Rural and Small City Efforts

These words of an ancient prophet comeforcibly to mind as we consider our as­signed topic: "Who Hath Despised the Day of Small Things?" The command to us today is to go out with a compelling message, not only in the highways but also in the by­ways. While we are putting forth the strongest possible efforts in our large centers of popula­tion, our message must also go quickly into the smaller cities and communities. The record of Jesus is, "He went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God."

A century after our message started there are still hundreds of cities and communities where no effort has ever been held, and where we have no representatives. That is one reason why we are told on pages 20 and 21 of Evange­lism:

"Too much time has been given to those who al­ready know the truth. In the place of spending time on those who have been given opportunities to learn the truth, go to the people who have never heard your message. . . . The places in which the truth has never been proclaimed are the best places in which to work."

The foundations of our work were laid by small efforts. I venture to say that most of us who are ministers today were brought in through small efforts. And who can measure the influence thus set in motion? One small ef­fort held in a country village hall long ago was regarded as a failure. Only two women took their stand. One of those women was my mother, My sister became a missionary nurse to China, and I say it not boastfully, but in the course of my ministry the Lord has given me the blessed privilege of winning hundreds of precious souls for Him. Many of these in turn are giving their lives to the work. One of the conference presidents is the fruitage of my la­bors in a schoolhouse effort in a little mining town in southeastern Ohio. His son in turn has caught up the torch and is dedicating his life to the ministry. The influence of that humble effort in my boyhood town will go on in ever-widening circles until earth's end. Many in our group of workers could tell a similar story. What a joy it will be to trace the heavenly rec­ords together as we lay our sheaves at the Mas­ter's feet. How insignificant will seem the hard­ships and sacrifices as we enter into the joy of our Lord.

Speaking of rural evangelism, we are told that "the people who live in country places are often more easily reached than are those who dwell in the thickly populated cities. . . . There will be some raised up to help support the cause of God by their means and their labors."­Ibid., p. 46.

Illustrating this statement, years ago a young man, Carlyle B. Haynes, held a small effort in a rural community in Maryland. Twenty sub­stantial men and women became charter mem­bers of the Blythedale church, and erected a church building in a cow pasture. The lives of our people had a profound effect on the com­munity. In the course of years modest efforts built up a membership of two hundred. Sons and daughters have gone into the work, and the church is maintaining a steady flow of funds to support the work.

Every district leader should streamline his church work so as to hold at least two efforts a year. A good hall is preferable. Tent efforts are still producing good results. In some places it is possible to carry on a successful effort in our churches.

The cause needs more men with the spirit of Jonathan. Saul and Jonathan owned the only swords in the army, but with one of these swords, single handed, Jonathan scrambled up the mountainside and put the whole Philistine army to flight. All David had was a sling and a bag of pebbles, plus faith in God and a con­suming zeal for his cause. But with that sling he felled the giant and led Israel to a glorious victory. John Wesley said, "Give me a hundred men on fire for God, and I will set the world afire."

We are living at a thrilling Moment in the world's history. As the Archbishop of York succinctly puts it, "The writing on the wall of threatened doom and destruction can now be read clearly by all thoughtful men."

Over the world the atomic bomb, like the sword of Damocles, hangs by a brittle thread. A tidal wave of crime and violence is sweep­ing the world to chaos and ruin. Our civiliza­tion is rapidly going to pieces. Men turn in vain to the popular churches for help, but they have no message. Dead forms and lowered standards mock the cry of anguished souls. People are turning to us in such numbers as I have never seen before in all parts of the field.