Words of Gratitude

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I feel very grateful to my Lord for his great goodness. For some days, yes, for some weeks, we have been so crowded with responsibilities that we have not known which way to turn, or how to take up those things which needed to be done first. The great dearth of means has been a great hindrance to our advance; but last week on Wednesday, we received encouraging letters from Dr. J. H. Kellogg, and the next day came the Bulletin with account of donations for this field.

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The news came none too soon. Elder A. G. Daniells had left Cooranbong to go out among the churches to obtain the money pledged to the school. There has been much praying and seeking the Lord most earnestly to understand what we must do. The word had been, «Go forward,» and yet not a thing could be done to hire money from the banks, or to raise it in any other way. Some who had loaned money to the publishing house in Melbourne were calling for their loan. Everything seemed to hedge us in. We looked to the Lord to help us, and prayed most earnestly. The particulars I have not time to write now; but we are greatly relieved.

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Last Sabbath a portion of the special Bulletin was read in the church, and Brother E. R. Palmer gave a little history of our difficulties and struggles for the past few months. In the afternoon there was a service of praise to the Lord.

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At the morning meeting I spoke for a short time, giving some items of our past history in the establishment of the work in different lines; what experiences we had in the commencement of the work in Battle Creek and California. Now we are going over the ground in Australia. The different chapters in the history of these Christian missions, the efforts made in lifting and planting the standard of truth in regions beyond, are similar in nearly all parts of the Lord’s great missionary vineyard.

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The spiritual wants in this country have been brought to light, and pressed upon our souls. We have felt that the time has now come to work. The opening fields have been brought before us much faster than we with our present force of workers and our limited means could supply them. We are very thankful for that which has been done, but the prospect before us in the fields of labor yet untouched, is without a limit. To raise the standard and plant it firmly means work, activity.

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In some places where we have been brought into a pressure, those not of our faith have all unexpectedly come forward with their gifts of money. This has been the case in Brisbane, Queensland. We thank the Lord for this. A meeting-house, which was a positive necessity, has been erected there. Elder S. N. Haskell has labored hard in Brisbane, and souls still continue to embrace the truth in that portion of the Lord’s vineyard.

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Every year there must be more than one or two neglected fields occupied and developed. We need more consecrated laborers to be set to work in these fields. The churches need care and encouragement, yet our work must largely be to lift the standard in new fields, where the truth has not yet come to the people. The most promising fields we have found have been those which we supposed would be the most difficult to work.

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All who present the truth in the love of it have all the zeal that they can endure. They feel such love for the souls whom they see in ignorance of the truth, that often they are carried beyond their power of endurance. We have constantly to remind them that they are mortal, and must care for their bodies. In their great interest to draw souls to Christ, opening to them the treasures of the word of God, they themselves catch the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, and they endure taxation and labor in a way that is surprising. Thus it has been with Elder Haskell. Thus it was with Elder Wilson, who died at his post of duty, and thus it has been and is with other faithful workers.

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As soon as a field is entered, the educational work begins, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little. It is not the preaching that is the most taxing; it is the labor from house to house, reasoning from the word, explaining the word. It is the earnest travail of souls that will not yield to obstacles nor be discouraged. Over and over again the same things must be repeated, and the dependence of the worker must be wholly upon God. And what rich experiences the teacher obtains in educating those in the darkness of error! He is a learner, and sees wonderful things in the word of God. Ever and ever, as he attempts to explain the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit is working with his own mind and in his own heart. He is receiving the holy oil from the two olive branches, which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves. These olive branches are the two anointed ones, who stand by the Lord of the whole earth. All who engage in the work of winning souls will themselves be constantly educated by the Holy Spirit to a clearer understanding of the word, as they communicate to others the light God has given them. The gracious utterances of the word are the holy golden oil, emptied from the two olive branches into the hearts of all who are prepared as vessels, cleansed to receive the heavenly treasure. There is infinite consolation for all who are laborers together with God. The requirements of the word impose most weighty obligations upon every steward entrusted with light and knowledge. The Bible teaches the whole will of God concerning us, and the Bible is to be not only read, but is constantly to be our rule of life, the foundation of our faith and practise.

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We need truly converted workers, those who are converted every day. Every worker must be supplied with the golden oil. We may have it, we must have it, and then there will be success in the work.

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We see so many places to be worked, and in the name of the Lord we call for workers, earnest workers, for this field. We do not ask for men who are wedded to their own ways, but for those who are wedded to Christ and his ways. We pray that there will be men and women who will be stirred by the Spirit of the Lord to come to this country to settle in different places, and work, and have a holding influence. We need you, O so much we need you. In every place opened there should be families, true missionaries, settled, those who will use their knowledge and experience to serve others. As they communicate, God will communicate to them. We can not draw from the treasury to support these families in this new field. There is so much of the field unworked that all the means we can command will be required. We see no limit.

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The words of Christ are very impressive. He said, «My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.»

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I have a request to make: Let all that love the Lord who gave his life for them, make returns to Him who has bought them with a price. Through your own self-denial and self-sacrifice return to God your offerings, to be used in opening new fields and planting the standard of truth in places that have never been worked. First give yourselves to the Lord as a consecrated offering, and then in your practise heed the words of Christ, «if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.»

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The word comes to every believer, «Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.» Economize in your expenditure of means upon yourself. The first step of self-denial is generally the most difficult, but begin without delay. Your self-denying offerings shall be used in this field to supply workers to give the last message of mercy to a fallen world. There will be in your hearts such a sacred kindling of love for God and zeal for the truth that you will realize indeed the truth of the words, «We are laborers together with God.»

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From the light given me of God, I make this call to young and old, men and women and children. God calls upon you to do your best. Practise self-denial in order to bring the truth before thousands who have never heard it.

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The missionary spirit needs to be revived in our churches. We want you to show your active zeal in doing something, and doing it now. Let there be planning of sacrifices for God in order to advance the work in the very places where it is most needed.

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There is a great work to be done in England. The light radiating from London should beam forth in clear, distinct rays to regions beyond. God has wrought in England, but his English-speaking world has been terribly neglected. You that have the cause of God at heart, bear in mind the great work to be done in London and all through the cities of England.

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We want to push the triumphs of the cross in Australia, right where we are. New fields are opening, and the work must not be hindered. Maitland and Singleton and other towns and cities must be warned. The Lord is coming. Prepare to meet thy God. Every place not entered, not worked, has its own claims. The anticipation, the prospect of working these fields, must give place to the grave, decided, self-sacrificing reality of hard work itself. Anticipate all you please in regard to regions beyond, but go to work now. Every Christian is bound to be a Bible worker, to do something in imparting to others the great present truth for this time. Communicate what you do know. Tell it, sing it, pray it. Work while it is day; for the night cometh, in which no man can work. God help you, is my most earnest prayer. Mrs. E. G. White. April 11, 1899 .