The "American Reading Circle," sponsored by Lee S. Wheeler, of Union Springs, New York, is doing a wonderful work in sending our various missionary magazines to the officials of various governments, and deserves the support of those who have means for the prosecution of this worthy enterprise. The editor of "Liberty" magazine has received many letters of commendation from high government officials. We trust this good work will be continued and sustained by those who are able to contribute toward 11.—C. S. Longacre.
God's "controversy with the nations," which has been the subject of many Bible prophecies since the days of Jerusalem and Babylon (Jeremiah 25), is part of the great controversy between Christ and Satan for the dominion of the world. It gives both a national and an international aspect to the mission of the church and the gospel. Acts 17:26-31. This controversy is to become more intensified as we near the close of the great conflict, when not only all persons, but all nations, will align themselves for or against the work of Christ.
A great national apostasy and conflict of this character is becoming more and more imminent. That the United States of America is the last, chronologically, of the great nations of prophecy, is an established position amongst us. But when our country shall repudiate the fundamental principles of its Constitution as a republican and Protestant government, and make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the mighty workings of Satan, and that the end is right upon us.
With similar issues before them in all lands, God's remnant people are therefore under great and solemn responsibility to exert themselves to the utmost to reach and enlighten the rulers and leaders of the peoples of all nations concerning the nature of this conflict and the principles involved. Thus they may be given a chance to know the truth, and take their stand upon the right side before that final deception, brought about by false religious teachers and political leaders, impels them to cast in their lot with the confederacies of evil that are hastening the world to destruction. In this last great crisis of the world, God will not be unmindful of the kings and the ruling classes who must render an account to Him for the way they have led their people.
"Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people : but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles [nations] shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." Isa. 60: 2, 3.
-This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations ; and then shall the end come." Matt. 24:14.
"He said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." Rev. 10:1 1.
And He will hold His church responsible if the messages of warning and salvation are not clearly given to such men, as it is His plan and the order of nature that all bodies shall be influenced and moved through their leaders. This law is operative in the moral as well as in the physical world—in families, tribes, and nations. About three years ago, while praying, I was forcibly and convictingly impressed to heed what is written in i Timothy 2 :1-4 :
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men ; for kings, and for all that are in authority: that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness- and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour ; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."
And later, I came upon this statement while reading Volume VIII of the "Testimonies:"
"The light of truth for this time is now shining upon the cabinets of kings. The attention of statesmen is being called to the Bible,—the statute book of the nations,—and they are comparing their national laws with its statutes. As representatives for Christ, we have no time to lose."—Page 40.
My thoughts then went to Philip's experience and how he was led by the Spirit, through a remarkable coincidence, to meet the treasurer of Queen Candace as he was on his way back to Ethiopia from Jerusalem. I thought of how that meeting and the eunuch's conversion resulted in the whole nation of Ethiopia's being enlightened and converted to Christianity.
Having read that in a large degree it will be through our publishing houses that the work of the gospel will be finished under the influence of that angel who is to join the third angel, I began to correspond with some of our publishing houses, and "The American Reading Circle" was started. Arrangements were made to provide "gift subscriptions" of such magazines as Liberty, The Watchman, and Message to the cabinet members of about thirty nations in Europe and Pan-American countries, also to universities, prominent newspapers, etc., and to supply our Spanish periodicals (El Centinela, published in the Canal Zone, and El Atalaya, published in Buenos Aires) on a far wider scale to all provincial or state officials, editors, doctors, teachers, radio operators, bankers, etc., as fast as they can be listed in the various Spanish-speaking countries by our conference leaders and missionaries.
It has been the plan of this reading circle to introduce each of these "courtesy subscriptions" with a letter from the editors, and follow them up with further correspondence through the various missionary agencies of the denomination. The responses which have come to us from this literature and correspondence have been appreciative and thrilling beyond all our anticipations. We are now carrying around 4,000 subscriptions, and these include, besides the classes already mentioned, large numbers of Protestant ministers of various denominations in the South, white and colored, who find these publications not only interpreters of the times, but sources of sermon material, and an inspiration in their church work.
Most of our burden from the beginning, however, has been for the distant and unworked fields, and all our readers are selected as "stars," as it were, where they can "shine as lights in the world"—in government circles, in educational circles, in religious circles, and in various reform circles. And many already have been centers of light, such as the former prime minister of Rumania, who gave relief to our people there the secretary of state in Greece, who performed similar service there; the minister of foreign affairs in Turkey, whose influence is reflected in the enlightened foreign policy of that country, and his friend and predecessor, the present Turkish envoy in London ; the editor of the Balkan Herald, at Belgrade, who has taken special pains to help us in Yugoslavia ; professors of the National Universities at Prague and Bucharest; presidents and cabinet officials of South and Central American republics; and a long list of foreign consuls and diplomats in America. Space will permit us to notice only a few of the letters that have come to the Religious Liberty Department of the General Conference and to me from influential persons.
(Air-mail letter from the president of an Inter-American republic.)
"The American Reading Circle "Union Springs, N.Y., U.S.A.
"Attention : Mr. Lee S. Wheeler, Director
"Dear Sirs:
"In reply to your favor of August 1st, I beg to state that I have read with great interest Liberty, a magazine which, in line with its name, furnishes reading matter of great interest, profit, education, and enlightenment to the minds of those whose duties are to lead the progress of a country toward peace, prosperity, and well-being.
"I take this opportunity to thank you for the gift subscription in my name, and, as requested, beg to send a list of names of persons in
who would very much enjoy reading Liberty. "Sincerely yours,
(Signed) "_________
(Letter from the secretary of education of a Central American republic.)
"Secretary, International Religious Liberty Assn. "Takoma Park, D.C.
"Sirs:
"I make use of this opportunity to congratulate you for the elevated civil ideals of your magazine, and the defense which it makes for the rights that all men have to express their opinions on liberty, politically and religiously.
"This work is especially important in the present era ; for in all the world there prevails a spirit of intolerance and repression which threatens to overcome all the conquests made by democracy in the last two centuries.
"Sincerely yours,
(Signed) "_________
(Letter from a secretary of treasury in an African republic, who received the Message magazine.)
"Dear Mr. Wheeler :
I have recently returned from a six months' tour of more than thirty thousand miles of Asia, Europe, and Africa, and found your cordial letter of April 30 in the mail awaiting my arrival. I thank you for the expression made therein, and wish for you and your organization much success. If there is anything I can do to further your work from this side of the Atlantic, please feel perfectly free to call upon me. With grateful appreciation, I am
"Cordially yours,
(Signed) "_________
The president of a national organization of women, in Europe, wrote: "The ideals of freedom expressed in all articles awaken our entire sympathies; and we expect with interest the following sendings of Liberty."
We earnestly desire our ministers and church workers to make intercession for these ruling classes at the throne of grace, and encourage remembrance of them at the weekly prayer meetings. Pray that they may have a part with us in carrying God's last message to their people in this culminating crisis of His "controversy with the nations," while He is pleading "with all flesh," and "will give them that are wicked to the sword."
