With the request coming from the Australasian Union Conference committee that I spend a few months in the Australasian Division, there developed a program for a series of ministerial institutes. This program has been operative in Fiji, New South Wales (for the two local conferences in that state), Victoria (attended by the workers of Tasmania), South Australia, West Australia, and New Zealand. In the New Zealand institute the workers from the two local conferences were in attendance. The plan had been to hold another institute in the Queensland Conference, but owing to the large amount of time required for the nine camp meetings throughout the division, it became necessary to omit this institute.
It has been a great pleasure to me to travel over this field, in which I labored for fourteen years during the pioneer days of our work in Australia. In these five institutes, and at the Queensland camp meeting, I have had the privilege of coming into very close association with all the conference workers in this division, with the exception of workers in some of the island missions.
It had been years since these widely scattered conference laborers had met together in the capacity of an institute for intensive, earnest study of the vital problems relating to the improvement and efficiency of gospel workers; and never, in all the institutes that I have conducted during the last twenty-five years, have I seen deeper, truer interest manifested than has been shown by these conference laborers. From the beginning to the close of each of these gatherings there was a very apparent desire on the part of all to obtain all the help possible. And I rejoice to say that we were not disappointed, for the Lord gave us what we needed and what we sought for by careful study and earnest prayer.
A detailed account of these five institutes would make a very interesting report, but by far too lengthy for the space available. I must therefore limit this report to the special and very impressive experience connected with the West Australia institute. In one of the sessions of this institute there came over us all such an overwhelming conviction of inefficiency and unworthiness as to cause the whole forenoon to be spent in humble confession and importunate prayer. This led to the appointment of a committee to draft a statement of the present situation as it had so clearly come to view, combining suggestions as to the course to be pursued by ministers and other workers in order to meet the mind of the Lord in their work. When this statement was prepared and brought before the workers, every item was given most serious consideration, and was unanimously adopted. But the method of adopting this special report differed from anything I had ever witnessed. When the moment came for the vote, one of the workers suggested that instead of adopting these solemn and vital facts, resolutions, and recommendations in the usual manner, by a show of hands, we signify our adoption while on our knees in prayer. Never have I witnessed a response more sincere, wholehearted, and solemn. Light and power and blessing filled the room.
This same statement of high ideals and resolve was presented to the workers in the West Australia and New Zealand institutes, and its adoption was again marked by confession and prayer. It was also fully considered in the spring council of the division committee, and prayerfully and fully adopted as the program to be followed in all the conferences and mission fields of this division. If this comprehensive statement of recognition, purpose, and determination is faithfully carried out, what a great spiritual work will result, for the churches, the believers, and the workers themselves! My heart's desire and prayer to God is that this sacred covenant may be carried out with the same burning enthusiasm with which it was made.
In order that there may be intelligent understanding of the broad platform upon which the workers in the Australasian Division have so solemnly taken their stand, the statement as originally prepared is furnished herewith:
"The Preamble
" In view of the disquieting fact that very inadequate progress is being made in winning men and women from the world to Christ, and also of the fact that too large a proportion of those who do unite with the church are lost to the church through various influences, we, the ministers and workers of the West Australian Conference, hereby place ourselves on record as recognizing:
" 1. That the increasing state of guilt, indifference, hardness, and rebellion against God, manifested in the world, is a fulfillment of plain predictions of the Sacred Scriptures.
" 2. That the Scriptures also predict the state of spiritual feebleness and tendency to apostasy manifest in the church in these last days.
" 3. That there is a reason for the lack of power in the church.
" 4. That there is a remedy for this lack of power.
" 5. That the responsibility for the state of powerlessness without and lukewarmness within, rests primarily upon the men comprising the ministry of the church.
" 6. That the past history of the church shows that God has graciously visited the church and the world, and accomplished a notable work of revival and salvation in times of the greatest darkness, bold and presumptuous resistance of God, and spiritual weakness and apostasy.
" 7. That God has done this when He has had servants who have set themselves by fervent and importunate prayer, and the self-renouncing and unremitting pursuit of holiness, to obtain His help and intervention in the affairs of the church and the work for the world.
