The inter-American Division 
essenger 
OUR ORDERS 
By ARTHUR H. ROTH 
Christian soldier, what are your orders? 
Do you know what your Captain has commanded 
you to do? A good soldier is one who knows his 
orders and carries them out. Are you a good 
soldier of the Lord Jesus? What are your orders? 
Here they are: "Go." Where? "Into all the world." 
Do what? "Preach the Gospel." (Mark 16:15) . 
At the heart of God's programme for the 
church lies that important word "GO". As long as 
God has a work on earth for the church to do, 
never has there been nor ever will there be a time 
when that command cannot be obeyed. No 
earthly situation or condition can alter that com-
mand. Along with the command is issued Holy 
Power to execute it. When the church and the 
individual in the church obeys and yields to the 
power of the Holy Spirit nothing is able to pre-
vent the church from accomplishing its task. 
Notice the objective of the command. "Into 
all the world." That is a command to the whole 
church. The whole church is commanded to go 
into all the world. But the command means more. 
Each one of us is responsible for the work of the 
church. Each one of us has a personal world to 
which to go. We cannot send anyone to occupy 
our place. The Captain commanded me; He com-
manded you: "Go . . . into all the world." If 
you or I fail in carrying out the command in our 
personal world, among our friends, among our 
neighbours, among those with whom we come in 
contact, we have not carried out God's orders. 
Our orders to "GO . . . into all the world" 
were issued so that we might "preach the gospel". 
That means we are to witness for the Master. We 
are to tell the Good News of salvation in Jesus. 
Witnessing is the most important business the 
church has to do in the world and before the 
world. Our orders are most specific. Our witness-
ing is to be "to every creature". The Master said: 
"Ye are witnesses of these things" ( Luke 24:48) . 
We are to set before men and women all the 
things to which the Scriptures testify. 
We are to bear witness to the Master's aton-
ing death and His triumphant resurrection. 
We are to tell everywhere the great News of 
the remission of sins to all those who repent and 
believe. 
We are not only to tell about Jesus but we 
are to show Him forth as the Gospel. 
Our Lord and Captain summarized our duty 
in one sentence before He ascended into heaven: 
"Ye shall be witnesses unto Me" ( Acts1:8 ) . Our 
Message is Christ "the hope of glory." 
Christian soldier, are you carrying out your 
orders? Are you witnessing before men? Are you 
winning souls? 
VOL. XXXVI �
JUNE, 1959 �
No. 6 
IN THE INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION 
Graduates of the Radio Bible Correspondence School recently baptized at Limon, Costa Rica. 
Zacarias Rosales stands at the extreme left. 
THE CONVERSION OF ZACARIAS ROSALES 
It was in the year 1953 that a faith-
ful lay preacher, Frank Smith, first 
met Zacarias Rosales and his family. 
When Brother Smith first began to 
study the Bible with them, both Mr. 
and Mrs. Rosales were addicted to 
the tobacco habit. Within three 
months Mrs. Rosales had gained the 
victory over this evil habit and in 
June 1955 she and her oldest daugh-
ter were baptized. 
Mr. Rosales did not feel that he 
was ready for baptism at this time 
but he did enroll in the Bible Cor-
respondence School and planned to 
be baptized as soon as he should fin-
ish the course. When a call was made 
in the church for definite decisions 
he went forward and indicated a de-
sire to be baptized before the end 
of that year. He obtained a copy of 
the book, "The Great Controversy 
Between Christ And Satan", and 
read it through. Then, having finished 
the first correspondence course in the 
Bible school, he requested the ad-
vance course. 
One day the church pastor and a 
lay preacher visited Mr. Rosales to 
see if he was ready for baptism. 
They discovered that he was still 
struggling with the tobacco habit. 
When they asked him if he had ciga-
rettes in his possession at that mo-
ment he replied in the affirmative and 
produced two packages, each of 
which had been opened. The breth-
ren then told Mr. Rosales the story 
of the Ephesian believers who, wish-
ing to obtain complete victory over 
the "curious arts" that had enslaved 
them, brought their books of magic 
to the apostles and burned them. 
The pastor suggested to Mr. 
Rosales that he should burn the two 
packages of cigarettes if he really 
wished the victory over this habit 
which was keeping him out of God's 
church. Acting immediately on this 
suggestion he struck a match and 'set 
fire to both packages of cigarettes, 
watching carefully until they were 
all reduced to ashes. 
On Sunday, November 16, 1958, 
Mr. Rosales was baptized at Limon, 
Costa Rica, together with a number 
of other graduates of the Radio Bible 
Correspondence School. Now he 
walks in newness of life and helps to 
bring others to Jesus. 
—Clara Ferrera 
30,000 lay preachers in 1959—this is oux 
goal! Here is another report from . . . 
ONE OF THE 30,000 
"Three years ago I was searching 
to find a church for my wife and I 
found' it for both of us," said Brother 
Salvador Olivas, 32 years old, who is 
one of our active laymen in the Paci-
fic Mission in Mexico. Three happy 
years in the Blessed Hope have passed 
by and he 'has shared his new-found 
treasure with as many as possible. 
Last year eight precious souls were 
baptized as a result of his Bible 
studies and personal soul winning 
work. His heart is filled with great 
joy. He knows what it means to be 
a follower of Christ. For the year 
1959, Salvador has a goal of seven 
new members for the church and he 
already has this number in the bap-
tismal class. Week after week he is 
faithfully visiting sixteen families who 
live in his neighbourhood and the 
angels go with him. He is a real mis-
sionary for God. What would happen 
in Inter-America if every Seventh-day 
Adventist would do the same? 
Wouldn't you like to become one of 
the 30,000 active laymen? 
—V. W. Schoen 
Can You Do This? 
"All who can, should do per-
sonal labour. As they go from 
house to house, explaining the 
Scriptures to the people in a clear, 
simple manner, God makes the 
truth powerful to save. The 
Saviour blesses those who do. this 
work."' E. G. White, Letter 108 
1901. (Evangelism, p. 442.) 
2 �
MESSENGER 
TO THE CHURCH 
Putting Troubles to Work 
By G. M. MATHEWS, Associate Secretary 
General Conference Department of Education 
After the Fall, a long list of dread-
ful consequences of their sin was an-
nounced to Adam and Eve. One of 
these is stated thus: "Cursed is the 
ground for thy sake" (Gen. 3:17). 
The expression "for thy sake" indi-
cates that the cursing of the ground 
would be a benefit to mankind. As 
Adam, the farmer, sweated and 
struggled over his unproductive acres, 
attempting to protect the growing 
crops from thorns and thistles and 
other weeds, he was to keep in mind 
that these experiences would all 
work out to his good; that they were 
all permitted for his sake. 
But the farmer was not the only 
one who was to experience trouble. 
The Inspired Word states categori-
cally, "There hath no temptation 
taken you but such as is common to 
man" (I Cor. 10:13). Every man, then, 
was to experience trouble. There 
were to be no exceptions. Certainly 
the Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy, and 
our own personal experiences make it 
clear that there is no such thing as 
without trouble in this life. The 
poets have appropriately described 
our world as a "vale to tears". Two 
thimis seem clear: first, that everyone 
will have trouble in this life; second, 
that God can overrule these troubles 
so that they may benefit us, that they 
may be a help to us. In order for God 
to overrule in these experiences so 
that we may benefit from our trou-
bles, however, it is important that 
we take the proper attitude toward 
them. Let us consider a few facets 
of this proper attitude. 
The story is told of a party of 
hunters who, "being called away 
from their camp by a sudden alarm, 
left the campfire unattended, with a 
kettle of water boiling on it. Presently 
