March 1945
restored physically, The prayer was
answered, and the man was miraculous-
ly healed. Soon afterward he made his
decision to keep the Sabbath. He was
warned by his business associates that
his business would suffer; but in spite
of all obstacles he took a firm stand, and
closed his place of business on the Sab-
bath. He himself became active in the
spread of the truth that had come to
him. His business grew and prospered;
and at his own expense he now finances
a small group of workers to accompany
him as he makes three pilgrimages each
year inte the surrounding cities and
towns, holding evangelistic efforts. He
is often away from home many weeks
at a time. during which time his busi-
ness is left to the management of others.
His automobile is provided with a
loud speaker, an electric generator for
producing lights with which to show
pictures and hold out-door meetings.
and other facilities. He recently com-
pleted an effort at which there was an
average attendance of more than three
hundred, and as the result of one effort
alone, twenty-four persons were pre-
pared for baptism. This brother uses
literature freely in his efforts, and
identifies himself as a missionary of the
Seventh-day Adventist church, though
‘he is carrying on at his own expense.
and is bringing many to a knowledge of
the truth. Did we not read that the
Lord has said that the work can never
“be finished until we train humble lay
men, and unite with them in completing
the task? Shall we not place greater
emphasis on this phase of our work
during the coming year? A great work
has been done by our laymen in the
Inter-American Division: but we need
to broaden our vision and extend our
efforts; for the Master is still in need
of helpers,—consecrated, humble help-
ers; men and women in whose hearts
there is a burning flame of love for this
message; men and women of prayer.
“The Master needed helpers, and had He chosen
kings
They had not been sufficient for these most holy
things;
But He chose lowly people, met fishermen and
such, ]
And lived His life among them, and prayed, and
taught them much.
Though dull of comprehension, they slowly came
to see
What sort of occupation this kingdom task would
be;
He patiently persisted. and, ere He went away,
They all had learned, save Judas, to preach, and
teach, and pray.
The Master still needs helpers, with hearts for
God aglow,
To learn the kingdom message, and bear it to
and fro;
Men of deep consecration, who will go anywhere,
To preach and teach the message; but chiefly
wen of prover.”
’
The Annudl Reports
Brother Torrey has prepared a very
comprehensive report that will be most
helpful and enlightening as we enter
into a study of the conditions and needs
of our work in Inter-America. It is
most gratifying to know that the tithe
and mission offerings show a splendid
increase. In fact, the tithe income has
more than doubled since 1940; and mis-
sion offerings per capita has increased
by nearly seventy-five per cent. One of
the most encouraging. phases of the fi-
nancial report is that the mission offer-
ings are increasing faster than the tithe
per capita. This is a true barometer of
the love of our people for this message.
Brother McAdams, in his report, will
tell of the progress that has been made
in the distribution of literature. He and
his associates have set a goal for the
placing of 300 colporteurs in the field;
and on August 31, 1944, this objective
was nearly realized. there being 480 en-
rolled as active “ministers of the printed
page.” These faithful workers are
tramping the streets of the cities, the
mountain trails, and dusty plains and
the steaming jungles of Inter-America,
in their service of love. 1 greatly honor
these courageous men and women, and
pray that God will keep His divine hand
of protection over them. They are
making deliveries of nearly $40,000.00
(U.S. currency) worth of literature each
month; and we are looking forward to
the time when their deliveries will
amount to half a million dollars per
year, The realization of that goal is
not very far removed. Many are the
stories that come to us of the heroism
and faithfulness of our noble colpor-
teurs. These stories tell, not only of the
wonderful sale of truth-filled literature,
but of the way in which God is blessing
the colporteurs, and is giving them souls
for their hire.
Our educational work is showing
steady and most encouraging growth
under the able leadership of Elder A.
H. Roth. At present we have seven
training schools in the Division, operat-
ing as follows: Colegio Adventista de
las Antillas, at Santa Clara, Cuba; New
Hope College, in Kingston, Jamaica;
our Junior College in Mandeville,
Jamaica; the Caribbean Training Col-
lege, in -Port-of-Spain, Trinidad; the
Medellin Training School in Colombia;
our training school in San José, Costa
Rica; and the new training center at
Montemorelos, Mexico.
Land has been purchased, and plans
have been laid for the starting of two
new training schools this coming vear,—
INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION MESSENGER 3
one in Haiti, and the other in Panama;
and in the meantime, our educational
leaders are carrying on in spite of many
handicaps, endeavoring to give essential
training to the young people who are
eager to prepare themselves for places
of usefulness in the cause of God. In
Panama City, the church school build-
ing is being used at night by students of
secondary school requirements, and
there is an attendance of more than one
hundred.
The story of our educational work in
Inter-America is both interesting and
thrilling, for we can see the hand of
God reaching out to save our young
people and make them fruitful in win-
ning others to the truth.
Elder Amundsen will give us a brief
survey of the Home Missionary Depart-
ment, and of the work of our Sabbzth
schools. Each of these departments
presents a mighty challenge to the con-
stituency; for within the scope ef each
lie the possibilities for areatly 2niarging
our evangelistic returns in this Division.
God is blessing our Sabbath school
members as they labor on, week after
week, eager and willing to do their part
in spreading the gospel story. Our faith-
ful Sabbath school members give, and
work, and pray; and the result is a
growing church. Nothing can stay the
progress of the message with such a
spirit in the hearts of the laity. Sabbath
school members, lay evangelists, Mis-
sionary Volunteers, and colporteurs, are
heart and soul with us in the finishing
of the work.
This good spirit of missionary zeal is
well exemplified in two brief quotations
from recent correspondence, in which
the writers express the goals that certain
groups have set for themselves. The
first one reads like this: “It is our aim
that every door in this republic shall
receive a colporteur visit during 1944.”
What a goal to set before the workers!
The other goal is equally inspiring. It
reads: “A baptism in every church,
every quarter.” When these two goals
are reached, we shall see many, many
more thousands flocking into the church,
The Radio Department
Elder Whitsett, our Radio Depart-
ment secretary, will bring the full report
of the activities of that branch of the
work. Suffice it to say here, that there
are many thousands of persons now en-
rolled in the Bible School of the Air,—
approximately 25,000; and real victories
are being reported continually. Many
who could not be induced to attend
public lectures, or to enter a church. are