Human industries are crumbling under the pressure and financial stress of these times; the nations are angry, and men's hearts are failing them for fear. Churches built on false premises are failing in their fruitless efforts to bring comfort and cheer to the multitude; but the remnant church, standing upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, holding the banner of Prince Immanuel high above the theories of men, will be endowed with the Spirit and power of God for just such a time as this.
Here in the homeland we are now seeing marked evidence on every hand of the triumph of the gospel. This is the day of our opportunity; this is the time to turn our attention wholeheartedly to evangelism. Not that the ordained minister is to do the work alone, but he is to lead every believer to join him in systematic soul-winning endeavor. No man can be a leader of men except he himself be led without reserve by the Great Leader who died for us all on Calvary, and who has left us the only example by which we should ever measure our own personal sacrifices for lost souls.
The evangelist is only one instrumentality used by God for the winning of souls, but his is a high calling, and greater earnestness is needed on his part now than at any previous time in the history of the church. He should be clothed with authority from God for his ministry, because, while men everywhere are hungering for truth, yet they will be turned to error unless the watchmen on the walls of Zion give the trumpet a certain sound.
The only successful evangelist today is the man who feeds his congregation pure provender, which is the word of the living God. Time spent in preaching-anything but the word of God is lost time; even the theory of the truth alone will not win hearts. "When the theory of the truth is repeated without its sacred influence being felt upon the soul of the speaker, it has no force upon the hearers, but is rejected as error, the speaker making himself responsible for the loss of souls."—"Testimonies for the Church," Vol. IV, p. Va.
We have no new ideas nor methods to make soul winning more successful than in the apostles' day. As then, so now, the combination of the Holy Spirit with human effort is required, together with the whole-hearted surrender of the messenger, and constant, prayerful service on his part, not only from the desk, but also by the fireside.
"Only those who are themselves guided by the great principles of truth, who have themselves felt the power of the grace of God, can be a blessing to others."—Review and Herald, Feb. 12, 1901.
"Learning, talent, eloquence, every natural or acquired endowment, may be possessed; but without the presence of the Spirit of God, no heart will be touched, no sinner won to Christ."—"Testimonies," Vol. VIII, pp. 21, 22.
"I appeal to our ministers to be sure that their feet are placed on the platform of eternal truth. Beware -how you- fellow impulse, calling it the Holy Spirit. Some are in danger in this respect. I call upon them to be sound in the faith, able to give to everyone who asks a reason of the hope that is in them."—Id., p. 296.
"We want lips touched with holy fire, hearts pure from the defilement of sin. Those whose piety is shallow, and who have great ambition to be considered first and best, are not the men for this time. Those who think more of their own way than of the work, are not wanted."—/d., Vol. V, p. 581.
"The self-sufficient, the envious and jealous, the critical and faultfinding, can well be spared from His sacred work. They should not be tolerated in the ministry, even though they may, apparently, have accomplished some good. God is not straitened for men or means. He calls for workers who are true and faithful, pure and holy; for those who have felt their need of the atoning blood of Christ and the sanctifying grace of His Spirit,"—Id., p. 224.
"God's servants must go out free. . . . There is power in Christ and His salvation to make them free men; and unless they are free in Him, they cannot build up His church and gather in souls. Will God send out a man to rescue souls from the snare of Satan, when his own feet are entangled in the net? God's servants must not be wavering. If their feet are sliding, how can they say to those of a fearful heart,. 'Be strong'? God would have His servants hold up the feeble hands, and strengthen the wavering. Those who are not prepared to do this, would better first labor for themselves, and pray until they are endued with power from on high."—Id., Vol. I, pp. 369, 370.
The portrayal in the Bible and the Testimonies of the finishing of this work is very solemn and important; and it should drive us to the secret closet to bare our hearts before God, and to receive anew from our Lord and Master a deeper work of grace, and a more abundant infilling of His Spirit, that when we go forth to preach the message, the Holy Spirit may fall on all that hear. On every hand perishing souls are waiting for the ministry and the laity to unite with the Lord, freed from all hindering elements, for a more efficient soul-winning evangelism.
Berrien Springs, Mich.