an old bear crept out of the woods, 
attracted by the fire, and seeing the 
kettle with its lid dancing about the 
JUNE, 1959 
top, promptly seized it. Naturally it 
burnt and scalded him badly; but in-
stead of dropping it instantly, he pro-
ceeded to hug it tightly—this being 
Mr. Bruin "s only idea of defense. Of 
course, the tighter he hugged it, the 
more it burnt him; and of course, the 
more it burnt him the tighter he hug-
ged; and so on in a vicious circle to 
the undoing of the bear."—Christian 
Econamics, Dec. 11, 1956. Certainly 
Mr. Bruin proved, by a negative dem-
onstration, that we should avoid 
every trouble that we possibly can. 
In his book, The University of Hard 
Knocks, Ralph Parlette discusses two 
kinds of trouble. The first he calls 
"bumps you bump into", and second, 
"bumps that bump into you". He goes 
on to say that troubles in the first 
group are needless bumps; they have 
no virtue and are unnecessary. Per-
haps this is a partial explanation of 
why some people have so many 
troubles—they don't try to avoid 
troubles, believing there is virtue for 
them in each one! As Jesus Christ 
faced the awful experience in the 
Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed, 
"If it be possible, let this cup pass," 
thus setting us an example of the 
proper attitude. Also in His model 
prayer He taught us to pray, "Lead 
us not into temptation". We can cer-
tainly help in answering this prayer 
by avoiding every trouble we possibly 
can. 
Mr. Parlette's second group of 
troubles are the "bumps that bump 
into you". These come unbidden, are 
unwanted, and are the ones that can-
not be avoided. These are the ones 
that our Heavenly Father permits us 
to experience for our benefit. How 
can these troubles prove beneficial to 
me? What attitude should I take to-
ward them? I have found that if 1 
accept and attempt to use these 
troubles, I am benefited. 
The following quotation from N. D. 
Hillis points up this attitude accur-
ately: "With more than a father's 
affection, with more than a mother's 
love, God sends pain to men. Care-
fully He chooses the tests. Suffering 
comes under divine commission. Sor-
rows do not riot through life. Men 
are not atoms, buffeted hither and 
thither. Troubles are appointed to 
refine away our grossness; to trans-
mute selfishness into self-sacrifice; to 
destroy vice, to transfigure our life. 
Refused, troubles bruise without 
softening; they crush without matur-
ing. Accepted and rightly used, they 
change their nature and become 
joys. Tears are seeds; planted, they 
blossom into joy and gladness." 
If, then, I refuse trouble, it bruises 
without softening; it hurts without 
healing. If I resent it, it causes bitter-
ness and a deterioration of character. 
If I have self-pity, then I focus at-
tention on self and cause self-
righteousness to grow. If, however, I 
accept and attempt to use troubles 
that God permits to come, I fulfill 
His purposes in allowing them to 
come to me and realize the benefits. 
But what does it mean to accept? 
Certainly it does not mean a spine-
less surrender, but rather, a spirit of 
cooperation. I think the old man 
understood this perfectly when he 
said, "I've learned how to cooperate 
with the inevitable". That's it; not a 
spineless surrender, not going limp, 
but standing with head erect, facing 
life squarely. If I understand correct-
ly the instructions to the Christian 
soldier that the apostle Paul gives in 
Ephesians 6:10-18, I think they 
might be summarized in these words: 
"Stand armed and praying:" After 
the terrible Garden of Gethsemane 
experience, Jesus bade His disciples, 
"Rise, let us be going". There was no 
sitting and waiting for trouble—it 
3 
would have to catch them as they 
went about their business! 
In a violent storm an eagle cries 
out, sets his wings, and rises above 
the tempest. So we can set the soul 
—keep an attitude toward trouble that 
will cause us to rise, each trial be-
coming a steppingstone to higher 
ground. Celia Luce puts, it this way: 
"A small trouble is like a pebble. 
Hold it too close to your eye and 
it fills the whole world and puts 
everything out of focus. Hold it at 
proper viewing distance and it can 
be examined and properly classified. 
Throw it at your feet and it can be 
seen in its true setting, just one more 
tiny bump on the pathway to eter-
nity,"—Think, March. 1956. 
Such an attitude of acceptance and 
cooperation makes it possible for us 
to heed the apostle Peter's instructions 
found in 1 Peter 4:12, 13: "Beloved, 
think it not strange concerning the 
fiery trial which is to try you, as 
though some strange thing happened 
unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as 
ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; 
that, when his glory shall be revealed, 
ye may be glad also with exceeding 
joy." 
In the school of Christ, "trials and 
obstacles are the Lord's chosen 
methods of discipline and His ap-
pointed conditions of success."—The 
Ministry of Healing, p. 471. "Man), 
who sincerely consecrate their lives 
to God's service are surprised and 
disappointed to find themselves, as 
never before, confronted by obstacles 
and beset by trials and perplexities. 
They pray for Christlikeness of 
character, for a fitness for the Lord's 
work, and they are placed in circum-
stances that seem to call forth all the 
evil of their nature. Faults are re-
vealed, of which they did not even 
suspect the existence . . . It is because 
God is leading them that these things 
come upon them." —Ibid, pp. 470, 471. 
Each experience is carefully se'ec-
ted to do for the individual exactly 
what needs to be done for him. 
Nothing ever "just happens" to a 
Christian. Each experience is either 
selected or permitted by our heavenly 
Father to help us in building charac-
ter. Someday we shall find that "all 
our disappointments were Jesus' ap-
pointments". 
Henry Ward Beecher once said, 
"Tears are often the telescope through 
which men see far into heaven". 
Afflictions are afflictions; they pain 
us, they try us, they test us, they are 
hard to endure, but someday we shall 
be able to contrast these light affilic-
tions with the eternal weight of glom 
that shall be ours. The sincere be-
liever, then should weigh all things 
in the scales of eternity and not in 
the short 'balance of time. 
"The trials of life are God's work-
men, to remove the impurities and 
roughness from our character. Their 
hewing, squaring, and chiseling, their 
burnishing and polishing, is a pain-
ful process; it is hard to be pressed 
down to the grinding wheel."—
Thoughts From the Mount of Bless-
ing (1956), D. 10. Those who accept 
these experiences in the school of 
Christ, no matter how hard they a.,-e 
to bear, no matter how painful they 
are. will have their characters fashion-
ed in harmony with God's pattern and 
will count these painful lessons a 
small price indeed for the e'ernal 
weight of glory which will be theirs 
forevermore! 
In the Sabbath school missions 
report one Sabbath, a little girl was 
was reading the story of a worker in 
Europe who had been in a concen-
tration camp and had experienced 
great cruelty, suffering, and abuse. 
Th word "concentration" was a big 
word for the little girl. Each time 
she came to this word she pronounce 
it: "consecration camp". In the work-
er's own testimony, it had indeed 
been that for him.. How ,,ften this had 
been true for us—the painful, the 
hard, the awful, becoming "consecra-
tion" experiences for us! 
—Review & Herald 
What A Harvest From One Tract! 
B' ADLAI ALBERT ESTER. Associate Secretary 
General Conference Home Missionary Department 
We often hear the expression, 
"Great oaks from little acorns grow". 
Recently in Takoma Park, Maryland. 
C. S. Longacre, one of the giants of 
the denomination in the fields of tem-
perance and religious liberty, was 
laid to rest. He was known around 
the world for the great work he had 
done. But not man, 
 people know of 
the simple means that God used to 
bring; the message to Charles S. Long-
acre. The story that deserves to be 
perpetuated. 
Many years ago a Seventh-day Ad-
ventist tract was given to a wore an 
