LII THROUGH THE SOUTH TO THE CONFERENCE OF 1901 'Our efforts in missionary lines must become far more extensive," wrote Mrs. White shortly before her return to America in 1900. "A more decided work than has been done must be done prior to the second appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. God's people are not to cease their labors until they shall encircle the world." "Let the gospel message ring through our churches, summoning them to universal action. Let the members of the church have increased faith, gaining zeal from their unseen, heavenly allies, from a knowledge of their exhaustless resources, from the greatness of the enterprise in which they are engaged, and from the power of their Leader. Those who place themselves under God's control, to be led and guided by Him, will catch the steady tread of the events ordained by Him to take place. Inspired with the Spirit of Him who gave His life for the life of the world, they will no longer stand still in impotency, pointing to what they cannot do. Putting on the armor of heaven, they will go forth to the warfare, willing to do and dare for God, knowing that His omnipotence will supply their need."'' CENTERS OF INFLUENCE AND OF TRAINING With the rapid development of missionary operations in many lands during the nineties, there had arisen perplexing administrative problems regarding the distribution of workers and of means. Some advocated one policy, some another. 1 "Testimonies for the Church," Vol. 6, p. 14. There were. those who urged the immediate occupation of the strongholds of heathenism by large forces of workers, while others held to the policy of carrying on a vigorous campaign in unoccupied regions of the home land, as, for example, the Southern States of America, and in those countries where the efforts of the workers were rewarded with encouraging and substantial results. These advocated that difficult heathen lands be entered only as the providence of God might plainly open the way. For several years Mrs. White had been writing concerning the advantages to be gained by establishing centers of influence and of training in England and in some of the Continental countries of Europe, and in such fields as Australasia, where the prospects were good for raising up and educating many workers to enter the less favored regions beyond. She had also been counseling the brethren to carry forward an aggressive campaign in the Southern States, and had often pleaded that this portion of the field be dealt with liberally. "It is the very essence of all right faith," she wrote, "to do the right thing at the right time. God is the great Master Worker, and by His providence He prepares the way for His work to be accomplished. He provides opportunities, opens up lines of influence and channels of working. If His people are watching the indications of His providence, and stand ready to cooperate with Him, they will see a great work accomplished. Their efforts, rightly directed, will produce a hundredfold greater results than can be accomplished with the same means and facilities in another channel where God is not so manifestly working. . . . "Certain countries have advantages that mark them as centers of education and influence. In the Englishspeaking nations and the Protestant nations of Europe it is comparatively easy to find access to the people,. and there are many advantages for establishing institutions and carrying forward our work. In some other lands, such as India and China, the workers must go through a long course of education before the people can understand them, or they the people. And at every step there are great difficulties to be encountered in the work. In America, Australia, England, and some other European countries, many of these impediments do not exist."'* SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SOUTH During her journey to the General Conference of 1901, Mrs. White took occasion to pass through the Southern States, and to speak words of courage and counsel to those who were laboring there. At Vicksburg, Miss., she came in direct contact with the work carried forward from that center in behalf of the colored people. At Nashville she met with a larger group of workers, diligently studying the necessities of the cause in the Southern States, and inaugurating many lines of work. The Gospel Herald, formerly printed in Battle Creek, had been moved to Nashville, and the advantages in publishing tracts and books for the Southland, at Nashville, were being considered. Regarding these things, Mrs. White testified: "Many lines of business will open up as the work is carried forward. There is much work to be done in the South, and in order to do this work the laborers must have suitable literature, books telling the 2 "Testimonies for the Church," Vol. 6, pp. 24, 25 (published in 1901). truth in simple language, and abundantly illustrated. This kind of literature will be the most effective means of keeping the truth before the people. A sermon may be preached and soon forgotten, but a book remains. 993 In communications written a few months later on the necessity of planning wisely for the conduct of the publishing work in the South, it was plainly pointed out that the brethren in responsibility in that field would find rich blessing in preparing and publishing a line of literature specially adapted to the peculiar needs of the various classes living within their borders. 66 In May, 1901, the Southern Publishing Association was organized, and plans were laid for the strengthening of the colporteur work throughout the Southern Union Conference. But the issuance and circulation of specially prepared literature would not alone meet the demands of the field. 'We need schools in the South," declared Mrs. White. "They must be established away from the city, in the country. There must be industrial and educational schools, where the colored people can teach colored people, and schools where the white people can teach the white people. Missions must be established." The medical missionary work also was to be undertaken, and many small centers for the carrying forward of this line of endeavor were to be established at strategic points. INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING IN MANY LANDS Not only in the South were institutions called for, for the education of workers; centers of training were to be established in many lands, in "England, Aus 3 Review and Herald, May 28, 1901, p. 11. tralia, Germany, and Scandinavia, and other Continental countries as the work advances." "In these countries," Mrs. White pointed out, "the Lord has able workmen, laborers of experience. These can lead out in the establishment of institutions, the training of workers, and the carrying forward of the work in its different lines. God designs that they shall be furnished with means and facilities. The institutions established would give character to the work in these countries, and would give opportunity for the training of workers for the darker heathen nations. In this way the efficiency of our experienced workers would be multiplied a hundred fold."'" While broad foundations were to be laid in lands whence many workers might quickly be prepared to go forth to the ends of the earth, the less favored regions were not to be neglected. In this connection Mrs. White wrote: "The cry comes from far-off countries, 'Come over and help us.' These are not so easily reached, and not so ready for the harvest, as are the fields more nearly within our sight; but they must not be neglected."'* It was her great desire to see the message of present truth proclaimed in every land, that led Mrs. White during the 1901 General Conference to outline very clearly God's purpose in building up the work along broad lines in the favored regions of the earth. It was her desire to see the message proclaimed in heathen lands, that led her to urge the establishment of institutional training centers in Great Britain, and on the Continent of Europe, as well as in Australia and in the Southern States of America. She pointed out the folly of restricting the work in such places. 5 "Testimonies for the Church," Vol. 6, p. 25. Idem, p. 27. |