I was thrilled a few nights ago as I sat in the City Auditorium here in Portland and watched Elder H. M. S. Richards conduct his first baptismal service in this series of meetings.
The auditorium caretaker asked for the privilege of arranging the platform. He said that never in the history of the City Auditorium of Portland had they ever had a service like this, and he would like to have the privilege of decorating the platform. The background was beautiful, and some of the businessmen remarked afterward that it was the most beautiful service they had ever seen in all their lives.
At the present time we are conducting eleven hall and tabernacle meetings, and two church efforts. We feel sure that when these efforts are closed we shall have a large harvest of souls.
My personal conviction is that the first work of ministers is "to preach." That is what our calling denotes. I believe the time has come when every Seventh-day Adventist minister should be preaching to the public. Not all can hold large public efforts, but every minister ought to be holding public meetings, even if they are just Sunday night services. I like the slogan, "A light in every Seventh-day Adventist church on Sunday night." Such a plan would enlist a large group of church elders, as well as ministers.
I believe we should step forward into a larger evangelistic program and prove that we believe what we believe. The harvest is ripe. We have the message for today. As our funds increase during this time of prosperity, let us use them for larger evangelism. It takes preaching, praying, and planning to carry forward an aggressive soul-winning program today. But we must not fail in this supreme hour.
More of our ministers would be holding meetings if efforts were planned for them. Our executives ought to give much study to conducting large city efforts, and at the same time not neglect the smaller places. We all agree that the time will come before Christ's appearing when every person in the world will know of its near approach. I believe that we have reached the time in which we are to acquaint everyone with this fact.
Today is truly the golden hour for evangelism. What more could we ask to preach about ? The world is on fire with war. Trouble and disaster are on every hand. Jesus is soon coming. Let us tell the world about it now!
