We lay a great deal of stress on the importance of personal visitation in our meetings. The singing evangelist and I both carry a heavy weekly load, visiting back sliders and developing the interest.
The Pastor
One cannot count on the church pastor's carrying a heavy regular weekly load, for it does not work out that way. Pastors have a broken and irregular program and just cannot be counted on for regular weekly zone visiting. We have learned to be satisfied if the average pastor is able to carry the baptismal class and care for the follow-up work in the homes in helping candidates prepare for baptism after they have taken their stand.
The Assisting Workers
These are usually ministers or Bible instructors, though at times the fields have supplied so few helpers that we have had to take on part-time lay workers. (Some of these have developed into successful workers later employed by the conference or mission on a full-time basis.)
How do we estimate the number of workers needed in a campaign? We find it works out to a limit of fifty names for each worker in the Sunday night requests for free literature. If the usual number of names taken in on Sunday nights is four hundred, that would mean a need of eight full-time workers to assist in visiting. This represents a maximum load, especially where the zone workers have no automobile. Each week new names come in from all zones, until each worker will have from two to four hundred names.
We divide the city into a number of zones equaling the number of workers assisting in the visiting. The same worker visits weekly in his own zone, and so the interested ones learn to expect his visits and will look forward to his answering their many questions each week.
As real interests develop, the visitation workers report (on a mimeographed form) in the weekly workers' meeting. Facts regarding new interests and backsliders are also noticed. These people are then visited by either the song leader or the evangelist. Eventually both of us visit them, often many times. At the workers' meeting the following week we report back on our visit, so that the zone workers will know what we learned. Then the names of those interested come up for review each week thereafter.
When Sabbath afternoon calls for surrender begin to be made, the zone worker strives to get his most interested people out to these special meetings. During the evangelist's call for surrender the zone worker will try to help these people to decide. If one takes his stand but then fails to appear at the baptismal class, it is the zone worker's immediate and important duty to visit that individual and try to help him take part in the very next baptism. A delay at this point often means spiritual mortality.
This brings us to one of the most distressing problems we face in almost every city: the conference's calling the zone visitors away from the evangelistic campaign from one to six weeks before the campaign closes. This might be called the "unpardonable sin" in evangelism! No one else can now come in and pick up another per son's zone interests. In a campaign that we recently concluded not one -worker who began the campaign was with us at its close! One, and the only one the local mission supplied, left a list of 350 names, he being called back to his field seven weeks before the end of the campaign. This was right at the most important stage of drawing in the net. Almost every promising interest in his zone faded away. One cannot but wonder who will be held accountable for those souls. It would mean a great deal if all workers could remain two weeks after the campaign closes to help in binding off for the baptisms. The field would certainly gain by increased results, and the workers would observe and participate in the most important work of binding off the interest, and this calls for expert handling and much hard work.
Here is another problem: some fields send in their poorest help. True, they are more foot loose, but is this wise planning? The aim of these campaigns is not solely to get a certain number of converts but also to train stronger evangelistic workers. Should we not, then, try to send in at least three or four of our best workers for the duration of the campaign?
We have had the joy of seeing some rather average workers salvaged by connecting them with a series of evangelistic meetings, for they caught the enthusiasm of the campaign and received a new vision that lifted them out of stunted, mediocre methods. But the majority of the staff should not be made up of this type.
Right now we desperately need the help of two or three foreign brethren in these large city campaigns in the Orient. Often we must deal with large numbers that our indigenous workers are not able to care for properly. Because of the lack of experienced help we have seen the dissipating of some of our best interests in these great cities doctors, bankers, religious leaders, professors, et cetera and what a waste to the denomination to lose so many of these promising types, largely because we make no provision for enough of the right kind of personal workers to help in these better homes! My heart has been heavy as I have seen scores of this type slip from our hold just because of the lack of experienced visitors.
Training Evangelistic Workers
Our training program for our associated workers comprises the following:
1. Attendance at and observation of the actual conduct of a city campaign.
2. Actual visitation in the homes in a given zone, the visitors following the progressive steps outlined in the weekly workers' meetings.
