In many Catholic lands there are numerous large cities which are unworked by our ministers. It seems we have a tendency to focus our public evangelism on cities where the truth has been preached for many years, forgetting that "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world." We have received some solemn instruction regarding this in the "Testimonies :"
"I am instructed to point our ministers to the unworked cities, and to urge them by every possible means to open the way for the presentation of the truth. In some of the cities where the message of the second coming of the Lord was first given, we are compelled to take up the work as if it were a new field. How much longer will these barren fields, these unworked cities, be passed by ? Without delay, the sowing of the seed should begin in many, many places."—Vol. IX, p. 123.
Not until we have entered these neglected cities with the message will the end come. With this objective in mind I have a number of suggestions to offer those who are endeavoring to start out in public evangelism in unentered Catholic cities. This will probably apply in a larger sense to our ministers in Central and South America, although the same principles are equally applicable to dealing with those of the Catholic faith in any country.
Throughout these suggestions it will be noticed that the main objective is to win the confidence of those of Catholic faith and finally bring them to a decision for the truth. We are to preach the Word with all clearness ; but in doing so, we must employ much tact and diplomacy. The evangelist and his helpers should refrain from arousing prejudice in the minds of his Catholic hearers. It must be remembered, generally speaking, that when a faithful Catholic attends a Protestant meeting,
he subjects himself to immediate excommunication. Therefore in his first contact with the evangelist, if he finds himself exposed to Protestant ideas and teachings, he will immediately dissociate himself from such contacts. So our first objective should be that of winning friendship and sympathy, until finally the way will open for the presentation of subjects directly in opposition to the Catholic belief. In doing this, I find that methods used by our evangelists in Protestant lands should not be used in countries where the Catholic faith predominates.
Suppose we are about to open a public meeting in an unentered Catholic city, a city where possibly only our colporteurs have entered. We have no members in this city, but we wish to establish a church. First, we must find a meeting place which will correctly represent the message we plan to present. It should be in a centrally located section of the city. We should endeavor to reach the better class of people, for from experience we find that if we win only the poorer people, then it will be difficult to attract the other class of people later on.
As we arrange the interior of the hall, we should avoid the appearance of Protestantism. By this I mean, for instance, instead of placing a pulpit on the platform at first, just place a table there, and above all refrain from using Biblical charts, etc., at the outset. Also, as the workers contact each other in the presence of Catholics, let them refrain from using the words "pastor," "elder," or even "brother ;" let them say just "Mister" or "Miss." After we have once broken down prejudice, the way will open for us to follow the regular procedure in greeting each other, until finally the people will begin to use our expressions as they greet us. But first we must break down their prejudice and win their confidence and sympathy. Following is a suggestive arrangement of subjects:
Subjects for Use in Catholic Countries
Subjects for Breakind Down Prejudice.
Astronomy.
Nature.
Archaeology.
2. Common-Round Subjects.
The virgin birth and life of Christ. Promise of Lord's second coming. Signs of His second coming.
Christian temperance.
Events connected with Christ's return. What and where is heaven?
The new earth and the New Jerusalem.
Daniel 2—everlasting kingdom.
The devil, his origin, work, and destiny.
Where we got our Bible.
Prophecy.
3. More difficult Subjects.
Conflict between capital and labor.
Why Satan was not destroyed.
Plan of salvation.
Blood of lamb in Old Testament.
Blood of Lamb in New Testament.
The law.
History of Sabbath (showing virgin Mary kept it).
Sunday in the New Testament.
Is God particular ?
Change of the Sabbhth—Daniel 7.
Seal of God.
True baptism.
4. Directly Opposed to Catholic Belief.
Where are the dead?
Spiritualism.
Hell—purgatory—limbo.
The resurrection.
Mark of the beast.
Keys of Peter.
Mass—auricular confession.
Our Lord's supper and transubstantiation.
Worship of saints.
What church would Peter belong to ?
4. Subjects Establishing Confidence.
The seven seals.
The great red dragon.
666
Seven last plagues.
The three angels' messages.
The judgment day.
The millennium.
5. Decisive Subjects.
The unpardonable sin.
The 2300-day prophecy.
Gift of prophecy in remnant church.
Tithe.
God will provide.
You will notice that we have divided our subjects into six different groups. The first group contains the "breaking down prejudice" subjects. We have been told by God's messenger :
"Great wisdom should be used in the presentation of a truth that comes directly in opposition to the opinions and practices of the people. Paul's habit was to dwell upon the prophecies when with the Jewish people, and bring them down step by step, and then after some time open the subject of Christ as the true Messiah.
"I have been shown that our ministers go too rapidly through their subjects and bring the most objectionable features of our faith too early into their effort. There are truths that will not involve so great a cross, that should be kept before their minds, day after day, and even weeks before the Sabbath and immortality questions are entered into. Then you gain the confidence of the people, as being men who have clear, forcible arguments, and they think you understand the Scriptures. When once the confidence of the people is gained, then it is time enough to introduce publicly the Sabbath and immortality questions. But men who are not wise advance these questions too soon, and thus close the ears of the people, when, with greater care, and more faith and aptness and wisdom, they could have carried them along step by step through the important events in the prophecies and in dwelling upon practical subjects in the teachings of Christ."—Ellen G. White, Letter 48, 1886. ( Quoted by J. L. Shuler, "Public Evangelism," p. 76.)