who was shopping in a market. Not 
being interested in the religious theme 
of the tract she eventually gave to 
a neighbour, who was working in his 
4 
garden. This neighbour read it and 
became interested at once. He de-
cided to investigate this "strange" re-
ligion. He studied the message 
thoroughly, and accepted it. He be-
came a great soul winner and was 
finally ordained. His name was Smith 
—W. H. Smith. Elder Smith later 
built a church in Newark, New Jersey. 
It was through the ministry of 
Elder Smith that Lee S. Wheeler ac-
cepted the message and joined the 
Seventh-day Adventist Church. He 
too became a minister and shared his 
faith. It was through the ministry of 
Elder Wheeler that Charles S. Long-
acre came in contact with the Sabbath 
truth and accepted the Advent n.es- 
sage. He eventually became another 
powerful minister, and for many years 
was editor of Liberty magazine. 
Elder Longacre in turn brought 
the light of the message to two other 
men who became ministers, namely, 
F. H. Robbins and Ned S. Ashton. 
Each of these men became union 
conference presidents and were well-
known throughout the North Ameri-
can Division. 
But the harvest was not over—it 
was growing richer, wider, larger, 
greater. Elder Ashton was able to 
bring the message to a brilliant young 
man named Earl Hackman, who also 
became a minister and eventually 
president of the Inter-American Divi-
sion. Elder Ashton also won another 
MESSENGER 
young man named Ralph E. Craw-
ford. Soon he was preaching the 
message. 
A Continuing Harvest 
And the harvest does not end 
there. What if the angels, who keep 
a perfect record, would draw back 
the veil and let us see all the harvest? 
We have mentioned just a few of the 
stalwarts who are well known in the 
denomination—all of them strong 
ministers and leaders in the church, 
who are Hart of the harvest of that 
one little tract handed out in a shop-
ping market one day many years ago. 
What if we could gather together the 
names of all the souls won by each 
of these ministers? And furthermore, 
what if we could add all the names 
of all the souls won by those who 
were won by these ministers who 
have been named—what if we could 
know all the harvest from that one 
tract! 
Are we preparing for such a har-
vest? Are we sowing the seeds of 
truth beside all waters? Are we hand-
ing out tracts in the busy shopping 
markets? 
Years ago we were given this im-
portant counsel: "Carry with You, 
wherever you go, a package of select 
tracts, which you can hand out as 
you have opportunity. Sell what you 
can, and lend or give them away as 
the case may seem to require. Impor-
.ant Results will follow."— Christian 
Service, p. 151 (Italics by' AAE) 
What a promise! "Important re-
sults will follow." One earnest mem-
ber of the church long ago must have 
believed that promise, for he obeyed 
the command to GO. He heeded the 
counsel regarding handing out litera-
ture "wherever you go"—even in a 
busy market. 
Are you preparing for such a har- 
vest �
your' town? Remember that 
other promise: "God will soon do 
great things for us if we lie, humble 
and believing at HiS. feet. 'More than 
one thousand will soon be'converteel 
in one day, most of whom will trace 
their first convictions to 'th'e reading 
-If OM- publicatiOns."—ColpOrteur Miv 
iktrY, P. '151:. 
There, is, need fora mighty, revival 
of literature . evangelism, �
every 
church', during �
, 1,e-tus imple.- 
ment the General 'Conference recOM-
menclatfori that every church Plan. to 
JUNE, 1959, 
place at least two new literature racks 
in strategic places during 1959. We 
have such attractive literature. Let 
us place it before the public. Litera-
ture bands should be much more 
active in our communities. Visitation 
evangelism will yield much fruit to 
the glory of God. 
But what if you are timid? Should 
you go out anyway? In the recent 
Ingathering, field day at Walla Walla 
College many young people went out 
who were timid. All returned happy 
ad a Zus,e 
BY HANNAH R. YANKE 
Would that my life might be as a rose, 
Shedding its fragrance afar, 
Leading one's thoughts from things of 
earth 
To beauty of gates ajar, 
Where Jesus, the Rose of Sharon, 
Is waiting in heaven above 
To welcome His earthly children 
Into His arms of love. 
Would that my life be as a rose, 
Shedding its beauty on all, 
Giving, with no thought of receiving, 
Ever ready to answer the call 
Of Jesus, the Rose of Sharon, 
Who longs in His heart of love 
To welcome His earthly children 
Into His home above. 
Would that my life be as _a rose, 
Shedding fragrance and beauty so 
free, 
That all may accept God's invitation 
To look, and His face to see. 
then Jesus, the Rose of Sharon, 
Who waits by His glorious throne, 
Can welcome His earthly children 
Into His heavenly home. 
over the results. But no one was hap-
pier than a young lady who went 
back to the same territory 'she 
had covered befOre: On her previous 
visit she' 6a r'eeeived. 'an 'Oireiing 
from the lady of one house,:andhad 
handed her the Ingathering paper. 
She called her attention to the Bible 
correspondence course offered free. 
The woman began to ask qitestions. 
The young. solicitor politely said, "I 
intist keep up with my group, but I 
gill ask the, driver 'of our car to come 
ha'Ck and answer your question's." 
The driver of the car returned and 
explained the Bible correspondence 
course and hOW it would answer her 
questions. The woman's husband 
came in the back door just in time to 
hear. "It's absolutely free." He im-
mediately said to his wife, "Wait a 
minute. You don't get anything for 
nothing. Don't you sign anything." 
Then our earnest worker had to 
explain the plan to him. Finally, the 
woman enrolled in the course. She 
enjoyed it and her husband became 
interested. Within a few months 
they had finished the course, accepted 
the message, and were baptized into 
the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 
So this year when our young lady 
came back to that same house, 
imagine her surprise when the door 
was opened and the lady of the 
house recognized her and welcomed 
her as a "sister in the church." She 
told the story of their acceptance of 
the Tr essage, and how they had both 
joined the church. 
The seed sown had already pro-
duced fruit. But that harvest had 
just begun. Where will it end? Will 
a host of new ministers arise as a re-
sult of this Ingathering magazine—
will God use it as He used the little 
tract given away in a market place 
many years ago? Only eternity will 
reveal. Won't it be thrilling when we 
get to heaven to hear the wonderful 
stories of conversion—the harvest 
from our seed sowing! 
With the living testimonies still 
among us giving proof of what one 
tract can produce when handed out 
in a market place or in a home, and 
with the stirring appeals from, the 
written testimonies to the church, 
what will we do during 1959 in lit-
erature evangelism? Do you have a 
plan? Do you have a purpose? Do 
you have a mission? To have no mis-
sion in life will mean our final bank- 
ruptcy. Let us make our lives more 
meaningful. Literature evangelism 
can help us fulfill our purpose in liv-
ing. 
—Review & Herald 
••••••,...••••••••....•• 
"Both Balaam and Judas had received 
great light and enjoyed special privi-
leges; but a single cherished ,sin poir 
soned the entire character, and caused 
their destruction." 
—Patriarchs & Prophets, p. 452. 
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1 �
3 
14 
�
1 �
1 
�
13 �
26 
�
1 �
1 
�
1 �
1 
�
2 �
1 
4 
1 �
6 
1 �
7 
2 
4 20 
5 �
3 
3 �
7 
8 �
10 
15 �
2 
3 �
3 
1 �
5 
2 �
6 
1 �
4 
1 �
5 
1 �
2 
24 2 25 
1 
10 
9 
1. �
4 
3 
1 �
6 
2 �
32 
3 �
8 
10 
3 �
22 
1 �
4 
1 
4 
1 �
6 
1 
3 �
20 
3 
3 
3 
2 
10 
9 
24 
1 
13 
26 
40 
11 
43 
54 
2 
1 
14 
17 
1 
12 
13 
1 
2 
1 
9 
13 
lo 
4 
5 
15 
7 
41 
14 
1 
1 
18 
28 
62 
9 
9 
12 
14 
1 
45 
7 
1 
5 
3 
3 
3 
11 
3 
36 
7 
4 
1 
8 
4 
5 
4 
34 
8 
10 
18 
10 
4 
4 
5 
3 
6 
5 
37 
9 
Statistical Report of the inter-American Div 
2 �
1, 
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 
12 13 311 �
15 �
16 
Name of Mission 
or Conference 
0 t.1 
04 .'4' 
I' a 
.0 
Church Membership 
 