3. The workers' meeting, where weekly instruction is given in following up the interest and in leading up to decisions in the calls for surrender.
4. Observation of methods used in helping people to a surrender and acceptance of the entire message. Helping them "over the line."
5. The weekly methods class, which includes thirteen two-hour periods of instruction and discussion as well as voice development and practice speaking. These classes study almost every phase of a minister's work and problems, embracing the conduct of prayer meeting, the Lord's Supper, the anointing service, weddings, youth work, Sabbath school and home missionary work all from the viewpoint of evangelism; district methods, campaigns, church order, radio work, evangelistic methods, elections problems, family problems in the churches, watching for visitors, visiting the sick and the dying, et cetera. These classes are practical and do not deal with theory alone.
Results
One might wish that, with an adequate budget and a group of trained workers, he could guarantee a field a given number of converts, but this is impossible. In one town with sufficient able help and a good budget the baptisms reached only thirty-five. In the very next series the baptisms reached 216. The average in America was about 110 per campaign. Too often the results were far below that. Our hearts ache when a campaign fails to produce as it should, but we cannot offer an explanation that would lead to a remedy.
What hurts especially out here in the mission field, where funds are so difficult to get, is this, that although it costs far more here to move our evangelistic company than at home, yet the results per campaign so far (now in our seventh in the Orient) have netted not more than about 60 per cent of the baptisms we would expect in an equivalent campaign in America. This some times gives us a feeling of frustration. In each campaign we try to work harder and pray more earnestly, and yet we must admit we feel that the mission fields have a right to expect greater results for their tremendous investment.
Follow-up Evangelism
Though we endeavor to get as many as possible of the interested people to take their stand before we leave a city, yet there remains an immense amount of follow-up work to be done in fostering the remaining interests and in encouraging the new believers. We believe that more careful attention needs to be given to the matter of leaving behind one or two workers to assist the pastor in this all-important work.
Do Our Converts Endure?
Some among us occasionally feel that in an evangelistic series people are brought into the church too soon. Yet when we are in a city for only five or six months results are expected before we leave. So we must plan a number of baptisms in the latter half of the series. This would be expected.
We believe in holding firmly to the standards our denomination has set. Although we put forth every effort to establish the new believers solidly, there are always some losses. I have no statistics, but if some should challenge that after a time perhaps even a third have fallen away, I could offer no defense. If one baptizes twelve and eight remain faithful, the proportion is the same as when 100 are baptized and 33 become backsliders, but the latter appears a much worse picture. We must pray that those who decide for Christ will prove faithful, and that God will make us as workers more consecrated and successful as light bearers for Him in these great cities of the world during the remaining hours of probation.
Obtaining Sabbath Concessions
C. A. W. RITCHIE The Voice of Prophecy Bible School, Poona, India
During my thirty years of missionary endeavor the Lord has not once failed in the matter of helping our faithful members to obtain a Sabbath concession. Perhaps I could mention about thirty different occasions when there have been reasons for rejoicing because of very remarkable evidences of divine intervention.
Earnest prayer, a willingness to be faithful in tithe paying, and a determination to keep holy all the hours of the Sabbath have always been the prerequisites in the contract, and in every case the necessity of a willingness to lose one's job or to take the consequences if a No answer were permitted by the Lord, was first of all made very clear to the new convert facing the problem of Sabbath work.
A young man accepted the message as the result of a short evangelistic effort and follow-up Bible studies in his home. On a Wednesday morning he mentioned to the pastor that he had definitely decided to keep the Sabbath holy, and this decision was sealed by a prayer of consecration. When the pastor called early on Sabbath morning to help him learn the way to the little church, he was very much surprised to find the new convert getting ready to go to work. The following conversation took place:
PASTOR: "Have you changed your mind since we met on Wednesday?"
YOUNG MAN: "No sir, I am taking my Bible in my pocket, and I will be spending the whole day in reading the blessed Book."