I have made it a practice to refrain from offering a public prayer during the first week or so of my effort. The same is true in regard to singing. After the first week I try to present some special music and then ask the audience whether they would like to learn some songs. The songs selected do not present any message that would arouse prejudice on the part of the hearers. In teaching the songs to the people, I generally use a projector.
I find that Catholics in general are interested in seeing pictures. They are accustomed to seeing bright, colorful pictures in their own church. The scenery itself within the Catholic church presents a colorful aspect. We have been instructed : "By the use of charts, symbols, and representations of various kinds, the minister can make the truth stand out clearly and distinctly. This is a help, and in harmony with the word of God."—"Gospel Workers," p. 355.
From time to time it is wise to project on the screen a picture of the virgin Mary with Jesus in her arms, or of Jesus in the manger. Refer to Mary as the blessed among women, for thus the angel referred to her. When presenting the coming of the Lord and the judgment, I often project a copy of the apostolic creed on the screen. You will find that Catholic believers are well acquainted with the creed and will feel at home when it is referred to, especially the section which states that our Lord will come to judge the quick and the dead.
It is wise to use the authorized Catholic version of the Bible. In many cases its language is clearer than that of other versions. Always refer to the Bible as "the Sacred Scriptures." As you read from the New Testament, refer to the writer as Saint Matthew, Saint Paul, or Saint Peter. That sounds pleasing to the Catholic ear and is in keeping with the Bible.
In one particular effort I was holding in a fanatical Catholic country of South America, I presented the subject "Mary, the Prophesied Mother of Jesus." This brought a large attendance. Here I showed from the Old Testament that it could not have been another woman, but that Mary was destined to be the mother of the Redeemer and that Christ was born through an immaculate conception. This is an important part of the Catholic belief, and again was pleasant to the ears of the people present.
By this time the audience will have recognized that we are a Protestant organization. We must now make it clear that we are Seventh-day Adventists and not just another Protestant church.
Without fail, someone will place the following question in the question box : "Do you believe that the virgin Mary retained her immaculacy after the -birth of our Saviour ? Did she become the mother of other children ?" Now this is a very delicate question to answer. I remember one time when this question was dropped in the box and we tried to put off answering it, until finally the author insisted that it be answered publicly. I asked one of our national workers to answer the question in public. He did so by reminding the audience that we poor, miserable sinners become infuriated when someone begins to inquire into the life of our mother, making certain insinuations He continued by saying, "What do you suppose our Lord thinks about us as poor sinners investigating and worrying about His mother's private life and her continuous immaculacy? We, as Seventh-day Adventists, respect our Lord and His mother to such an extent that we do not choose to discuss This matter." The question was not asked again.
There are a number of subjects that I always plan to present in a Bible class only, or possibly in the baptismal class, as our salvation does not depend upon them. ( See "Gospel Workers," pages 117-120.) These subjects are the ones generally opposed to the Catholic faith in a more direct way.
In closing, I wish to refer again to the need of our using tact in dealing with the Catholic mind. "In the work of soul winning, great tact and wisdom are needed."—"Gospel Workers," p. 117. I heard one evangelist refer to Catholic priests as men who dress like mothers, but want to be called fathers. This, of course, was unfortunate. Oftentimes we hear similar remarks which, of course, tend to frighten Catholics away, instead of drawing them to us.
"This message must be given, but while it must be given, we should be careful not to thrust and crowd and condemn those who have not the light that we have. We should not go out of our way to make hard thrusts at the Catholics. Among the Catholics there are many who are most conscientious Christians, and who walk in all the light that shines upon them, and God will work in their behalf. . . . Let everyone bear in mind that we are in no case to invite persecution. We are not to use harsh and cutting words. Keep them out of every article written, drop them out of every address given. . . . There is to be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. Our work is to study to weed out of all our discourses everything that savors of retaliation and defiance and making a drive against churches and individuals, because this is not Christ's way and method."—"Testimonies, Vol. IX, pp. 243, 244.
"Let not those who write for our papers make unkind thrusts and allusions that will certainly do harm, and that will hedge up the way and hinder us from doing the work that we should do in order to reach all classes, the Catholics included."—Id., p. 241.
Paul did not preach to the Jews in such a way as to arouse their prejudices. His goal was "not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." 1 Cor. 2:2. But in preaching Christ to the Jews, he "became as a Jew." He referred them to the patriarchs and prophets of old, whose names and experiences were as music to their ears. But he never closed a discourse without having preached "Christ, and Him crucified."
There is an immense unentered Catholic territory into which we are to advance through public evangelism. May God give us tact and wisdom to know how to deal with these people.