..° 
m 
1 
w a 
.,-, 
II 
Added on Profess-
ionaof Faith 
Ordained Ministers 
 
•ci 0
02 
0 
,-I •rt 
3 
',.., o �
‘.. 
0.,-1 
-0 0 
A -.1 
Credentialed 
Bible Instructors 
 
Licensed 
Ministers 
Licensed Minister-
ial Teachers 
 
Licensed 
Missionaries 
 
Licensed 
Bible Instructors 
 
. 
C., 
F72 
03E-4 
Fri 
C3 0 
Z: 0 
.4E, 
4_, 
p
olporteurs 
 
5.1 
--. 
4., F 
Total Tithe 
 
Receipts 
 
Total Offerings to 
 
Foreign Missions, 
 
Including Sabbath 
School �
, 
 
I- 
A 
i.= 
C . r 
q t 
E._ 
1. ANTILLIAN 
2. Dominican 
30 
3,146 
291 
3. East Cuba 
140 
2,655 
164 
4. Puerto Rico 
67 
4,656 
1432 
5. West Cuba 
32 
2,604 
223 
Totals 
169 
13,061 
1,110 
6. BRITISH WEST INDIES 
7. Bahamas 
24 
836 
53 
8. Cayman Islands 
4 
200 
16 
9. East Jamaica 
116 
13,544 
1,170 
10. Uest Jamaica 
171 15,191 1,441 
Totals 
315 
29,771 
2,680 
11. CARIBBEAN 
12. British Guiana 
43 
4,565 
253 
13. Leeward Islands 
72 
7,300 
667 
14. South Caribbean 
84 
8,539 
1470 
15. Surinam 
4 
328 
48 
Totals 
203 
20,782 
1,438 
16. CENTRAL AMERICAN 
17. British Honduras 
17 
916 
14 
10. Costa Rica 
26 
1,741 
131 
19. Guatemala 
22 
2,682 
302 
20. Honduras 
23 
1,408 
44 
21. Nicaragua 
11 
828 
47 
22. Panama 
41 
3,650 
376 
23. Salvador 
20 
1,517 
170 
Totals 
160 12,742 
1,084 
24. COLOMBIA-VENEZUELA 
25. Atlantic Colombia 
18 
2,635 
208 
26. Colombian Islands 
4 
183 
29 
27. East Venezuela 
13 
1,4414 
189 
28. Netherlands Ant. 
7 
693 
49 
29. Pacific Colombia 
12 
2,051 
243 
30. Upper Magdalena 
15 
4,271 
710 
31. Uest Venezuela 
12 
1,210 
107 
Totals 
81 
12,487 
1,535 
32. FRANCO-HAITIAN 
33. French West Indian 
41 
3,233 
472 
34. Haitian 
40 14,249 
1,325 
Totals 
81 17,462 
1,797 
35. MEXICAN 
36. Central 
11 
1,571 
133 
37. Interoceanic 
37 
4,264 
126 
38. North 
32 
3,185 
214 
39. Pacific 
13 
1,229 
92 
40. South 
51 
6,011 
533 
41. Southeast 
41 
5,490 
384 
Totals 
185 
21,750 
1,482 
42. DIVISION 
31 
TOTALS 
1,194 128,106 11,126 
DID YOU NOTICE? 
Sometimes we think of statistics as 
being dry and uninteresting. How-
ever, this 94 only true when we are 
not interested in the particular sub-
ject covered by the statistics. For ex-
ample: Let us assume that I own a 
large farm or ranch and have a herd 
of cattle. If you tell 'me that there 
are estimated to be a certain number 
of cows in all the world I inav be 
only very mildly interested. or per- 
6 
haps not interested at all. But if I 
find that my own herd of cows has 
increased by 22 or 44 or 66 during 
the past year I shall be very much in-
terested and happy for this statistic. 
It is personal--it means something to 
me. 
The statistics on the upper portion 
of this page should be a vital concern 
to each member of the church in In-
ter-America, for they represent the 
growth and progress of God's work 
during the past year. We trust that 
you will study them carefully, that 
you will note the comparative pro-
gress of your own field, that von will 
ask yourself the question, "Have I 
done all that I could possibly do to 
advance God's Cause during 1958?" 
For we must always remember that 
although the General Conference 
directs the work of the church in a 
general way, and the divisions, 
unions, local fields and local churches 
give direnon to the work in their, re-
spective areas, it is the individual 
MESSENGER 
85,000.00 
137,500.00 
292,000.00 
150,500.00 
665,000.00 
72,800.00 
56,000.00 
271,040.00 
247,450.00 
647,290.00 
55,250.00 
120,000.00 
258,500.00 
22,000.00 
455,750.00 
33,000.00 
46,500.00 
20,200.00 
20,000.00 
35,927.00 
302,500.00 
71,641.00 
529,768.00 
50,000.00 
6,000.00 
80,000.00 
113,000.00 
60,000.00 
100,000.00 
91,000.00 
500,000.00 
95,303.44 
147,024.65 
242,328.09 
64,833.33 
54,191.67 
138,991.11 
53,958.33 
52,916.46 
67,749.73 
432,640.63 
18 750 4,500.00 
11 563 4,400.00 
�
20 �
486 27,500.00 
17 1.455 3,500.00 
66 2,254 39,900.00 
4 299 2,90.00 
�
2 �
34 6,200.00 
11 1,393 14,980.00 
26 3,012 18,984.00 
43 4,738 43,104.00 
5 258 1,000.00 
�
13 �
912 47,167.50 
19 2,126 50,681.00 
37 3,296 98,848.50 
�
11 �
307 �
500.00 
15 
17
7,5200(0):g 
�
2 �
135
4
0 
5 202 2,500.00 
3 312 7,000.00 
122 16
165 7
4:o
5
0000:000 
 
0o 
50 2,063 30,200.00 
�
10 �
195 �
900.00 
�
4 �
105 �
100.00 
4 243 5,400.00 
�
1 �
31 3,300.00 
7 257 5,400.00 
6 273 7,542.00 
5 149 8,000.00 
37 1,253 30,642.00 
�
5 �
569 32,142.85 
19 1,452 5,000.00 
24 2,021 37,142.85 
2 151 4,833.33 
4 115 1,666.66 
3 144 1,291.66 
3 313 4,166.66 
12 365 2,916.66 
6 �
235 �
928.16 
30 1,323 15,803.13 
3,075 
2,825 
6,100 
3,200 
15,200 
2,350 
820 
14,475 
9,400 
27,045 
5,600 
8,000 
14,531 
1,200 
29,331 
1,334 
4,125 
2,200 
2,800 
1,950 
4,950 
4,400 
21,759 
2,480 
350 
1,510 
1,630 
2,500 
3,075 
2,000 
13,545 
3,030 
11,000 
14,030 
3,45o 
5,935 
6,000 
1,975 
5,500 
4,435 
27,295 
3,472,776.72 148,205 �
287 16,948 295,640.48 
on for the Year Ended December 31, 1958. 
Values in U.S. Currency 
18 �
19 �
20 �
21 �
22 �
23 �
214 �
25 �
26 �
27 �
28 �
29 �
30 �
31 
Total 
Contributions 
 
for Local 
Church 
Work 
..(:, .0 0 
CO 
,.. 
0 . 
0 
. 
H 
0 
0 . 
c,, 
[
Sabbath School 
Membership 
 
Total Sabbath 
School Offerings 
 
for Foreign 
 
Missions-- 
 
X-1 
.0 0 
0 2 
..-, 
0 `,4 
5 
.H 
. , 
A W
4"8 
M 
'Ci 
�
0 �
0 •r1 
�
-P �
44 
CD 
�
.p �
0 
Approximate Seat- 
ing Capacity of 
Church Buildings 
 
[
io. of Elementary
—
] 
Schools 
 
Elementary School 
 
Enrollment 
Estimated Value of 
Elementary School 
 
Buildings and 
Equipment 
Total 
Operating 
 
Expenses of 
Elementary Schools 
 
No. of Young ij 
 
People's �
Soc' t 
 
Young People's 
 
M V Society 
 
Membership 
 
Contributions for 
 
Local 
Y.P.M.V. 
 