" 8. That God will have men in these last days who will thus obtain help and deliverance for themselves, for those within the church to whom they minister, and for the salvation of the lost, so that the work of the gospel will close with a supreme manifestation of grace and power in the hour of the world's deepest darkness and extremest apostasy.
" 9. That these facts are a solemn challenge to the ministry in the Adventist Church to give themselves to self-examination, humiliation, and repentance before God, to most earnest and continued prayer, and to the most devout and diligent study of His revealed will, that they may bring warm, loving, fervent, Spirit-filled labor into the church, and be enabled to witness for Christ in demonstration of the Spirit and with power.
" The Resolution
" We therefore resolve and determine that we will, as ministers, earnestly set our faces to follow the course set forth in the foregoing statement.
" Recommendations
"I. The Churches
"Having in mind the needs of those who are already within our churches, we recommend:
" a. That we seek for and work for a revival of spiritual life in Sabbath services and other meetings.
" b. That we do this by preaching pointed truths having direct bearing on personal salvation, irreproachable Christian living, and loving effort for the salvation of those outside the fold.
" c. That we make the crucified Christ and the imminence of His second coming, the keynote of every message.
"d. That we give special study and attention to the requirements for success in personal work with individuals who are careless and unbelieving, with those who are under conviction and who desire to be Christians but do not know how to obtain peace with God, and with those who have accepted Christ, but do not understand or practice things essential to success in the Christian life.
"e. That our preaching and the conduct of our Sabbath services be such as to culminate, as frequently as possible, in testimony service and seasons of prayer.
" f. That we earnestly endeavor, by hearing the testimonies and prayers of the members, and by visiting and personal work among them, to learn the state of the flock and the needs of individuals, with a view to being in a better position to minister meat in due season at all times.
" g. That all our workers accept responsibility for, and give more attention to, personal work for individuals at our camp meetings.
"II. Evangelism
" That we endeavor to strengthen our active evangelical work, by -
" a. Providing for continuity of effort with our present preaching staff, abstaining from too frequent changes, and consulting carefully with the workers themselves in all plans for their movements and labor.
" b. Placing upon selected ministers responsibility for the development of the work in large country districts and in suitable sections of the cities, and also in individual churches in the cities.
" c. Careful selection of new recruits for the work of the ministry, having in mind the importance of consecration, the necessary education and training, and the possession of gifts suitable for the work.
" d. Giving more attention to the training of our younger laborers, conference presidents making this a leading feature of their work, and all ministers of experience doing their best to assist in it.
" e. Encouraging men who prove unsuccessful in ministerial work to follow some self-supporting calling.
" f. Making earnest effort to get the message more widely before the public by strong efforts in our cities and towns.
" g. Making it a practice to call for decisions for Christ or requests for prayer, by combining an " inquiry " meeting with each evening preaching service.
"h. Going to the people and conducting open-air meetings, where this can be done to advantage.
" i. Giving new emphasis to the supreme importance of house-to-house visiting and personal work on the part of all our laborers.
"j. Making definite use of the colporteur work in connection with evangelistic efforts in each section of the field.
" k. Urging ministers who are appointed leaders of churches or districts
to encourage, educate, and lead the members under their care to engage in aggressive soul-winning effort.
"III. The Work of the Ministry
" We recommend that ministers who are made responsible to lead in the work in districts or churches, be expected to labor along the following lines:
" a. Foster the Sabbath school work.
" b. Work for the conversion and personal welfare of the young people of the congregations.
" c. Lead all members to faithfulness in the payment of tithes and offerings.
"d. Encourage and increase all the missionary activities of the believers.
IV. Shepherding the Flock
"In order properly to care for the flock and prevent losses by discouragement and apostasy, we recommend:
" a. That systematic efforts be made to keep in touch with all members.
" b. That notice be taken of absentees from the meetings through sickness or other causes, and that visits be made by proper persons.
" c. That before removing names from the roll, or disfellowshiping members, the instructions of Christ and the apostles regarding the course to be adopted be most conscientiously and tenderly followed, always working for the salvation of those in danger, and never manifesting a cold resignation and willingness to let them depart.
Melbourne, Victoria.