PASTOR: "Then why do you have to go to your office to do that? Could you not do that just as well at home?" An awkward pause ensued; the young man looked out of the window into space, while the pastor prayed. The battle was soon won. The young man turned around, and facing his new pastor, said, "I am ready to accompany you to church, pastor; please lead the way." From that day on, all the preaching, all the prayers of the church, all their special friendliness, were directed to just one thing influencing that young man to step over the line. And they were not in vain. Very early the next Wednesday morning the pastor called again, just in passing by (?), and greeted his youthful friend with an open Bible in his hand, saying, "I just wanted to draw your attention to this second part of the fourth commandment. See, it says here, 'Thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant.' Could it be that last Sabbath while you were at church your menservants were working for you? I am not sure, so I thought I would inquire."
YOUNG MAN: "O.K., pastor, the Bible is right, and they will not be working for me on Sabbath any more. I do not know just how I will be able to arrange it, but if you will pray for me, I am sure that with the Lord's help there will be some just way of solving the problem."
Thursday and Friday passed, but the problem remained unsolved. However, all his men were finally granted special leave with full pay for the Sabbath, and the second part of the fourth commandment was obeyed. Two more weeks went by, and both Sabbaths were respected as the first one had been. They were days of earnest supplication and prayer for both pastor and convert. Then the windows of heaven opened and God's solution was communicated. It was neither by vision nor by dream, but by the suggestion of a little child: "Why not let the men work overtime for a few days, and then the money they earn will be equal to a Saturday's wage?"
That was the Lord's response to the prayers of patience and faith, and it worked excellently. In a year and a half not a hitch occurred for even a day. Forty-five men had to* at least acknowledge the Sabbath, and thousands of others, both laborers and high-ranking officials, came to learn just why this young man and his helpers had to work overtime from Monday to Friday, and why they did not come near the place on Saturday.
But what about the concession? Where does that come in? Well, it would take a book to tell all the details, but suffice it to say that when God won the young man's heart, He also planned for him to get the concession. On the Thursday morning after that visit (on Wednesday) by the pastor with an open Bible in his hand, the young man went to his superintendent and said, "Good morning, sir. I have come to ask you a favor."
SUPERINTENDENT: "All right. What is it?"
YOUNG MAN: "I will not be able to come to work on Saturdays, as I have something very important to do at that time. Will you kindly permit me to so arrange my work as to do a good job and keep it up to a high standard?"
SUPERINTENDENT: "Certainly, but what about the favor?"
YOUNG MAN: "Well, sir, it is like this: my men will not be able to attend work here either on Saturdays, but as I have just promised, we will maintain a very high standard in spite of that."
SUPERINTENDENT: "Very well, my boy, and I will do all that I can to help you." That surly Englishman, who appeared to all others to be so austere, never broke his promise. But the story does not end here. Satan had not taken a vacation, for several officers were moved upon to whisper different things to the superintendent, with the result that three months later he sent for the young man and said, "You mentioned to me a few months ago that you would not be able to attend to work on Saturdays, but you did not tell me that you had be come a Seventh-day Adventist and that you were keeping the Sabbath."
YOUNG MAN: "That's quite true, sir, and I do not recall that you asked me for any reason for my wanting to make that change at that time. Sir, surely you have not had any reason to corn-plain about my work during the past three months. It has been up to time and up to standard, and I am sure you do not plan to make any change now. May I ask, sir, why you so kindly granted me the favor that I asked for?"
SUPERINTENDENT: "Well, I knew that you were doing all you could to support your family since your father's death, and knowing that you were running a small factory of your own, I thought that you needed the time and the services of your men to keep that going, and so consented to your request. I have no objection to the present plan continuing. Everything seems to be going well, and I am pleased with your fine work."
YOUNG MAN (with tears in his eyes): "Thank you, sir." That was a real Sabbath concession!
Mobile Evangelistic Unit in Great Britain
W. W. ARMSTRONG President, British Union Conference
A new evangelistic plan has been put into operation here in the British Union. For some years we have been considering the construction of a mobile evangelistic unit that would operate especially in the smaller towns and villages of the rural areas. Lack of funds has prevented our carrying out this project until recently, when a generous donation of £1,500 was made by one of our members.