Society Work 
.00 
2,993.00 
90 4,489 
9,144.33 
21 
10,098.05 
92 
3,084 
7,841.13 
24 
.80 
3,193.68 
76 6,112 
23,293.21 
48 
:24 
3,087.55 
62 
3,540 
12,093.51 
31 
.00 
19,372.28 
320 17,225 
52,372.38 
124 
.58 
5,793.43 
24 
703 
2,704.33 
24 
.82 
251.07 
6 
283 
1,179.98 
6 
.85 
8,047.56 
129 14,370 
15,025.38 
90 
3,193.26 
187 17,720 
16,143.44 
105 
.25 
17,285.32 
346 33,076 
35,053.13 
225 
.09 
1,897.84 
52 4,311 
4,906.58 
32 
12,230.07 
82 7,202 
11,263.39 
52 
.52 
7,155.79 
108 
9,912 
14,928.67 
82 
.20 
8 
539 
744.08 
7 
.81 
21,283.70 
250 21,964 
31,842.72 
173 
.44 
1,992.24 
21 
889 
1,721.92 
13 
.62 
6,399.51 
28 
1,843 
5,252.38 
26 
.70 
1,896.52 
77 
3,065 
3,643.25 
17 
.26 
3,540.70 
28 
1,652 
3,137.11 
23 
.74 
6,804.47 
13 1,531 
1,619.59 
16 
.9 13,358.42 
51 3,686 
9,315.26 
43 
.
7
26 
2,686.54 
45 
2,938 
2,852.92 
19 
.81 
36,678.40 
263 15,604 
27,542.43 
157 
.10 
90 4,186 
2,865.14 
15 
.03 
473.86 
4 
228 
558.43 
4 
.13 
7,719.47 
28 
1,829 
9,749.08 
13 
.56 
17,737.74 
7 1,099 
6,996.96 
7 
.38 
3,296.31 
28 
2,864 
5,293.40 
13 
.66 
1,008.28 
86 
7,333 
8,628.14 
13 
.12 
6,219.32 
24 
1,635 
6,510.98 
15 
.98 
36,454.98 
267 19,174 
40,602.13 
80 
.94 
11,244.27, 
54 4,812 
7,143.34 
20 
150 20,315 
8,832.14 
69 
.94 11,244.27 
204 25,127 
15,975.48 
89 
.47 
2,162.93 
40 2,156 
3,991.13 
18 
.11 
1,408.31 
165 
2,824 
5,667.43 
56 
.35 
1,062.27 
92 3,829 
6,369.73 
45 
.76 
1,780.70 
37 
672 
5,822.31 
14 
.08 
1,376.13 
300 14,337 
8,741.99 
30 
.62 
2,037.18 
230 8,782 
7,130.86 
30 
.39 
9,827.52 
864 32,800 37,723.45 
193 
.18 152,146.47 2,314 164,970 241,111.72 
1,041 
13,000.00 46 
1,200 
276.26 
5,250.00 
35 
1,400 
513.93 
28,000.00 
57 
1,594 
1,479.55 
11,700.00 42 
1,041 
274.94 
57,950.00 180 
5,235 
2,544.68 
1,726.30 16 
438 
46.27 
2,242.00 
4 
46 
6,747.31 115 
5,129 
869.15 
20,272.00 173 
5,389 
397.81 
30,987.61 308 
11,002 
1,313.23 
3,400.00 40 
967 
64.27 
15,200.0o 147 
3,138 
533.01 
18,310.00 141 
2,637 
302.07 
5 
138 
56.28 
36,910.00 333 
6,880 
955.63 
4,892.80 
14 
194 
10.50 
4,650.00 
3o 
1,039 
140.58 
4,864.97 
35 
1,061 
169.51 
4,956.25 
24 
605 
60.00 
2,300.00 
12 
852 
13.00 
10,600.00 
37 
1,096 
189.03 
5,299.88 
24 
914 
78.85 
37,563.90 176 
5,761 
661.47 
2,790.99 
25 
76o 
90.00 
1,900.00 
3 
62 
18.00 
18,600.00 19 
856 
350.66 
4,324.69 
10 
225 
180.00 
4,842.00 
31 
1,046 
95.00 
8,432.58 
19 
1,352 
290.00 
15,000.00 10 
445 
130.07 
55,890.26 117 
4,746 
1,153.73 
16,114.85 
84 
880 
204.45 
8,787.83 93 
3,741 
116.95 
24,902.68 177 
4,621 
321.40 
5,025.20 16 
217 
101.20 
1,028.16 115 
811 
370.00 
810.36 109 
1,528 
2,812.49 
25 
322 
160.00 
2,039.68 150 
4,419 
100.00 
1,300.00 119 
2,376 
1,345.00 
13,015.89 534 
9,673 
2,076.20 
257,220.40 1,825 47,918 
9,026.34 
church member, cooperating with 
these organizations and with other in-
dividual church members, who is 
really responsible for the growth and 
advance of God's work. 
As we study the above statistics we 
find that each union field is dis-
tinguished in some special way. The 
British West Indies Union has the 
largest church membership. The 
Mexican Union has more Sabbath 
schools than any other union. The An-
tillian Union has the largest number 
JUNE, 1959 
of elementary schools. The Colombia-
Venezuela Union is the fastest-grow-
ing union in the Division. Although 
not included in the above statistics, it 
is interesting to note that this union 
baptized 14 new members for each 
100 members in the union during 
1958! The general average for the 
entire Division was approximately 
nine. The youngest union is the 
Franco-Haitian. It stands in fourth 
place in membership among the seven 
unions and is growing fast. 
We believe that this is a good re-
port-that it represents the rich bless-
ings of God on a people who have 
dedicated themselves to His service. 
That it could be better we will all 
agree. Let us determine that 1959 
shall be the best year vet in the serv-
ice of our Master. 
-Clyde 0. Franz 
"Every chapter and every verse of 
the Bible Is a communication from God 
to men."-Patriarchs & Prophets, p. 504. 
7 
How fortunate that all of us are 
born with a lively, God-given curios-
ity about the natural world—with a 
strong urge to investigate living 
things and to collect flowers and 
pretty rocks! A child's capacity to 
appreciate and to wonder is one of 
h s richest endowments. 
While no one would contend that 
awareness and appreciation of nature 
furnish the total answer to every 
home problem, there is ample evi-
dence that nature study does have re-
markable potential in the child's basic 
discipline as well as his recreation. It 
can also add greatly to the happy, 
abundant living of the whole family. 
Fellowship is a strong catalyst. And 
if the parent could live as long as 
Methuselah did and if the child 
could remain a child for that long, 
the two explorers could not exhaust 
the possibilities of the country areas 
adjacent to their own home. 
In the following quotation on com-
muning with God through nature, A. 
W. Spalding assumes that the family 
is already actively nature conscious, 
seven days of the week: 
"Then when the Sabbath day 
comes, what a world of delightful op-
portunity is opened! A part of every 
Sabbath day should be set aside for 
such study, be it early morning to 
look upon the daily miracle of the 
light and all the transformation of 
the sky and earth it presents, the 
hour also most favourable for _bird 
study; or be it afternoon with its 
long walks with careful attention to 
some:definite goal ,of study and: com-. 
munion, and its combination of Bible 
nature texts with natural Objects. No 
common pleasure can equal the de-
light of this recurrence to the custom 
of Eden, when God came down and 
walked and talked with man."—The 
Sabbath and the Sabbath Day, p. 44. 
Even in a family where the light 
of such high adventure has never 
burned, the Sabbath Th an ideal daY 
8 
to start the flame. Elder Spalding 
suggests that Bible texts be combined 
with natural objects. The very word-
ing of the fourth commandment 
points us to the first chapter of the 
Bible as a worthy subject for int esti-
gation and meditation. 
Suppose the parent-reader of this 
article, at the first opportunity acts 
on these suggestions, and having an-
nounced beforehand the objective of 
a Sabbath afternoon trip reaches a 
secluded country place or unspoiled 
natural park with varied nature pos-
sibilities. Here, with only the mem-
bers of his own family present, the 
informal program may well begin 
with a short prayer. All join in re-
peating or reading the first two verses 
of Genesis 1. Then he suggests that 
all close their eyes tightly and cover 
them with their hands, the better to 
appreciate total darkness. Silent 
pause. No one is to open his eves 
until the leader has finished repeat-
ing the next verse. 
Then should follow a short discus-
sion of the wonderful and varied 
physical qualities as well as the prac-
tical benefits of light—its rapid travel, 
its quick conversion to heat and 
power, its color components and end-
less artistic effects, its ability to cause 
the leaves to manufacture food, its 
spiritual significance. Most of the 
points mentioned can be illustrated 
with bright, colorful examples in the 
sky or in the immediate surround-
ings. Many appropriate Bible verses 
cc_me, to,, mind -.,comparing light 
to„,a ,Christian's good influence,, to 
truth, :' to., the , printed , word, to, pro-, 
pliecy.; ,Finally„,"God;is light, rapd ;in 
;rip darkness at all" (1 John 
• 
flt) 
.Likewie,'' in 'Meditating Ori`,, rne 
reCorel'Of the work Of 'the second day 
there will 'he nal ehari6e-' Of ;exliaiiSt'-' 
frig the eXcifingpo-Sisibilities- either in 
the surroundings or in the Bible. 
Withinit arr kve could nelqierft'sPeaV 
nor hear. We would be both deaf 
and dumb--hearing no music, no 
sound of any kind—nor w ouli any 
plant or animal or man be able to 
live. Clouds in the sky will point 
the discussion of their beauty and of 
their stupendous labour in carrying 
water from all earth's oceans and 
lakes to the thirsty land. There are 
abundant Bible references. 
Occasional pauses with complete 
silence will be needed in order to 
hear the, smaller voices of nature. 
Indentification of all of these will be 
impossible, but many can be reeoz - 
nized. Perhaps it will be necessan 
to move about to trace them to their 
sources. Many Bible verses speak of 
wind, air, breath, thunder, and music 
of birds. There are many figures of 
speech. It may be recalled that 
