The worker watches the progress the gospel is making in the hearts and lives of her interested readers. She talks with them at the meeting. When things bother or perplex them, they appeal to her for help: and she talks and prays with them. Perhaps it is at their home the next day, or it may be after the meeting, standing in the tabernacle or hail, or at the side of the tent. If it seems the person is unusually upset, a visit and prayer with the evangelist after the meeting is helpful. Oftentimes if the interested person is battling with the tobacco habit, special prayer offered by the evangelist will aid him in accepting complete victory in Christ.
During these weeks of visiting, the worker should see that no cardinal point of faith is missed. If the interested person is not present to hear a particular topic presented, the worker should go over that point; however, I believe she should never give the impression that all topics missed will be made up. It is much easier to sit at home and have the topic reviewed than to go out on a rainy night; but it is often more effective in the large public meeting, when the evangelist presents the topic and hundreds of people are praying, than in the little Bible study. So the worker should be tactful in making up the topic, not permitting the individual to feel that he may miss a subject any time he chooses. While the evangelist presents the more pleasing topics, the more stern truths should also be presented by him, for they may not be accepted if presented by another. It is well to study the manner of presentation used by the evangelist, so that as little variation as possible will occur when it is necessary to bring out a point the reader has missed.
As the meetings progress, and more of Christ is being presented, the need of complete surrender to Him is naturally stressed; and when all points of faith have been presented with Christ as the central theme, the invitation is given, the Holy Spirit moves upon the hearts of interested, convicted persons, and they take their stand. Some are reluctant to do so, and often a tender, earnest, personal invitation in the public meeting, during the call, will assist the individual over the line of decision. In some cases pressure must be brought to bear; but I have found that when the invitation is made from the standpoint of Christ's love and mercy, a far greater number of individuals take their stand than when urged from the viewpoint of being eternally lost if they do not.
I believe there are some who must be snatched, as it were, "out of the fire." Jude 23. And we Bible workers are largely responsible for these trembling souls who find it so hard to decide. I remember a charming woman, a member of the Lutheran Church, with whom I had studied and prayed over a period of three years. She believed every point of faith and was having a good experience, but when the time came for her to say "yes," she just couldn't. During the public call in one of our meetings, I urged and urged her. I fully realized that she wanted to take her stand, but Satan was again taking advantage of her weakness. I fairly picked her up and took her down the aisle to the front seat. Once over the line, she became a loyal Seventh-day Adventist, and has remained such for years.
After the individual has taken his stand, he should have a complete series of Bible studies. He has heard the lectures, the points have been discussed and made clear in the visits in his home, he has been through the baptismal class and has also heard reviewed by the evangelist every point of faith; but still, after he is inside, he needs to go over the message point by point.
I have used several methods of procedure for this review of the message. When the meeting is small and only a few have taken their stand, the worker visiting them before their baptism can easily review the points of the message with each convert. With a larger number to care for, gathering them into classes or groups in various neighborhoods, may be the better plan. At one large meeting, the Bible teachers' training class produced a number of lay teachers who studied with the new converts. Also these new members appreciate the privilege of taking the training course. I have had a number of new converts enter the training class immediately after their baptism and pass the conference examination with as high a grade as many of our older members. New converts thus led by the Holy Spirit to yield all to Christ, instructed not only to know for themselves but to give to others the precious message for this time, are fitted to hold and are holding positions of responsibility in the cause we love. May God help us as workers to uplift "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
San Diego, Calif.