We are pleased to say that on September 9, 1951, we were able to dedicate this unit, and since that time it has been going from city to city where evangelistic campaigns are in progress.
The unit is equipped with living quarters for two, with all modern facilities. It also has an amplifying system, and a talkie-film projection unit. The way in which the unit has been used up to the present is as follows. It is parked in some convenient spot, and a talkie film is running at a convenient moment in the running of the film, the sound track is cut out and a voice advertising the local campaign meetings is heard. In this way our evangelistic services are advertised in an interesting way.
We are planning to send this unit into one of the larger rural areas of Great Britain as soon as the spring comes. The unit, which will be connected with Voice of Prophecy spearhead campaigns in the small towns and villages, will cover a limited circuit, so that the same places can be visited several times. We believe this method will help us to evangelize areas which up to the present have had little attention, apart from that of the faithful colporteur. As money becomes avail able we hope to obtain more such units.
We give herewith pictures of this unit, and also one of a Bible van that operated in Wales about the year 1906. The contrast between these two units surely emphasizes the fact that we live in an age of mechanical development. It is our earnest prayer that full advantage may be taken of the in creased facilities we have today for the proclamation of the good news.
Thinking that details of the specifications of this unit might be of value to the readers of THE MINISTRY, we are appending these.
Mobile Unit
Origin—"Bedford," 27 hp. 29-seater bus.
Dimensions—26' x 8' x 8' external.
Modifications—Seats all removed. Fitted with enclosed kitchenette and toilet facilities extending 8' 4" x 3' 6" behind driving seat. Remaining room this side occupied by double-tier bunksettee combination. On the other side, rearward from passenger door, are a wardrobe, two chairs, and a cupboard having a table top.
The projection screen is of Perspex, sand blasted on one side to produce a translucent surface. Size, 3' x 4'. This is exposed to view of the audience by opening the rear of the bus, so modified as to form a platform with canopy.
The projector is of French design and origin, Guildarc being the trade name. This is of the 16-mm. sound type, and as the name suggests has an arc lamp (of approx. 1 kw.) for light.
The power generator is fitted on rubber mounts to the under left side of the vehicle. This consists of a two-cylinder horizontally op posed petrol engine built to an alternator as a unit.
Image reversal is effected by means of a small surface silvered mirror.
Public-address amplifier is of naval design. Mounted beneath the instrument panel. P.O. approximately 12 w. Bible van used in Wales, about 1906.
Applying Our Work of Education to Evangelism
MAURICE TIECHE Secretary, Education and Radio Departments Franco-Belgian Union Conference
PART II
Last month we introduced briefly our five minute weekly broadcast of the Voice of Hope. In this we omit all religious expressions, and we assure our listeners that nothing will be introduced that will shock anyone; moreover, that they can feel free to write to us.
The mail we receive is not only abundant but extremely interesting. First of all about 50 per cent of our listeners discern the spirit of the gospel through our religious neutrality. They mention it in their letters and do not hesitate to talk to us about God. Many tell us that they feel our broadcasts contain the principles of the gospel. Most letters express very warm thanks, and ask for copies of the scripts of all our broad casts. The majority of our listeners also say that they have been listening regularly for a long time. Many say that they listen to the broad casts in a group and that they give publicity to the programs; hence, their friends hear them also. (When our brethren and sisters go out for their missionary campaigns the Ingathering, for instance as soon as they mention the Voice of Hope, the majority of people give more willingly.) These letters naturally come mainly from France, but we have also received letters from several French colonies and eight other countries: Belgium, Switzerland, England, Holland, Germany, Italy, Austria, and Lebanon.