"prayer is the breath of the soul." 
Samples of things created on the 
remaining days of the world's ilrst 
week should offer little difficulty, ex-
cept for looking at the moon and 
stars in the daytime, and perhaps for 
the fishes or other swimming crea-
tures. An evening session w'th the 
stars and, if necessary, a special trip 
to the shores or to a lake or stream 
at the earliest opportunity will make 
up for such omissions fro m, the or'gi-
nal nature calendar. A discussion of 
the nature activities of our first par-
ents during the world's first Sabbath 
should not be overlooked. The Crea-
tor was there to direct and explain. 
While exploring light, air, plants, 
as well as the heavenly bodies, the 
child should be led to understand 
that he is at the same time exploring 
himself. Let -him be consciousthat--
his eyes and other marvelous sensory 
organs are G o d-given channels 
through which his Creator delights 
to commune with his mind and heart. 
This is one way that "deep calleth 
unto deep." In nature the Child can 
see; hear, taste; smell, and feel the 
hive and Wisdom and poiver 'of God. 
His attention should''he directed to 
the speeifie.;elementS of beauty and 
the 'functional design in'each created 
Ohjee't:' �
—"Hew & Herald 
hi,ESSENGAR 
OUT OF. DOORS WITH THE CHILDREN 
By OREN C. DURHAM 
TREES OF THE LORD 
By LESLIE HARDINGE, Teacher, Theological Seminary 
Early last year scientists found the 
oldest living thing in the world. The 
granddad of them all is reckoned to 
be 4,600 years old! There are several 
of his younger relatives in Methuse-
lah Walk in the Sierra Nevada Moun-
tains in California. They are trees 
called Bristlecone Pines (National 
Geographic Magazine, March, 1958). 
I love trees, especially old trees. 
1 have looked with respect at the 
ancient giant redwood and sequoias 
of California. I have stood before the 
venerable giant cyprus in Florida. 1 
have seen the oldest tree in Europe. 
the Planetree of Hippocrates on the 
tiny island of Kos. It is believed to 
he 2,500 years old. In Athens I 
stopped to take a picture of the Olive 
Tree of Plato on the road that con-
nects the ancient harbour of Piraeus 
w.th the Acropolis. 
When I visited Beirut, Pastor G. 
Arthur Keough and his family sug-
gested we take a drive to see the 
famous cedars of Lebanon. These 
trees are the most famous and impor-
tant trees in history. The earliest 
Egyptian records of lumber mention 
cedar wood. They were the most 
sought-for and valued trees of ancient 
times. In fact, they were so prized 
that all the forests have been cut 
clown! 
We left Beirut very early one morn-
ing before the sun had risen and 
1-eo-an to climb the mountains that 
almost shoulder that city into the 
sea. Below us spread the homes of 
this beautiful city, the Paris of the 
Middle East, with its lovely harbour 
gardens, and trees. The trees are 
mostly short, umbrella-crested pines. 
Each year the people cut off the lower 
branches for firewood. In a few 
der.ades there is a trunk like a tele-
phone pole with a clump of branches 
like a palm tree! 
The shops were open, for the peo-
ple begin their day's activities at 5:00 
a.m. The fiirst work shift during the 
summer at Middle East College starts 
at five o'clock too! It is hot during 
the afternoon, so the people rest then. 
As we enter the Lebanon Moun- 
tains the road writhed and twisted 
like a snake, always making its way 
up. We learned that the cedars sur-
viving today are more than 9,000 
feet above sea level, just under what 
used to be the timber line. 
Rounding a bend, we caught our 
first glimpse of the cedars. There on 
the mountainside, still an hour's 
journey away, Pastor Keough pointed 
out a drab green blot. Above this the 
mountain rose 2,000 feet in a huge 
cl'ff the color of dry straw. Below 
the cedars the mountain fell away in 
quivering mists of heat that shim-
mered from the valley like heat from 
a furnace. 
I must say that I felt a twinge of 
disappointment. Once all the moun-
tains had been covered with cedars. 
.When the wind had blown out to the 
Mediterranean Sea it h'd carried the 
aromatic, clean odor of cedars out to 
tempest-terrified sailors and had told 
them where the safe harbour was lo-
cated. Today the greed and stupidity 
of man has trade the mountains bald. 
Only stringent laws, passed by the 
Government of Lebanon, prevent the 
f-w remaining trees from being cut 
down. 
When �
came to our goal we 
found that a stone wall enclosed this 
grove of majestic trees to protect these 
forest patriarchs. There are two or 
three smaller groves in Lebanon, but 
we learned that there are more cedars 
of Lebanon growing in the stately 
homes and parks of England than 
there are in all Lebanon! 
While we were having our lunch 
under the shade of a venerable giant 
cedar I tried to count the trees. I 
made the number 186. There is no 
sound quite like wind playing with 
the needles of pine or fir or cedar. 
The music rises and falls, as gentle 
as a sigh. 
I tried to recall what Ellen G. 
White had said about these cedars. 
When we got home I looked up the 
passage. 
"The prosperity of God's people is 
''ere represented by some of the most 
beautiful figures to be found in na- 
ture. The prophet likens Israel to fer-
tile valleys covered with abundant 
harvests; to flourishing gardens water-
ed by never-failing springs; to the 
fragrant sandal-tree and the stately 
cedar. The figure last mentioned is 
one of the most strikingly beautiful 
and appropriate to be found in the in-
spired word. The cedar of Lebanon 
was honoured by all the people of the 
East. The class of trees to which it 
belongs is found wherever man has 
gone, throughout the earth. From the 
arctic regions to the tropic zone they 
flourish, rejoicing in the heat, yet 
braving the cold; springing in rich 
luxuriance by the river-side, yet tower-
ing aloft upon the parched and thirsty 
waste. They plant their roots deep 
among the rocks of the mountain, and 
boldly stand in defiance of the tem-
pest. Their leaves are fresh and green 
when all else has perished at the 
breath of winter. Above all other 
trees, the cedar of Lebanon is distin-
guished for its strength, its firmness its 
undecaving vigour; and this is used as 
a swr bol of those whose life is 'hid 
with Christ in God.' Says the Scrip-
ture, 'The righteous . . . shall grow 
like a cedar'. The divine hand has ex-
alted the cedar as king over the forest. 
`The fir-trees were not like h;s 
boughs, and the chestnut trees were 
not like his branches, nor any tree in 
the garden of God.' The cedar is re-
peatedly employed as an emblem of 
royalty; and its use in Scripture to 
represent the righteous, shows how 
Heaven regards those who do the will 
of God."—Patriarchs and Prophets, 
p. 450. 
How few cedars now are left to the 
world! Could this be a parable of the 
remnant? The last generation witnes-
ses to the power of the God of ancient 
Israel. Can we be evergreen in the 
changing climate of sin and death, 
and the tests of trial? Are our roots 
deep in the everlasting rocks of 
eternal truth? The cedar, emblem of 
royalty, reminds us that we are to be 
"kings and priests" to serve our God 
in His temple. How I wished my life 
could be like those cedars—evergreen, 
aromatic and sweet, decay-resisting, 
regal and enduring. 
—Review & Herald 
JUNE, 1959 �
9 
4"014-#144 THE UNIONS 
a.tditliatt 
"I Was in Prison . . . " 
It was three o'clock in the after-
noon when a group of church mem-
bers met in front of the prison in Rio 
Piedras, Puerto Rico. The enormous 
gates were immediately opened by 
the guard when Brother Facundo 
Sanchez said, "We have come to hold 
our Sabbath school". 
Soon we were in the presence of 
ore than forty prisoners, all of them 
neat and clean and well-behaved. The 
meeting pace was commodious and 
comfortable. The prisoner, Miguel 
Adorn°, who was leading the sing-
ing, is a graduate of the three courses 
of the Voice of Prophecy Radio Bible 
School. Because of his exemplary 
conduct as a prisoner he is permitted 
to visit all sections of the prison for 
the purpose of holding religious serv-
ices and encouraging the inmates. 
We listened attentively to the sing-
ing of these men. They were accom-
panied by the music of an accordion. 
There were tears in the eyes of many 
of them as they sang the hymn "Near 
the Cross". It hardly seemed that 
we were in a prison. Each man had 
his Bible and hymnal and each main-
tained an attitude of constant atten-
tion. 
Who is responsible for this Sab-
bath school-in-a-prison? Two faith-
ful laymen, Facundo Sanchez and 
Miguel Porrata. For several years 
