I have been deeply interested in the relation of a recent experience of Elder Daniells, who, on
his way from Melbourne to Adelaide, stopped at a town called Nhill, to visit some young men
who have been sending in orders to the Echo office for our papers and books. He found here a
young man by the name of Hansen, a Dane, who chanced upon the Echo at a public library, and
became an interested reader of the paper. The subjects of truth presented in its columns found a
place in his heart, and he began to talk about them to a friend at the hotel where he was in
service. This man, Mr. Williams, also became interested, and they sent in orders for other
publications, becoming regular subscribers to the paper. Elder Daniells found them eager for a
better knowledge of the truth. Upon the table of Mr. Williams was found "Thoughts on Daniel
and the Revelation," and several other books published by our people. They had seen but one
man who was of our faith. They bought from Elder Daniells three copies of "Steps to Christ," so
that they might have one apiece, and another to give to a minister. Elder Daniells was pleased
with his visit, and encouraged by his conversation with these inquirers after truth.
These men had studied the truth from the printed page and the Bible, and had accepted all
points of doctrine as far as they could understand them without the aid of the living preacher. A
great work is going silently on through the distribution of our publications; but what a great
amount of good might be done if some of our brethren and sisters from America would come to
these colonies, as fruit growers, farmers, or merchants, and in the fear and love of God, would
seek to win souls to the truth. If such families were consecrated to God, He would use them as
His agents. Ministers have their place and their work, but there are scores that the
minister cannot reach, who might be reached by families who could visit with the people and
impress upon them the truth for these last days. In their domestic or business relations they could
come in contact with a class who are inaccessible to the minister, and they could open to them
the treasures of the truth, and impart to them a knowledge of salvation. There is altogether too
little done in this line of missionary work; for the field is large, and many workers could labor
with success in this line of effort. If those who have received a knowledge of the truth had
realized the necessity of studying the Scriptures for themselves, if they had felt the weight of
responsibility that rests upon them, as faithful stewards of the grace of God, they would have
brought light to many who sit in darkness, and what a harvest of souls would have been gathered
for the Master. If each one realized his accountability to God for his personal influence, he would
in no case be an idler, but would cultivate his ability, and train every power that he might serve
Him who has purchased him with His own blood.
The youth especially should feel that they must train their minds, and take every opportunity
to become intelligent, that they may render acceptable service to Him who has given His precious
life for them. And let no one make the mistake of regarding himself as so well educated as to
have no more need of studying books or nature. Let everyone improve every opportunity with
which in the providence of God he is favored, to acquire all that is possible in revelation or
science. We should learn to place the proper estimate on the powers that God has given us. If a
youth has to begin at the lowest round of the ladder, he should not be discouraged, but be
determined to climb round after round until he shall hear the voice of Christ saying, "Child, come
up higher. Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I
will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
We are to compare our characters with the infallible standard of God's law. In order to do this,
we must search the Scriptures, measuring our attainments by the word of God. Through the grace
of Christ, the highest attainments in character are possible; for every soul who comes under the
molding influence of the Spirit of God, may be transformed in mind and heart. In order to
understand your condition, it is necessary to study the Bible, and to watch unto prayer. The
apostle says, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye
not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" Let not those who
are ignorant remain in ignorance. They cannot remain in ignorance, and meet the mind of God.
They are to look to the cross of Calvary, and estimate the soul by the value of the offering there
made. Jesus says to all believers, "Ye are My witnesses." "Ye are laborers together with God."
This being true, how earnestly should each one strive to make use of every power to improve
every opportunity for becoming efficient that he may be "not slothful in business; fervent in
spirit; serving the Lord."
Every talent that has been given to men is to be exercised that it may increase in value, and all
the improvement must be rendered back to God. If you are defective in manner, in voice, in
education, you need not always remain in this condition. You must continually strive that you
may reach a higher standard both in education and in religious experience, that you may become
teachers of good things. As servants of the great King, you should individually realize that you
are under obligation to improve yourselves by observation, study, and by communion with God.
The word of God is able to make you wise, to guide and make you perfect in Christ. The blessed
Saviour was a faultless pattern for all His followers to imitate. It is the privilege of the child of
God to understand spiritual things, to be able wisely to manage that which may be intrusted to his
charge. God does not provide a way
whereby any one may have an excuse for doing slipshod work; and yet a great deal of this kind of
work has been offered to Him by those who work in His cause, but it is not acceptable unto Him.
Young men and women, have you, as individuals purchased at infinite cost, sought to study to
show yourselves approved unto God, workmen which need not be ashamed? Have you brought
to God the precious talent of your voice, and put forth painstaking effort to speak clearly,
distinctly, and readily? However imperfect may be your manner of utterance, you may correct
your faults, and refuse to allow yourself to have a nasal tone, or to speak in a thick, indistinct
way. If your articulation is distinct and intelligible, your usefulness will be greatly increased.
Then do not leave one defective habit of speech uncorrected. Pray about the matter, and
co-operate with the Holy Spirit that is working for your perfection. The Lord, who made man
perfect in the beginning, will help you to cultivate your physical and mental powers, and fit you
to bear burdens and responsibilities in the cause of God.
There are thousands today who are unqualified for the work of the ministry, who cannot take a
position of sacred trust, and are lost to the cause, because they have failed to value the talents
given them of God, and have not cultivated their powers of mind and body, so that they may fill
positions of trust in the Master's work. Individually we are here as probationers, and the Lord is
testing and proving our fidelity to Him.
