Those who are not just now passing through the European nightmare cannot be expected to share our conflict of emotions and convictions. In this advent fraternity, however, certain common and fundamental lessons come to us out of the tribulations which time and the tempter bring upon us. Moreover, the reactions and the conduct of the church in one land impress precious lessons upon the church universal. Victories won, burdens bravely borne, defeats suffered —all contribute to the strengthening and the unification of God's work.
We have learned through the present war period that the one place of safety is with God. "Abide in Me" ( John 15 :4) has taken on more than a sentimental meaning. "Abide" (meno), signifying, "I stay," "I remain," in a place or state, is something profoundly to meditate upon in the days when panic and terror stalk across Europe. The same word is also used in the New Testament in the sense of "I continue" in time or purpose, and from it, through the Latin and the French, conies the familiar word "remnant," embodying the idea "to remain."
As a band of workers in a land threatened by invasion and, between October and the present writing, actually under bombardment, we felt that if God had called us to our posts of duty here in a time of peace, He was not changing His mind just because a war had come. So practically every worker in our union stayed right where war found him, and stood loyally by the people. Our people' took the same view and refused to run from their homes. Generous evacuation offers from kindly people all over the world were nearly all declined. Not a single church disbanded. not a service ceased.
Services Continue in Spite of Bombs
Even when air raids were imminent, our church services continued, and often during actual raids. On one occasion W. T. Bartlett and I were engaged in a ministerial ordination service when the warning wailed nearby. While we were laying our hands prayerfully on the head of the candidate, the guns started firing. Not by even a moment's silence did the service change. There then followed a selection by the male choir, during which bombs fell a few blocks away, but on sang the choir, and not a head turned. Of that Sabbath morning service I remember most vividly the words of the music as the bombs fell:
"Peace or conflict, joy or sorrow,
Thou remain est Christ my all."
Over and over again our people have refused to terminate our services while raids were, on. This is not bravado, and certainly we do not like this barbarism any more than do other people, but there is a general conviction in our hearts that God's work is not stopped by wars. Our missionaries the world over carry on their work despite difficulties, and they cannot run to places of safety whenever danger threatens. Missionary history abounds in inspiring stories of dangers endured, and sometimes of death bravely suffered. The New Testament is glorious with the courageous deeds, and sometimes with the heroic deaths, of good men who refused to run away from the devil, choosing to abide in Christ.
"It is the Christian's privilege to remain in the place or state where the providence of God has put him, whether that be geographical, social, circumstantial, or acquired—until his mission is fulfilled and God calls him elsewhere."—"Gospel Key Words," P. 12.
It is fatally easy today to do a great deal of wishful thinking in the matter of personal safety. We must not choose places of safety and then convince ourselves that this is the will of providence. After all, there will soon be no place of safety anywhere. We know that "God's care for His heritage is unceasing. He suffers no affliction to come upon His children but such as is essential for their present and eternal good."—"Acts of the Apostles," p. 524.
We have had some sore disappointments, to be sure. It is not an easy thing for an evangelist to commence a campaign in a new district and then, having gathered a good crowd, to lose it because the district is devastated by night air raids. But that man, if he fights on, will get results, and, what is more, will gain an experience of inestimable value for the future.
It is not pleasant to record the death of seven of our members in these night raids. Our ministers have to go the round of their members immediately after these raids, and sometimes are out in them. It is a good thing to keep close to the people, and this war is binding us all closer in fellowship. It is an unhappy task to assist our congregations in raising funds to erect modest places of worship, and then see them destroyed by bombs. Two serious losses to church properties, and about six minor damages to others, have come so far, In addition, about sixty or seventy Adventist families have lost their homes wholly or partially.
But despite these and other problems, we found God's work in 1940 moving in the only legitimate direction—forward. Our literature sales were the largest in sixteen years, and our health-food factory never knew such a large turnover. Tithe income made a record. Despite war conditions and multitudinous calls upon the people's finances, our Harvest In-gathering for missions was the highest ever. Our men drafted for military and national service have without exception been able to observe every religious conviction because they took a stand that was recognized as genuine.
Every preacher was allowed to remain at his work, and nearly all our colporteurs. Evangelism was a little more difficult, but every liberty was enjoyed, and none were compelled to cease public campaigns.