these brethren have been working in 
this place with the Voice of Prophecy 
lessons. As a result of their work 
more than 200 students have com-
pleted the various Bible school 
courses. Many of the prisoners who 
are serving long terms point with 
pride to the three diplomas they 
have received as a result of having 
completed all three courses. 
At the present time we have 53 
active students here. Some have 
manifested their desire to be baptized. 
On this particular Sabbath we en- 
10 
rolled ten new students. It was in-
teresting to observe how carefully 
they wrote their names and addresses 
so their lessons would not get lost 
in the m ails! 
At the close of the meeting one of 
the prisoners, a fine-appearing man of 
about 40 years of age, came to us and 
said, "I have repented a thousand 
times the thing that I did. I am 
sorry that my family must suffer so. 
But I thank God that I found Him 
here in the prison. Please be sure to 
send me my diploma when I finish the 
Bible course soon". 
"How long is your sentence?" we 
asked this man. "I am sentenced to 
life imprisonment," he replied, "but 
whether here or outside I want to be 
faithful to God." 
Visit, Invite, Enroll, and Help—
this should be our watchword! Let 
us accept our responsibility and put 
all our zeal and fervour into the win-
ning of souls. 
— Ruth M. Riffel 
gvitiak `1.12eat gridiea 
41.• 
Ingathering News 
Wednesday, March 11, was a day 
of unusual activity at West Indian 
Training College. It was another 
field day, when teachers and students 
would engage in Ingathering solicita-
tion. More than 21 cars from the 
Union, the College, and the West 
Jamaica Conference were made avail-
able to provide transportation. With 
over 300 churches scattered over the 
island, it is very easy to understand 
that many individuals are solicited 
several times. The work of the Col-
lege is similar to that of Ruth of Bible 
times, gleaning in the field that has 
been thoroughly worked by church 
members. Although the students are 
fully conscious of their limitations, 
they are nevertheless very enthusias-
tic about an Ingathering field day. 
Two young ladies explored the 
avenue of soliciting public schools. 
They first contacted the headmaster 
of a school who was very much in-
terested and responded to their ap-
peal with his contribution. He then 
introduced them to the other teachers 
in the various divisions, and they 
were invited to present their work to 
the pupils, who were so interested in 
the presentation that many gave the 
coins that were intended to provide 
their mid-day meal. More than 
£ 3-0-0 was collected from this con-
tact. 
Four young men felt that although 
they had no territory to solicit, God 
could use their musical talents. The 
writer secured permission for them 
to sing at a hotel in Mandeville, about 
two miles from the College. On their 
arrival it was not very encouraging as 
there were not more than eight guests 
at dinner, but with some misgivings 
they began singing. After they had 
sung a number of Negro Spirituals 
the writer gave a brief report of our 
work, giving special emphasis to the 
building programme of West Indian 
Training College, then two of our 
young ladies went around, and showed 
the guests pictures of the new girls' 
dormitory. The Young men sang for 
approximately one hour and still the 
quests expressed a desire for more. 
One guest made a contribution of 
£ 5-0-0 and two others $5.00 each, 
and when the entire amount was 
checked £11-0-0 was collected. The 
College was able to report £ 418-0-0 
for one week's solicitation. 
In the Montego Bay area, the 
tourist centre of Jamaica, our singing 
bands have been doing exploits for 
God. Having been informed by 
hotel managers that the tourists are 
tired of calypso and other common 
types of music and are anxious to 
hear good gospel singing, they col-
lected over R.,70-0-0 in one night. 
We are encouraged with the words 
from inspiration that, accompanied by 
prayer, the power of persuasion, and 
the power of the love of God, our 
work will be fruitful. We anticipate 
a banner year in our Ingathering ac-
tivities for 1959. 
—M. G. Nembhard 
MESSENGER 
The r.ew Seventh-day Adventist church building in Barcelona, Venezuela. 
Cent/tat am,efticart 
N...11.m..1.1.11111•••••••11•1...... 
Voice of Hope 
In Person 
February was a most eventful 
month in the annals of our work in 
Central America. With the excep-
tion of British Honduras, all of the 
missions of this Union were favoured 
with the visit of the well-known 
artists who for fifteen years have 
been heard weekly on the radio pro- 
gramme, "La Voz de la Esperanza". 
Thousands of church members and 
non-members were thrilled and in-
spired by the songs of the King's 
Heralds Quartette and the discourses 
of Elder Braulio Perez M. 
Through each country accessible 
by highway our guests traveled over-
land. This afforded them the special 
opportunity to become well acquaint-
ed with and to admire our beautiful 
landscape and points of fame and at-
traction. All travel arrangements and 
appointments were under the super-
vision of Elder L. L. Reile of the 
Inter-American Division Radio De-
partment. 
Thirty-six appointments were filled 
by Elder Perez and the King's Heralds 
in our churches, in public audi-
toriums, theatres, workers' meetings, 
evangelistic efforts, on local radio and 
television. During the large evening 
programmes, as many as 2,626 new 
students were enrolled in the Bible 
Correspondence Courses and many 
more applications were received fol-
lowing these public appearances. 
We of Central America express our 
heartiest thanks to these distinguished 
visitors for their time and services, to 
the Voice of Prophecy for releasing 
them to us for this wonderful occa-
sion, and to Elder Reile and our 
Inter-American Division ,leaders who 
made this trip possible. 
—D. C. Frenier 
rw 
ealontha-Venettleta 
Barcelona, Venezuela, 
Church Dedication 
We are happy to present to the 
readers of the Messenger a photo-
graph of the new church building in 
Barcelona, Venezuela. This lovely 
new building, situated in a good part 
of the city, is a fitting representative 
of the truths that must be proclaimed 
to the people of East Venezuela. 
The construction of this new temple 
was an urgent necessity, for two rea-
sons. First, because the little group 
of believers who met for many years in 
the living room of Sister Rosa Rodri-
guez had grown too large for these 
quarters so kindly provided. Secondly, 
because Barcelona is the capital of a 
prosperous state—a state rich in oil. 
It is an important city, located on the 
main highway that connects Caracas 
and the states of Sucre and Monagas. 
It is located just a few kilometers 
from the most important seaport in 
the eastern part of Venezuela from 
which the black gold ,(oil) is shipped 
to all parts of the world. Barcelona 
has needed a representative church 
building from which the light of the 
Third Angel's Message could shine 
forth to this important and growing 
city. 
The writer was asked to serve as 
pastor of the Barcelona church in 
1953. The first steps in the construc-
tion of the new church were under-
.taken in 1956. Three years later the 
building was completed. 
On Sabbath, February 7, 1959, the 
church building was dedicated to God 
and His service. The president of the 
Colombia-Venezuela, Union, Elder A. 
Ray Norcliffe, a favourite son of the 
Barcelona church because he was pres-
ident of the local mission during con-
, strnction days, preached the dedica-
tory sermon. Pastor Harold Bohr, 
president of the East Venezuela Mis-
sion, gave the prayer of dedicatiOn. 
Elder Antonio Ceballos, pastor of the 
Catia district, was also present and 
participated in the service of dedica-
tion. 
We thank God for what He has 
done for the people of this district, 
for this beautiful monument to His 
glory, and for the contributions given 
in so many different ways that made 
it possible. We are confident that, as 
the rays of love shine out in all direc-
tions from this temple, many souls 
will be awakened from the sleep of 
sin to receive the promise of eternal 
life. 
—Manuel Ramirez G. 
INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION 
MESSENGER 
CLYDE 0. FRANZ �
 Editor 
ARTHUR H. ROTH �
 Associate Editor 
M.clit.c1DES ENGLAND �
 Associate Editor 
UNION CORRESPONDENTS 
Antillian �
 Alberta Tacobs 
West Indies Union �
 Mrs. W. A. Holgate 
Caribbean Union �
 K. W. Whitney 
Central American Union � Dora Reed 
Colombia-Venezuela Union �
Tirso Escandon 
Franco-Haitian Union �
 