He would employ us as agents to communicate the light of His word to the world. If we
improved the light given us of God by diffusing it to others, we shall have increased light; for to
him "that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be
taken away even that which he hath." It is at our own option as to what we shall do with the light
God has given. We may walk in it, or
refuse to follow in the steps of Christ, and thus extinguish our light.
Considering the light that God has given, it is marvelous that there are not scores of young
men and women inquiring, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" It is a perilous mistake to
imagine that unless a young man has decided to give himself to the ministry, no special effort is
required to fit him for the work of God. Whatever may be your calling, it is essential that you
improve your abilities by diligent study. Young men and women should be urged to appreciate
the heaven-sent blessings of opportunities to become well disciplined and intelligent. They
should take advantage of the schools that have been established for the purpose of imparting the
best of knowledge. It is sinful to be indolent and negligent in regard to obtaining an education.
Time is short, and therefore because the Lord is soon to come to close the scenes of earth's
history, there is all the greater necessity of improving present opportunities and privileges.
Young men and young women should place themselves in our schools, in the channel where
knowledge and discipline may be obtained. They should consecrate their ability to God, become
diligent Bible students, that they may be fortified against erroneous doctrine, and not be led away
by the error of the wicked; for it is by diligent searching of the Bible that we obtain a knowledge
of what is truth. But the practice of the truth we already know, increased light will shine upon us
from the holy Scriptures. As we surrender our will to the will of God, as we humble our hearts
before Him, we shall earnestly desire to become colaborers with Him, going forth to save those
who perish. Those who are truly consecrated to God will not enter the work prompted by the
same motive which leads men to engage in worldly business, merely for the sake of a livelihood,
but they will enter the work allowing no worldly consideration to control them, realizing that the
cause of God is sacred.
The world is to be warned, and no soul should rest satisfied with a superficial knowledge of
truth. You know not to what responsibility you may be called. You know not where you may be
called upon to give your witness of truth. Many will have to stand in the legislative courts; some
will have to stand before kings and before the learned of the earth, to answer for their faith.
Those who have only a superficial understanding of truth will not be able clearly to expound the
Scriptures, and give definite reasons for their faith. They will become confused, and will not be
workmen that need not to be ashamed. Let no one imagine that he has no need to study, because
he is not to preach in the sacred desk. You know not what God may require of you. It is a
lamentable fact that the advancement of the cause is hindered by the dearth of educated laborers
who have fitted themselves for positions of trust. The Lord will accept of thousands to labor in
His great harvest field, but many have failed to fit themselves for the work. But every one who
has espoused the cause of Christ, who has offered himself as a soldier in the Lord's army, should
place himself where he may have faithful drill. Religion has meant altogether too little to the
professed followers of Christ; for it is not the will of God that any one should remain ignorant
when wisdom and knowledge have been placed within reach.
How few have qualified themselves in the science of saving souls! How few understand the
work that should be done in building up the church, in communicating light to those who sit in
darkness! Yet God has given to every man his work. We are to work out our own salvation with
fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
In the work of salvation there is a co-operation of human and divine agencies. There is much said
concerning the inefficiency of human effort, and yet the Lord does nothing for the salvation of
the soul without the co-operation of man. The word of God is clear and distinct
on this point, and yet when so much depends upon our co-operation with the heavenly agencies,
men conduct themselves as though they could afford to set aside the claims of God, and let the
things of eternal importance wait their convenience. They act as though they could manage
spiritual things to suit themselves, and they place eternal interests in subordination to earthly and
temporal matters. But how presumptuous is this to deal thus with that which is most essential,
and most easily lost.
Where are those who would be wise laborers together with God? The apostle says, "Ye are
God's husbandry, ye are God's building." But will men trust that they may be able under pressure
of circumstances to step into some important position, when they have neglected to train and
discipline themselves for the work? Will they imagine that they may be polished instruments in
the hands of God for the salvation of souls for whom Christ died, when they have neglected to
use the opportunities placed at their command for obtaining a fitness for the work? "We wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the
whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand." Every one needs to improve his God-given faculties and opportunities, that individually
we may be laborers together with God.
God is continually working for us that we may come behind in no gift. He has given us our
physical, mental, and moral powers, and if we improve as we should, we shall be able to meet the
supernatural powers of darkness and conquer them. Jesus has pointed out the way of life, He has
made manifest the light of truth, He has given the Holy Spirit, and endowed us richly with
everything essential to our perfection. But these advantages are not acknowledged, and we
overlook our privileges and opportunities, and fail to co-operate with
the heavenly intelligences, and thus fail to become noble, intelligent workers for God. Those to
whom their own way looks more attractive than does the way of the Lord, cannot be used in His
service, for they would misrepresent the character of Christ, and lead souls away from acceptable
service to God.
Those who work for the Master must be well-disciplined, that they may stand as faithful
sentinels. They must be men and women who will carry out the plans of God for the wise
improvement of the minds of those who come under their influence. They must unite with all the
agencies who are seeking to fulfill the will of God in saving a lost world. Christ has given
Himself, the just for the unjust, He has died on Calvary's cross, and He has intrusted to human
agencies the work of completing the great measure of redeeming love; for man co-operates with
God in His effort to save the perishing. In the neglected duties of the church we read the retarding
of the fulfillment of the purpose of God; but if men fail to accomplish their work, it would be
better had they never been born. Great evil will follow the neglect of co-operating with God; for
eternal life will be lost. Our success as candidates for heaven will depend on our earnestness in
fulfilling the conditions upon which eternal life is granted. We must receive and obey the word of
God, we cannot be idlers, and float with the current. We must be diligent students of the word of
God. We must train and educate ourselves as good soldiers of Christ. We must advance the work,
becoming laborers together with God.-- Review and Herald, February 14, 1893.