When the Prince of heaven came to join battle with the "prince of this world" it was another phase in an aggressive all-out war against the forces of evil, a real "war to end war."
He came to take away the sin of the world. He came to reveal the Father.
Our Lord's Sense of Urgency
Although our Saviour's ministry in this world was brief, it was intensive. He referred to it as the "day" with "night" coming on apace.
So earnest were His efforts that as He sat on the curb of the well in Sychar—weary, thirsty, and hungry—He was so much concerned about the needs of the woman of Samaria and her salvation that He forgot His own physical needs. It was that spirit of complete dedication and unceasing labor that enabled Him to say at the ending of His earthly mission, "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gayest me to do." And on the cross He could shout in triumph, "It is finished."
The darkness rolled away from the Saviour and from the cross. Christ bowed His head and died. The compact between Father and Son was fully consummated. Christ had fulfilled His pledge. In death He was more than conqueror. His right hand, and His glorious, holy arm had gotten Him the victory.—The Youth's Instructor, June 21, 1900.
Thus He gained the most notable victory in love's supreme conquest.
O, 'twas love, 'twas wondrous love,
The love of God to me;
It brought my Saviour from above
To die on Calvary.
Having risen from the dead, the Master has called men to join Him in love's supreme conquest.
"And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach" (Mark 3:14). What a wonderful preparation was theirs! To be with Jesus and hear His teaching, see His mighty miracles, observe His kindness and love for erring mortals! Their message for the world was "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." They were to tell what they had seen and heard of Him. And they must tell it to all the world. The task seemed impossible, and it was, from a human point of view.
A few weak men were sent to grapple with all the might of the heathen world. Their case seemed desperate; success seemed impossible. But it was the Lord who had sent -them; here was their hope and strength.—Pulpit Commentary, on Matt. 10:16.
But they went, and what wonderful results accrued! "Ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine," was the cry of their critics. It seems probable that Thomas went to China and India, leaving churches of Christians wherever he preached the gospel. In areas of India today we have the Thomas Christians. According to tradition, Thomas was martyred on St. Thomas Mountain, near Madras.
Paul and his companions also were sent, and concerning their work in Thessalonica, the complaint of their enemies was, "These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also" (Acts 17:6). Others also traveled far, preaching Christ and Him crucified until their witness was given to the then-known world. The record of their lives abounds with deeds of sacrifice, courage, and triumph. Facing martyrdom at the end of his ministry, Paul could say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7).
From the close of the mission of the apostles right down through the ages, that which the Master sent them to establish in love and sacrifice, through persecution and death, has been nobly defended by men and women of great courage and devotion.
Sent to Give a Special Message
When, in the Master's plan for love's supreme conquest, the time came for the last warning message to go to all the world, He began to prepare a people to do that work. Devotion, sacrifice, and discipline, all were part of that preparation.
The names of our pioneers are familiar to us—Bates, White, Himes, Loughborough, Andrews, Smith, and others. They gave the full measure of their strength, their earthly possessions, to the cause of God. They lived by faith, and how often that faith was rewarded! Two examples, not so well known, will illustrate their devotion.
James White, then a young minister, put a notice in the paper inviting some kind family of believers to come and locate close to the White family so that Brother and Sister White could leave their small children with these neighbors while the Whites answered the urgent calls to travel among the churches to strengthen the believers in their faith. Would many workers today feel called upon to sacrifice like that?
J. N. Loughborough was a man of small stature, and at one time did not have clothes suitable for a preacher. Some kind neighbor gave him trousers and vest. The trousers being seven inches too long, he cut them off. His brother gave him a double-breasted overcoat that had been cut short. What would we do today with such a limited wardrobe? They did not have salaries, or funds for traveling expenses, except as they could earn, or some kind friend could help a little. Those were days of real sacrifice and deep devotion to a cause.
They were misunderstood, grossly misrepresented, and sometimes betrayed by friends. But they worked on. In 1863 the world General Conference was organized by 20 delegates, representing 3,500 believers.
Then in 1874, eighty-three years ago, we sent out our first missionary. Recently we stood by his grave in Basel, Switzerland, and read the inscription on the monument, telling how he labored to start the French Signs of the Times. Coming to the end of his life and wasting away by an incurable disease, he insisted on writing editorials for the paper while confined to his bed. And one of his last acts was to sign over to the cause his last five hundred dollars.
