It must be evident to every Seventh-day Adventist worker that we are living today in full view of the closing scenes of earth's history. The things that we have predicted on the authority of the prophetic word are now taking place, and we behold them with our own eyes. What we once preached as future events, have either passed into history or are now occurring all about us.
If in the past any have felt like questioning the truthfulness of the great advent message, surely the last vestige of excuse of such doubting has long since disappeared. The signs of the times have appeared. God's word has been fulfilled. Surely there can be no ground for doubt that the coming of our Lord is just at hand. Said Jesus, "Now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe." John 14:29.
These solemn considerations constitute a challenge to the advent people such as the church of God has rarely faced since the beginning of time. As in the case of Nineveh, when Jonah was entrusted with a warning, saving message for that doomed city, so today Seventh-day Adventists have been entrusted with a message of warning and salvation for a doomed world.
Our message is the only message that can possibly meet the world's needs at this hour. We are told that "we hold in our hands the bread of life for a famishing world." These are sobering facts. If we, like Jonah, sleep while we should be crying aloud to the nations, we shall surely have the blood of souls upon our garments. We cannot abridge our task without denying our Lord. If we, His heralds, fail Him in this final crisis hour, we shall have no excuse to give Him at His coming.
At a recent meeting of the General Conference Committee, these considerations were brought before us for study, and it was the solemn conviction of those present that we must, without delay, rally our forces anew for the greatest advance in the giving of the message that has ever been undertaken by this people. In an effort to launch such a fOrward movement, the following, actions were taken by the committee :
Resolution on Evangelistic Councils
Believing that the hour has struck for an "all out" effort on the part of the church to complete her task in all the world, and that public evangelism is God's primary method of reaching the masses with the gospel,
We recommend. 1. That plans be laid for large evangelistic councils to be held throughout the Western Hemisphere during the latter months of 1942 or the opening months of 1943.
2. That while we recognize the fact that conditions in certain parts of the world-wide field make public evangelism difficult, we send on the above recommendation to such fields as we can reach and encourage our leaders to plan as large a public-evangelistic program as may be possible, and that our chairman write them a personal letter on the need and purpose of this plan.
3. That for the United States three such councils of ten days each be held as follows :
a. For the Atlantic, Columbia, and Southern Unions, December 54-23, the place to be decided by the presidents of these unions at the time of the Autumn Council.
b. For the Northern, Central, Lake, and Southwestern Unions. December 31-January 9, the place to be decided by the four union presidents by the time of the Autumn Council.
c. For the North Pacific and Pacific Unions, January 14-24 at San Francisco.
4. That the transportation expense be pooled, each group of unions deciding on the plan of pooling.
5. That three or four regional councils, of ten days each, be conducted in South America, places to be arranged by the division committee.
6. That, because of difficulties in travel, councils in the Inter-American Division be held in each union, as far as possible, Places for same to be arranged by the division committee.
7. That division and General Conference leader-Ship be provided for these councils.
8. That the union committee in whose territory the council is to be held be requested to appoint a Committee on Arrangements, the president of that union to act as chairman.
9. That the work of these councils be confined to strong, earnest Bible studies, the study of a deeper spiritual life, problems of public and radio evangelism, and pastoral duties.
10. That the General Conference officers give consideration to the appointment of those who shall lead out in the fields, and that they prepare suggestive programs for these councils, the same to be subject to adaptation to meet the needs of the respective fields.
11. That an earnest effort be made to bring all our presidents, mission superintendents, evangelists, pastors, singing evangelists, Bible teachers in junior and senior colleges, academy Bible teachers (where possible), ministerial interns, Bible workers, departmental secretaries, and editors under the influence of these councils.
12. That as far as practical, senior theological students be permitted to attend these evangelistic councils for at least a part of the time.
Word is being sent out to other world divisions, encouraging them to join in the plan for the holding of evangelistic councils this coming winter, in the hope that, with the exception of those in a few war-torn countries, all our workers throughout the world may be given the benefit of a fresh and up-to-date preparation for the mighty tasks before us in the finishing of the work.
Radio Coverage for Western Hemisphere
The plans for broadcasting the message to all the countries of South America and the territory of the Inter-American Division were further perfected, and a large representative commission was appointed to have charge of this great undertaking. Here is the authorizing action and the personnel of the commission, of which W. P. Bradley will serve as secretary:
Radio Commission for Latin America.—The question of the enlargement of the Radio Commission to include representatives from the Inter-American and South American Divisions was in a previous meeting referred to the officers for study.
Voted, To accept, the recommendation of the officers that the following constitute the Radio Commission for the Latin-American fields : W. H. Branson, J. F. Wright, W. E. Nelson, W. G. Turner, W. H. Williams, A. W. Cormack, T. J. Michael, W. P. Bradley, H. M. S. Richards. Glenn Calkins, C. L. Torrey, R. R. Figuhr, F. L. Harrison, and the union presidents and union superintendents in the Inter-American and South American Divisions; it being understood th a* the Commission will organize itself.—General Conference Committee, May 25, 1942.
Many of the most powerful stations in the world are found in these Latin-American countries, and these have been secured for our broadcasts. Since many of them will broadcast for us on both long and short wave, the programs will be heard in parts of the world outside of Latin America. One powerful short-wave station at Quito in Ecuador will broadcast our program in English, so that English-speaking populations of those lands will also be brought under its influence.
We feel certain that all our workers will heartily approve of these far-reaching plans for the advancement of the work, and that we shall have their full co-operation in carrying them into effect. "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord." Zeph. 1:14.
We must make that voice to be heard anew among the nations, and lose no time in making ready a people prepared for their Lord.
