The General Conference family continues to welcome visitors from far and near. This is a common experience to those who are busy in the many offices here at headquarters, and every department of our expanding work enjoys these contacts. Returning missionaries, workers from the home base, as well as interested laymen, indicate the impressions they have received from such a visit. One of the more frequent remarks may be: "What a busy place! Somehow I hardly expected it to be just like this." We endeavor to give each visitor a warm greeting, and we delight in the inspiring reports brought to us so directly from their field. Adventism is a brotherhood as well as a fellowship of service for the Master.
Another significant observation is that many visitors to headquarters tie in with some particular department of the work. This suggests that there is organization and wise counseling, and that God has given to every man his work. We should not neglect to mention that all visitors share a common interest in the president of the General Conference. To be able to take a peep into his office is a gratifying accomplishment during a visit to headquarters. Yes, Adventism is a family affair, and its leadership is of relative importance to all believers and workers. May time be kind to us so that this spiritual relationship will continue to characterize a wholesome Adventism!
But the onward march of time will produce changes. Where in former years our visiting groups represented mainly those within our church, today Christian friends from other faiths spend time investigating our doctrines, desiring—in the significant language of the times—to learn what makes Adventism "tick." This we in the Ministerial Association recognize as no mere happenstance. Our associates in the department have for years been working toward creating a better understanding. While public relations must often lengthen the day's activity, we find our work intensely interesting and very challenging.
The Ministerial Association is the great pulse of our ministerial activity. Today what we publish in THE MINISTRY, the organ of ministerial expression for our world field, catches the ears of gospel workers both within and outside of our ranks. Many letters express appreciation of the journal's service to our workers. Occasionally a non-Adventist friend will casually remark that THE MINISTRY with its direct approaches is recognized as a helpful professional journal by those not of our faith. Nor do we chafe under criticism or misunderstanding. We humbly remind one another that the machinery of progress must be oiled by breadth of thought as well as freedom of expression. To us this indicates that Adventism is not asleep, and that faith must be kept pure while it is propagated.
The international spirit of the Ministerial Association is best revealed by the national backgrounds of the staff. Our personnel has come to Washington from Australia, New Zealand, England, Germany, South America, and Canada. Our denominational Yearbook must be consulted constantly. Here these names are not just cold print, for every worker becomes the burden of our prayers. Our office files fairly bulge with overseas correspondence, and with materials planned to help both the younger and the more experienced workers. Our associates spend much time in the field and especially abroad. Some of our group teach regularly in the Theological Seminary, where a continuous stream of workers from all over the world further their education. A large map of the world is prominently placed in our counsel room so that our world vision may inspire broad planning.
We greet the field with a deep consciousness that the best days of the Advent cause are right ahead. Knowing that the triumph of the message was decided on Calvary, your Ministerial Association workers are dedicated to the supreme task of reaching earth's unwarned millions with the joyous message of salvation.
Each flickering ray of truth will soon be transformed into a floodlight for the message of Jesus' soon return. What a vision, and what an objective!
L. C. K.