Mexican Union �
 R. F. Williams 
Published monthly as' the Official Organ of the 
Inter-American Division of the `General' Con- 
feren^e of Seventh-day Adventists, Box 760, 
Coral Gables, Miami, Florida, U.S.A. 
Price: $1.00 a year. 
Printed by the College Press, Caribbean Union 
College, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, W.I. 
• All Communications relating to editorial and 
circulation matters should be addressed to 
"The Messenger", Box 760, Coral Gables, 
Miami, Florida, U.S.A. 
* All articles bearing the credit-line• "Review 
and Herald" are reprinted from the Review 
-and Herald, general church paper of Seventh-
day Adventists. 
JUNE, 1959 �
:11 
• 
• • 
crss 
• April 16 was "Academy Day" 
at the Puerto Rico Academy in Maya-
guez, Puerto Rico. On this day stu-
dents in grades 8 to 10 came from 
many parts of the island to visit the 
academy. The programme for the day, 
beginning at 9:00 a.m., included a 
welcome ceremony, patriotic features, 
industrial exhibits, games, music, and 
mid-day luncheon. 
• Welcome visitors in the Baha-
mas Mission during the month of May 
were Elder and Mrs. F. A. Mote. 
Elder Mote, who is the brother 
of the mission president, and a vice-
president of the General Conference, 
visited a number of local churches 
and attended the mission session 
which was held May 20 to 24. 
• Elder F. B. Moore reports that 
the student colporteur institute held at 
Antillian College in April resulted in 
46 youth being accepted as student 
colporteurs for the coming vacation. 
Forty-three students will be canvas-
sing in Cuba. 
• Recent visitors to the Division 
office included Elder B. E. Hurst, 
publishing secretary of the West In-
dies Union; Elder and Mrs. R. L. 
Jacobs, of the Antillian Union; Elder 
H. S. Walters, president of the West 
Jamaica Conference; two missionary 
families from the South American Di-
vision, Elder and Mrs. Henry Baerg 
and Elder and Mrs. Mario Ruf; S. M. 
Lorenzo, treasurer of the Honduras 
Mission; and the parents of Miss Opal 
Parish, Division office secretary. 
• Ivan Ruiz is conducting a series 
of evangelistic meetings in the new 
church building in Puerto Barrios, 
Guatemala. As a result of th's cam-
paign 61 persons have indicated their 
desire to follow Christ. Nine have 
asked for baptism. 
• V. E. Berry, Division educa-
tional secretary, reports that 16,948 
children were enrolled in Seventh-day 
Adventist elementary schools in the 
Inter-American Division as of Decem-
ber 31, 1958. Three hundred and 
fifty-six of these boys and girls were 
baptized during the year 1958. 
• Ralph E. Potterton, laboratory 
and X-ray technician, recently accept-
ed an appointment to Bella Vista Hos- 
Participants in recent ordination service in the 
Netherlands Antilles Mission. Left to Right: R. 
E. Gibson, mission president; Isadore Hodge 
and John G. Nikkels, the candidates ordained; 
and A. R. Norcliffe, president, Colombia-Vene-
zuela Ur km. At rear, J. C. Shillingford, pastor 
of the Aruba district. 
pital and arrived in Puerto Rico on 
April 15. Mrs. Potterton and their 
three children are remaining in Cali-
fornia until school closes in May. 
+ Thirty-two Seventh-day Adven-
tist young people are enrolled in the 
university medical school in Guada-
lajara, Mexico, according to Elder 
Harold House. Seven of these stu-
dents, Eldon Roberts, Gilberto Tunco, 
Box Townsend, Herb Gray, Harold 
Frank, Gordon Youngberg, and James 
Twing, have opened a medical centre 
in the city of Guadalajara. This medi-
cal mission project is open every 
afternoon and every evening except 
Friday and Sabbath. It also opens 
Sunday mornings. Elder House re-
ports that patients are coming to this 
clinic in large numbers. 
• The year 1959 has been des-
ignated as Laymen's Training Year. 
Methods of soul-winning are being 
presented by means of training 
schools, conventions, and institutes in 
the seven union fields. Elder V. W. 
Schoen attended the first 1959 series 
of schools held in Mexico. Since that 
time institutes have been held in 
Colombia-Venezuela, Central Ameri-
ca, and Haiti. During the remainder 
of 1959, other institutes will be held 
in the Antillian, British West Indies, 
and Caribbean Unions. 
ORDINATION SERVICE IN 
THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES 
MISSION 
Sabbath, January 17, 1959, was a 
very special day in the Netherlands 
Antilles Mission. It was my privilege 
to join Elders R. E. Gibson and J. C. 
Shillingford in the ordination of Isa-
dore Hodge and John G. Nikkuls. The 
service was held in the afternoon in 
the Cher Asile Church. 
Brother Hodge has been working in 
the Netherlands Antilles Mission for 
about five and a half years as a pastor-
evangelist. During this time he has 
worked in each of the three islands 
that comprise the mission territory 
and the Lord has richly blessed his 
efforts. At the present time he is the 
pastor of the Mundo Nobo Church on 
the island of Curacao. 
Brother Nikkels has been working 
in the mission for a little more than 
two and a half years. Before coming 
to Curacao he worked in the Carib-
bean Union College as professor of 
Bible and history and also in the East 
Pennsylvania Conference in the pub-
lishing department. At the present 
time, Brother Nikkels is carrying the 
responsibility in the mission office of 
Home Missionary and M. V. Secre-
tary and is also pastor of the Cher 
Asile Church. 
Our prayers go with these two men 
and we wish them the Lord's richest 
blessings in their work as they preach 
this gospel message in the territory of 
the Netherlands Antilles Mission. 
—A. Ray Norcliffe 
,-st=1=3=1;=2=3=2=',M=anZ:n1=87mtttt:Ite 
"No Dearth" 
"If all the professed people of 
God, both old and young, would 
do their duty, there would be no 
dearth in the treasury. If all 
would pay a faithful tithe, and 
devote to the Lord the first-fruits 
of their increase, there would be 
a full supply of funds for His 
work." Testimonies, vol .6, p. 385. 
MESSENGER