Here are several excerpts from these letters:
"For a long time I have been taking great interest in your . . . too brief radio broadcast on Sunday. How many times I have had the impression of hearing expressed by that Voice of Hope, which can do so much good in this off balance world, exactly what I was thinking and feeling myself! "
I should like to have a description as complete as possible of the movement that the Voice of Hope has created in this direction. Does this movement rest (as I believe) on a religious and Protestant basis? In this case, which? You seem to have good will for all, with so much depth and no superficiality, that it intrigues me a little and attracts me enormously. "
I should like to have you inform me whether it is possible to contact a qualified person of high moral value (that goes without saying) of your organization, who can bring moral aid, comfort, and judicious counsels in certain very particular cases, very sad also at times, and of very exceptional types.
"Please accept, Monsieur, with all my thanks, the expression of my entire sympathy with all the good that is being done by the Voice of Hope, which, for many, doubtless, seems rather the Voice of Heaven." MADAME DE S. R., Paris.
"I am an old retired pastor. Therefore you will not be surprised that I should be particularly prepared to sympathize fully with you in the excellent work that God has put it into your heart to undertake. For several months I have wanted to write you to congratulate and thank you. What an excellent means of family education you have found! All the subjects you treat are exceedingly practical and all are of the highest importance. The friendly manner, full of charm and grace, with which you present them must open to you many hearts and win them to the holy causes which you defend.
"Permit me to congratulate you for your admirable unselfishness. You put yourself at the disposition of all those who desire your counsel, you offer without charge the scripts of your broadcasts and the course on family education. The word of the Master, 'Freely ye have received, freely give,' has not fallen in vain into your heart. . . . "I believe you belong to the Adventist Church. If many of its members are animated by your spirit, I am happy to greet them as true brothers in Christ whom I would like to know personally." MONSIEUR B., Uzes.
"Dear Sir, What I like so much is that you speak the true, full, and simple language of the gospel without the words used by churches, which no longer attract people but alienate them." MADEMOISELLE G., Saint-Yrieix.
We always reply, at least by sending the script of one or more broadcasts, or a mimeographed form letter answering a specific question. Some times we are obliged to reply with rather long personal letters. But we are sustained in this often arduous task by the conviction that it is missionary work that gains for us everywhere numerous and faithful friends and that prepares the ground for the teaching of Biblical truth.
Interviews With Listeners
The letters from our listeners also contain requests for interviews, especially those from listeners in the Paris area who wish to come to our offices to receive our counsel. We welcome them with pleasure. Thus an average of two afternoons a week is spent in receiving these persons. In the cities where we have created the Family Education Centers we organize the same kind of consultation service, which we call psychopedagogical consultations. Needless to say, all these interviews create contacts permitting the gradual introduction of the great truths of the Word of God.
The Course on Family Education
We offer our listeners a correspondence course on family education. This consists of twenty lessons. Each lesson is illustrated and treats one of the aspects of family life and the training of children. Up to the present we have done no advertising for this course aside from the broad casts themselves, because we do not have the necessary personnel to care for it. However, in eleven months since we first offered this course we have received 1,250 enrollments. The sending of the lessons naturally brings about an important correspondence, which creates bonds of sympathy as well as opportunities to raise questions pertaining to spiritual life.
Results
A man in Paris requested an interview and came to see us with his wife and his nine-year old son. The parents complained that the child rebelled against his mother. At first our inter view revealed nothing abnormal. Then, not in the presence of the child, we had a completely frank conversation with the parents. The mother explained that since the father was rather weak in character, she had found it necessary to be especially firm. The child, questioned in turn and alone, related that his mother often whipped him in a rather cruel manner. In the course of a later conversation I showed the father the necessity of being more manly, and the mother, the need of being more maternal while remaining calm and firm. To the child I explained that the visit of that day would certainly produce its fruits if he himself was willing to put forth an effort to be more submissive and respectful.
Some days later, at the conclusion of a lecture I had just given, those parents approached me. The mother said with much joy and gratitude: "Sir, my child is completely transformed!" The father, bowing toward me, added mischievously: "And the mamma too!"
That father, now informed that we belong to the Adventist movement, asked the hour of our Sabbath services. He has since given us several substantial gifts. We pray that this family will eventually take their stand for the truth.