But what dividends have accrued from such sacrifices! Today in Europe we have four divisions, with more than 220,000 baptized members, and many others in preparation for such membership. Still there are great needs in Europe awaiting our response.
Our first missionaries went to Africa in 1887—seventy years ago. They established the Solusi Mission station in 1894. There they labored, sacrificed, suffered, and died. Their graves in a nearby cemetery are the silent markers of the resting places of these soldiers of the cross. We are reminded of Gideon and his army, whose pitchers were broken to let the light shine to the surrounding people. So with these early missionaries. Their lives were broken in sacrifice to bring the news of their beloved Saviour to their African brothers. But not broken in vain! For the light of their lives still shines, and shines brighter each year. Today we have about 140,000 baptized believers in Southern Africa. Think of it! Today we have 2,000 missionaries laboring in 187 countries.
A New Regard Experienced
In quite recent times there has come about a new regard for Seventh-day Adventists. Many factors have contributed to a better understanding concerning what we believe and teach and the type of work we are carrying on in the world. The quality and quantity of the religious, health, and cultural literature published have had a great influence. The radio, television, and Bible correspondence schools have also contributed much to this development.
Better public relations and closer contacts with more men of influence in religion and other spheres of activity have accomplished very much indeed. Many of our former opposers are becoming our defenders and apologists. Perhaps also in recent years we have been more careful in our statements regarding our beliefs, and we must continue to be even more careful in what we say and what we publish. That is essential.
This popularity and favor, we believe, is of God; it is for a definite purpose. It is a fulfillment of Isaiah 60:2, 3: "But the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles [nations] shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."
The glory of God is rising upon His people, but this brings with it a solemn responsibility. There is a great work to be accomplished in a short time.
This new regard for our work and friendship for our workers could become our greatest danger. It need not be, however; it must not be permitted to bring in an attitude of pride or boastfulness, or a sense of satisfaction with present accomplishments. It must not be permitted to cause a feeling of complacency, or to make us feel we are "rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." It must not be permitted to cause us to compromise either our beliefs or the aggressiveness of our program. This would be easy to do. I have seen that happen in a small way in one part of the world.
We have a message to give, and with the glory of God upon His work and His church, let us arise and shine and finish the work we are sent to do. Let us in great soberness realize that this popularity will not last forever—of that I am confident—unless we forget the special message we are called to give. To forget it would be to deny the call of God and the very purpose of our existence.
Urgency of the Hour
There is a great awakening in the world with reference to the teaching of Christianity. There is also an awakening on the part of leaders of other religions, who are becoming active in opposition to the church. We find evidences of this in many parts of the world. A new challenge is the rising tide of nationalism and ideologies antagonistic to the Christian faith. There is also a sense of alarm in the world. International tensions are producing fears and apprehensions.
A voice from a noted editor, not of our church, we would do well to heed:
Where are the churches which give the impression of living with the awareness that they have no more than a few years, perhaps only a few months, left in which to press on a doomed society their offer of salvation? . . . Men and brethren, the nations are rushing toward destruction and the time is short! The churches do not yet give the impression that they are in deadly earnest about their use of the time that remains.—PAtu, HUTCHINSON, editorial in The Christian Century, 1947.
This sounds like an Adventist preacher saying, "The hour of his judgment is come." Surely, time is short! Haste, for "the night cometh, when no man can work."
Some doors are opening to the message now, but some are closing that have been opened. In Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 172, we are warned:
Soon doors now open to the truth will be forever closed. Carry the message now. Do not wait, allowing the enemy to take possession of the fields now open before you.
Sensing the great need of the multitudes wherever he had gone, the great missionary of the early church, when his "day" was drawing to a close and "night" was coming on, cried, "How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?"
To these questions the church today must respond. If we listen to the voice of the One who sent us into this world in love's supreme conquest, we will hear: "Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes" (Isa. 54:2). How this must be done is the question.
To my fellow missionary leaders of overseas divisions I would say that as you see so many needs in your own divisions you may be inclined to feel that too much is being expended in the homeland, that more funds should be sent abroad where the needs are much greater. This is a very natural impression; I, too, have often shared it. But it must be remembered that buildings erected many years ago have become unsuitable and sometimes unsafe or inadequate for present demands. These have to be replaced, enlarged, or supplied at great cost.
