engage successfully in this particu­lar phase of home missionary endeavor. Just a short time ago I visited one of our large churches and found the con­ference Bible worker conducting a training class composed of forty or fifty brethren and sisters. The mem­bers of the class met every Sabbath afternoon, and were given full instruc­tion on how to build Bible studies, how to present subjects, how to meet ob­jections, how to approach people, how to break down prejudice, et cetera.

" I was much interested in the article which appeared in the January, 1928, number of The Ministry, by Elder G. R. West, of Denver, Colo., in which reference is made to a method of train­ing solicitors for securing definite ap­pointments for Bible studies. The old method has been to secure appoint­ments through the use of literature; and while this has its advantages, I believe we should adopt this new method which Elder West has put into practical operation,— of having solicitors go to the homes of the people with the straight proposition of sign­ing up Bible readers, as does the solici­tor for any other proposition. With a group of trained solicitors in a city, and thirty or forty of the lay members of the church trained to give Bible studies, it would not be an impossibil­ity to quickly cover the territory."

Elder M. N. Campbell, secretary of the Bureau of Home Missions of the General Conference, referred to his ex­perience as president of the Iowa Con­ference a number of years ago, during which time he gave special considera­tion to plans and arrangements for re­cruiting and training young women to enter the Bible work, which proved most fruitful in results. He referred to a number of successful Bible work­ers in conference employ to-day who started in the work at that time, and believes that far more attention should be given to interesting young people possessing the essential qualifications to choose the Bible work as their life calling, and also to developing the efficiency of the Bible worker to the highest degree.

Mrs. L. Flora Plummer, secretary of the General Conference Sabbath School Department, said, " I cannot keep my seat when this topic is under consid­eration, for if it had not been for the Bible work I do not think I would ever have been brought to a knowledge of the truth. It was soon after I moved to Des Moines, Iowa, that my doorbell rang one day, and opening the door I             found myself confronted by a pleasant-faced lady, whom I had never seen be­fore. She said that she was trying to interest people in studying the Bible, and that if I would permit her, she would come once a week and study the Bible with me, and that I might invite my neighbors to come in, if I wished to do so. She did not say one word about any literature, or anything else except to help me study the Bible. I supposed that she represented some of the churches in the city who were tak­ing this means of interesting newcom­ers. I invited the lady in, the appoint­ment was made, and, she began giving the Bible studies. My nearest neigh­bor and her daughter joined in the studies, and as the weeks went by we became more and, more interested.

" I was of such a doubting, obstinate nature, that in desperation the Bible worker finally turned me over to Elder A. G. Daniells, who had charge of the work in that city. He patiently bore with me, explained to me, taught me, and helped me, until finally I was brought clear over the line. My neigh­bor and her daughter and I all joined the church at the same time. The fact that I never in the world would have gone to a tent meeting to learn about the truth, and would not have read a book containing the truth, leads me to feel that the Lord sent the truth to me in the only way by which I would be reached — the Bible work; and conse­quently I feel a very deep interest in the continuation and strengthening of this line of work."

Mrs. J.W. Mace

Interesting Readers in the Sabbath Services *

By Florence Lawrance

In my experience in the Bible work in the city of Chicago, I have found that it is a good plan to interest my readers in the Sabbath services in the early stage of the Bible studies. If I can get my readers to come to the church, they are impressed by the fact that my work is part of a large, grow­ing, wide-awake movement, and this banishes many suspicions and estab­lishes confidence. But should you ask me to tell you just how to create an in­terest in our church services sufficient to draw the busy housewife from her home duties at the time of the day and the week which usually seems so im­possible, I would frankly answer, " I do not know."

In looking back over my experience in getting my readers to the church services, it seems to me that I just in­vited them to come, and they came. But I remember also some simple con­tributing factors. For example, I al­ways carried with me the printed cards which Elder L. B. Schick, our pastor, used in connection with his evangelis­tic meetings. These cards gave the lo­cation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the time of the Sabbath serv­ices, and a cordial invitation to attend. When handing these cards to my read­ers, I add an oral invitation to the serv­ices, which usually serves to deepen the interest. But it is often necessary to repeat the invitation a good many times before it is accepted.

Sometimes in the course of a Bible study, the reader will bring up differ­ent subjects concerning which informa­tion is desired, and often it is appropri­ate to turn this interest into the chan­nel of an invitation, by saying, " Oh, yes! Our minister used that text in his sermon a week ago. We are really having some wonderful expositions of the word of God by our pastor, in the church which is located on Charles Street. I know you would enjoy the services, and I shall look for you in the church next Sabbath." Often when the reader thinks she is expected and is being looked for, she will make a special effort to come. On other occa­sions I have referred to the excellent Sabbath school lessons, and invited the reader especially to attend the Sabbath school. Some people prefer class study, rather than a sermon; but usually when they come to the Sabbath school they will be interested in remaining to the preaching service.

Sometimes people inquire concern­ing our " Epworth League " meetings, and this gives opportunity to invite them to the Missionary Volunteer meetings, and it is only a step from there to the regular church service. In connection with our midweek prayer meeting, studies on our message have been given, and a special invita­tion is extended to my readers to at­tend the prayer meeting, and this often proves, an open door to the Sabbath morning service.

There are a number of familiar ob­jections to attending church services which are everywhere met. Some hold to the idea that they do not need the church, and prefer to live, as they con­sider they should live, outside the church doors. This sentiment is most common among backsliders. With an air of self-satisfied wisdom, others will point out the fact that there are " too many hypocrites in the church," there­fore they do not desire to be numbered with the church members. Of course the meeting of these objections is not a difficult matter, as far as facts and argument is concerned; but it is our high privilege and solemn responsibil­ity so to lift up Jesus, as the head of the church, that men and women will be won to Him and count it the highest privilege to become " members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones," building up that " glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Each case must be handled differently, but in answer to earnest prayer God will give us wis­dom in establishing our readers within the fold of the church.

Chicago.

* Paper read at Lake Union Conference.