I must mention the case of a girl seventeen years of age who is the youngest student we have had in the correspondence course on family education. Having received from the mother of this girl cordial letters of gratitude, I paid a visit to that family while in their region. I had let them know the time of my arrival and suggested that if the family knew of other listeners of the Voice of Hope, they might invite them. Upon my arrival I was surprised to find there eleven adults and four children. We spent an unforgettable hour together. Four of the adults came from a neighboring city, and it is already possible to see from this first contact the be ginning of a work that may be developed in two small cities where we do not yet have a single church member.
The case of a listener in Paris is no less interesting. After having requested an interview, she came to see us with her small boy, less than seven years old. She explained that this child was extremely nervous, and asked what she should do. We proceeded to test the child's intelligence according to Terman's method, and found that his mental age was more than two years and two months ahead of his chronological age. His I.Q. actually placed him in the category of a genius. We then learned that he went to school with boys aged nine, which made us understand the cause of his nervousness. He was intelligent enough to follow that class, but his body was still too weak to support that intellectual work. His nervous system was suffering from it. We gave the mother counsel to have the child rest more. This contact opened the way for religious discussions with her, and one of our Bible instructors is now visiting her regularly.
We could continue to cite many similar cases. Certain periodicals ask our permission to publish one or another of our broadcasts, which we willingly grant with the condition that our identity be clearly indicated.
People also write me to request public lectures. I recently addressed 150 professors of home economics in Paris on the intellectual and moral role of the woman in the home. On another occasion I spoke before the Theosophical Society on the spiritual life of the small child, it being well understood that my presence in that place did not imply any adherence whatsoever on my part to the teachings of theosophy.
Every six months we publish the broadcasts for that period in the form of a little volume that our colporteurs sell with great success.
Our educational broadcasts bring help also to our ministers. On the invitation of the committee, one of our young workers moved recently to the city of Le Havre, the great port of commerce with North America. The difficult financial circumstances had obliged the commit-tee to warn our young brother that no credit could be extended to him to rent a. hall and do any advertising with a view to giving public lectures. That young brother then wrote to me asking whether the Voice of Hope did not have the necessary means to give one educational lecture only. Arrangements were made, and one hundred persons attended. On leaving the hall, many asked when the next lecture would be given. We therefore thought it wise to give a second lecture about two months later. That time there were 150 present. The result is that our young minister now has more work than he can do in visiting these persons and giving them Bible studies.
Our Plans
God has abundantly blessed this particular form of work. When we glance back, we see that He has guided by putting into our hands this simple but powerful means to help in the finishing of His work the Family Education Center. We should like to give broader scope to this kind of work. But to expand will mean expense, and we do not have the means or personnel. We should like to create in Paris itself and in other cities in the provinces new Family Education Centers to which we could perhaps give the name "Groups of Friends of the Voice of Hope." We are convinced that this would result in the raising up of new churches in our territory and in other territories of the French language.
Electric Map Shows Spread of Message
J. F. COLTHEART Evangelist, North New Zealand Conference
Readers of THE MINISTRY may be interested in an electric map I made about three years ago, which we have used with good effect twice this year in our present evangelistic campaign. The illustration gives some idea of what it looks like when used on a theater stage.
The map is about 12 by 7 feet and contains approximately five hundred torch bulbs soldered in brass eyelets. These are wired in series of eight or ten and then run from the mains through a 20-volt transformer that an electrician friend kindly made for me. A little board contains six switches, to which are wired the lights of each of the six continents. This board hangs under my desk or close to the map, so that I can turn on the lights of each continent separately. When I describe how the work began in America, I pull the switch that lights the North American continent. At the same time slides of our work in North America are shown on the screen. The same idea follows with each of the other continents.
White lights on the map represent organizational centers, blue lights show the publishing houses, red lights, the hospitals, and green lights pick out some of the colleges. The effect is very beautiful and awe-inspiring, to say the least.
I have seen many people greatly impressed by the worldwide extent of our work after seeing this device in operation. I notice too that when ever we use it, our own Adventist folk go out of the theater that night with their heads held a little higher, and their comments go some thing like this: "What hath God wrought!" or, "Jesus must surely be coming soon!"