The growth of our work in our institutions has necessitated enlargements. We must not only "lengthen our cords" but "strengthen our stakes." But in the homeland we must ever be conscious of our world program. The following statement is surely true:
The mission movement was a notable advance in the church of God. No man is really a Christian until he realizes his responsibility of sharing with others. As long as he is content selfishly to enjoy that which is provided in the gospel for him, he has not caught the meaning of Christianity. Christianity means sharing; Christianity means giving; Christianity means sacrifice; Christianity means foreign missions. As someone has said, 'Before every church lies two roads: one leads to foreign missions, the other to the cemetery.' . . . No church can long close its heart and purse to the cry of the world, and retain its power. Unless it goes out to the world with the life-giving message, the world will come into the church with its death-dealing paralysis. It is for the church to choose which it will have.—M. L. ANDREASEN, The Faith of Jesus, pp. 150, 151.
We are confident that all of us here subscribe to these sentiments. The leadership of our work in North America is certainly mission-minded. During visits to camp meetings this past summer, I was gratified to see the emphasis given by both union and local conference leaders to the offerings for the cause of missions.
We rejoice that our people are liberal. Yet are we giving as liberally or are we sacrificing as much as we should to advance and finish the work of God in the earth? We are prospering more than ever before in our history.
Seventh-day Adventists never had it so good as at present. As workers we never had such good care, and such excellent facilities for carrying on the work, as we have today. Of course there are exceptions, but this is generally true. However, we must never forget the spirit of sacrifice and devotion that characterized the pioneers of this cause and so many of those who followed them. The closing years of this conquest of love will be characterized by that same spirit of sacrifice.
The Challenge of Today
"Padre, why do you people do it?" That question was put to me as I arrived on board a river steamer to return to Hong Kong. We had been passing through a time of civil war and antiforeign tension. I was returning home. I asked the captain if he had a place I could occupy. He took me along the upper deck and showed me a cabin. Soon I went out on deck to chat with the ship's officers. They were sitting around a table with refreshments.
Sullenly, the captain said to me, "Last night my ship was anchored here in port and I saw one of your people [a missionary] take his wife and children and put them down in a sampan [small boat]. He got down into it also and headed up the river about dark." He was headed for a dangerous area. The captain demanded, "Padre, why do you people do it?" It seemed to the captain that the family was going right into the jaws of death! He had told me before that he was an infidel. After a moment of thought I turned to him and said:
"Captain, it is the inner urge." He dropped his head a moment, and then looking at me, he demanded, "What do you mean by the inner urge?"
"Oh," I said, "it is that which caused God to send His only-begotten Son into the world of darkness and sin to die for you and me; it is that which caused the Saviour to leave the companionship of His Father and the holy angels, the glory of heaven, and come down into this sin-cursed world to die for man. The inner urge is love." Love faces dangers, conquers fears, and knows no failure. That is the challenge of this mighty hour. "We hold in our dedicated hands the priceless riches of our fathers; we have inherited their spirit of sacrifice and devotion."
There must be no failure in our mission. Sir Nevil Henderson, England's ambassador to Germany prior to the outbreak of the last war, after failing in his almost frantic endeavors to preserve the peace, wrote a book, which he entitled Failure of a Mission. We, too, are ambassadors for the King of heaven, and there must be no failure of our mission. It may seem that our cause in some parts is failing; there may be some defeats, some retreats, such as were experienced by our missionaries who had to leave China and some other lands. But the work goes on in God's own plan, and the tide of this great message will win at last. This assurance is beautifully expressed in the following words:
The Tide Is Sure to Win
On the far reef, the breakers recoil in shattered foam,
While still the sea behind them urges its forces home;
Its song of triumph surges o'er all the thunderous din;
The wave may break in failure, but the tide is sure to win.
The reef is strong and cruel; upon its jagged wall,
One wave, a score, a hundred, broken and beaten, fall;
Yet in defeat they conquer; the sea comes flooding in;
Wave upon wave is routed, but the tide is sure to win.
O mighty sea! thy message in clanging spray is cast,
Within God's plan of progress; it matters not at last,
How wide the shores of evil, how strong the reefs of sin;
The waves may be defeated, but the tide is sure to win!
—Shepherd Evangelist, p. 140.
The tide of the last message of mercy is sure to win. The death knell of the devil is certain. Then will be set up in the city of God the true United Nations, not on the shores of Lake Success, New York, as the UN once was (with its hoped-for success), but on the sea of glass, when "the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it" (Rev. 21:24).