It cost about £20 in our currency (without the transformer) plus many hours of work, but to anyone who might contemplate making some thing like this, I can thoroughly recommend the effort as worth while.
Evangelistic Newspaper in New Zealand
J. F. COLTHEART Evangelist, North New Zealand Conference
For several years I have been eager to use an evangelistic newspaper in connection with my campaigns in different towns, but have never been able to get a reasonable quotation for the job until this year. Having been much impressed by an article of this nature that appeared in the October, 1945, MINISTRY, I have patterned my efforts somewhat on that idea.
It was a four-page paper, each page 17 x 11 1/2, and was distributed to every house in the town each fortnight. The issues were begun on the Friday before the second Sunday night and carried on until after the Sabbath had been presented several times.
Throughout the paper a goodly number of cuts were used to make it interesting and read able. The front page, as the illustrations show, was given over to an article about the forthcoming Sunday night meeting. Naturally only enough was said to provoke an interest in the coming meeting. This page also contained special news that would interest every person in the town. For example, when Samoan Chief Sauni Kuresa (said to be the only man in the world to play on two cornets at one time) was coming to Masterton to play for the meeting, that made news worth telling the town; so a picture and a write-up appeared in the issue before his arrival. When the Bible Quiz Kids were due to appear, and when the Masterton Book and Bible Shop (run in conjunction with our campaign here) sold all its Bibles out within a. few days of opening, those happenings made the front page. When I used a huge electric map containing more than five hundred tiny bulbs to illustrate the way Adventists have spread the gospel of the kingdom all over the world, a photograph of the map and an article appeared on the front page of the next issue.
Page two contained the editorial, a section for the boys and girls, Famous Hymns and Their Stories, by our song leader, Lewis A. Lansdown; ads for the week-night meetings; and a section called Here and There, containing short news items, often including the work of Seventh-day Adventists, et cetera.
The next page contained a write-up of the previous Sunday night, with some main points of truth, incomplete enough to encourage people to come to the meetings. It also stressed the visual aids and equipment that had been appreciated by all who were at that meeting. Reports of other meetings were included on this page, as was also the Bible study conducted by John R. Richardson, a member of our evangelistic team.
The back page included Coltheart Answers Bible Questions, news notes, items written by my wife, who is a registered nurse, about the marvels of the human body, and a large advertisement for the following Sunday night meeting, et cetera.
We found that our little venture was well appreciated by the town. Our church folk too were much interested in it, for they felt that in stead of just distributing handbills they were giving out something that contained the message. We believe that God has used this humble effort to help us to "break through" in this place that has been noted for years as being very hard and conservative. Our opening did not seem so encouraging as it might have been, but since then things have continually improved, owing in part, no doubt, to the paper. The campaign has been running for eighteen weeks now and we already have seventeen new folks at church, with hopes for more.
Stressing Our World Missions
NEAL C. WILSON President, Nile Mission
Paul, the mighty preacher, was very conscious of the fact that all people and all places could not be approached in the same way. Hence he declares, "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." How often we limp along just the way we have been doing, little realizing that if we employed one more means, we might win an other to the Saviour!
One of the greatest evidences of the power of the gospel and the convicting presence of the Holy Spirit is the rapid fulfillment of the great commission. This people, under the guidance of God, is marching on to victory. Nothing can halt this glorious message. Today we operate in about two hundred countries and more than seven hundred languages, and tomorrow will see another added. We should hold our heads high. We have nothing of which to be ashamed, but everything to encourage us. Why, then, do we not capitalize on this fact and proclaim to our evangelistic audiences the triumphs of the third angel's message in mission lands? This means will offend no one, but will cheer and attract many who might never be reached in any other way.
In our public meetings this has been and can be an overwhelming factor in the breaking down of prejudice, and certainly a contributing factor in the winning of souls. It seems that we ought to use this means much more effectively than has hitherto been witnessed. Too many men and women today have the mistaken idea that missions are at a standstill; that the progress and power of the cross in foreign countries has come to an abrupt end. O that God would stir us with a message for such people!
In one of our large city campaigns in the eastern section of the United States, the feature of missions proved a very real means of presenting the fullness of the gospel to all the world. From time to time an evening was dedicated to this purpose. Besides breaking down barriers of prejudice, this feature beautifully illustrated to the public the mighty hand of God in saving a lost world. This gripping manner of presenting the glorious truth of the cross nearly always appeals to young people.
In planning for such meetings in connection with a regular evangelistic series, it may be helpful to bear in mind a few ideas that will surely add punch and color to the program. Naturally, the more real the setting, the greater the interest. Try therefore to utilize some of the following: native costumes, curios, or trinkets; demonstration of native customs or habits; a sample of the native language; slides or motion pictures; and above all, arm yourself with some good stories of conversion. Endeavor to dress up your platform with various national flags (usually procurable from the American Legion), palms, flowers, slogans, a large map or globe of the world, attractive lighting, and other things that may come to your mind. Keep the scene moving by having as many participate as possible without congesting your stage, yet be certain that things do not get out of hand. Do not neglect to have at least one full rehearsal be fore the actual meeting.
Although our evangelism aims to inform the public on the imminent return of Christ to the world, yet our larger evangelistic efforts are a great training school for younger workers. When in our evangelism these are brought to the front by taking part in such a missions feature program, the evangelist is helping him self and his coworkers in this appropriate by product of evangelism. Workers learn by doing. Evangelists who make the best and most lasting contributions to the cause are those who find ways and means to advertise these personal workers in their public meetings, thus giving them a needed building up so that they will find speedy entrance into the homes of the people attending the meetings.
Parade of Heathen Power
R. L. ODOM
The United States Information Service released a news bulletin on September 16, 1952, that contained this interesting item:
"SAIGON More than 50,000 persons participated Sunday in a ceremony honoring the arrival of a 2,000-year-old holy relic regarded as a bone fragment of Buddha. It is being sent from Colombo, Ceylon, to Tokyo for the second world conference of Buddhists which convenes September 25."
This report brings to mind the following prediction made by the servant of the Lord many years ago:
"As we near the close of time, there will be greater and still greater external parade of heathen power; heathen deities will manifest their signal power, and will exhibit themselves before the cities of the world; and this delineation has already begun to be fulfilled. By a variety of images the Lord Jesus represented to John the wicked character and seductive influence of those who have been distinguished for their persecution of God's people. All need wisdom carefully to search out the mystery of iniquity that figures so largely in the winding up of this earth's history." Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 117, 118.
Note particularly that this "external parade of heathen power" in the city of Saigon occurred on Sunday. It is not difficult to under stand how the heathen nations will fall in line in fulfilling this other prediction:
"As America, the land of religious liberty,shall unite with the papacy in forcing the con science and compelling men to honor the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example. Our people are not half awake to do all in their power, with the facilities within their reach, to extend the message of warning." Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 18.
A great stirring is taking place in the heathen lands of the Far East. The people of the Orient are now in a mood for a great religious revival. The leaders of the old heathen systems discern that a great vacuum has been created in the religious atmosphere of this part of the world as a result of World War II. And lest either Christianity or Communism further exploit this situation, both Muslim and Buddhist leaders are seeking to bring about an organized revival among their followers. A similar move may fol low in India, and even in China when the political situation there is changed. Men acquainted with the old religious systems of the East well know that when their followers are stirred to activity and zeal by external parades of power, aided by exhibitions of spiritualistic phenomena, fanaticism will not hesitate to do violence to the people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Truly, now is the time for the church to work as never before in the heathen lands of the Orient. God's people need "to do all in their power, with the facilities within their reach, to extend the message of warning." Let us do this now with the workers, medical institutions, schools, and printing plants we have already set up. While more and better facilities are needed, let us not wait for them but begin now in these lands the greatest campaign of evangelism possible by the use of both the printed and the spoken word.
