THE INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION 
MESSENGER 
Are We Measuring Up? 
By E. F. HACKMAN, President Inter-American Division 
There is no getting around the fact 
that the invention of the atomic bomb 
and the unsettled political state of the 
world are causing much anxiety today. 
Nothing has ever happened since the 
dawn of history which has occasioned 
so much talk. Thousands of sermons 
have been preached about the atomic 
bomb. Magazines and newspapers have 
issued volumes concerning the im-
minent destruction of the world. Every 
one, from the highest to the lowest 
has been impreseed by the publicity 
given this subject. Consequently hu-
manity has literally been bombed out 
of its complacency. Thousands lack-
ing hope have lapsed back into a 
"what's-the-use" attitude, but other 
thousands are looking for a way out. 
Ordinarily, when politicians fail, 
we expect the church to point the 
way out. But we have searched the 
religious magazines in vain to find 
one note of certainty and authority 
as to what will take place in the future. 
These times demand an authoritative 
gospel, but where is the church, aside 
from the Seventh-day Adventist church, 
that is giving a decisive message for 
these momentous hours? Where is the 
Christian body that is living with 
awareness as to what is taking place 
in this old world of ours; and who 
has a message of deliverance and hope 
for mankind? All around us people 
are asking questions. They want to 
know the meaning of present-day 
events. They are asking a lot of ques-
tions, but no pne is giving them a 
satisfactory answer. The silence of the 
Christian church on these and other 
vital questions, is pathetic. 
It is true that now and then some 
bold soul endeavors to point the way 
out, but the attempt is both weak and 
indecisive. Recently I was impressed 
by an article which appeared in The 
Christian Century, entitled, "The 
Churches, and World Government," 
which all too clearly illustrates the 
hopeless confusion of the religious 
world, and its ignorance of the true 
purposes of God. While the editor 
offers a concrete program of action, 
yet it is pitiful how far he has missed 
the mark. As I read this article the 
Saviour's words came to my mind: 
"Ye do err, not knowing the scrip-
tures." Matt. 22:29. 
I quote from the article as follows: 
"The weakness of the churches today 
—and they are pitifully weak when 
it comes to exercising moral author-
ity—in large measure results from the 
impression held by too many that they 
are just picking at the edges of our 
really vital problems; that where the 
great issues are concerned they are 
fumbling and palsied; that they are 
expending what energy they have on 
marginal matters without much bear-
ing on the one issue which really 
counts, namely, whether man is by 
his folly to bring about his own 
extermination," 
The editor then goes on to challenge 
the churches: "What the churches 
need, what all forms of organized 
religion need, is a moral cause capable 
of redeeming them from this charge 
of being petty bodies fiddling about 
with petty concerns. They need a 
great moral crusade which will con-
vince their own members, as well as 
the secular world, that they are engag-
ed in the most dangerous, the most 
daring, and at the same time the most 
necessary business on the earth. Where 
are they to find out such a cause?" 
Thus far, the editor has struck the 
right note, but when he presented his 
idea of a "great moral crusade," he 
missed the mark. What do you suppose 
is his solution? He did not propose 
a great campaign to save the lost! 
Neither did he suggest that in view 
of the shortness of time we should 
set out to carry the gospel to all the 
world. Far from it! He proposes that 
the churches of the world shall im-
mediately institute a crusade to estab-
lish a world government. "Here," he 
says, "is a cause worthy of the best 
they have to give! . . . Therefore the 
determination to establish a federal 
world government, Utopian as it now 
appears, affords the churches their 
most direct and certain means of re-
gaining moral authority in this mad 
and doom-obsessed world." 
What these men have in the back 
of their minds is a Super-State con-
trolled by a Super-Church. If this can 
be achieved they believe they have the 
answer to all of humanity's ills. 
As I read this article to its close, 
I said, "Thank God for the Advent 
message! We have a program and an 
objective, because we have followed 
the word of God. The churches of 
the world have no program because 
they do not accept the prophecies of 
God's word. This word clearly says 
that this present world is hastening on 
to destruction. It also reveals cleary 
that God in His mercy will give one 
last opportunity for mankind to accept 
of salvation before the end comes. This 
message has been entrusted to Seventh-
day Adventists. We are the people 
of prophecy, who are charged with 
the solemn obligation of carrying the 
Vol. XXV �
AUGUST, 1948 �
No. 6 
The accompanying picture will give a glimpse of the new church building at Vibora, 
Havana, Cuba, which was dedicated on April 10, 1948. At the present time Elder 
V. A. Sauza is conducting an evangelistic effort in this structure, and the prospects 
are good for a rich harvest of souls in the Havana area. 
Successful Recovery 
By GEORGE C. NICKLE, President Colombia-Venezuela Union Mission 
2 �
INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION MESSENGER �
August 
"everlasting gospel" in its judgment-
hour setting, "to every nation, kindred, 
tongue, and people." Rev. 14: 6. 
Of our work the servant of the Lord 
has written: "There is no work in our 
world so great, so sacred, and so glo-
rious, no work that God honors so 
much, as this gospel work. The mes-
sage presented at this time is the last 
message of mercy for a fallen world." 
—Testimonies, Vol. 6, page 19. 
As workers, called of God to do a 
specific work, we must be faithful. 
We are rapidly recovering from the 
insurrection that hit Colombia on the 
afternoon of April 9, following the 
assassination of Jorge Gaitan, the lead-
er of the Liberal Party. His assassina-
tion set off the spark, and mobs formed 
instantly in every city of Colombia. 
At the same time wholesale looting 
of stores began. 
In the city of Bogota many public 
buildings, churches, and business 
places were destroyed, and hundreds 
of peoples lost their lives. It is esti-
mated that $150,000,000 worth of 
property was destroyed or stolen dur-
ing the blitz. Other state capitals also 
suffered, but not to the same extent 
as did Bogota. 
Nine days after the fighting had 
begun, Elder W. E. Baxter decided to 
venture forth on a trip to the heart 
of the city to see how the Church and 
No one else in all the world will do 
what God has called us to do. We 
hold in our hands, as it were, a re-
prieve for condemned humanity. Like 
a doctor in a plague-ridden land, we 
have in our possession the only remedy 
for the doomed inhabitants of this 
sin-plagued world. May God roll upon 
our hearts a burden for the lost, and 
a consciousness of the brevity of time! 
Let every minister, church officer and 
lay member unite to quickly finish 
our God-given task. 
office buildings had fared. He found 
everything just as he had left it. In 
fact, as far as we know, none of our 
church property, nor the property of 
any of our members anywhere in Co-
lombia, was harmed in the least, and 
for this we are exceedingly thankful. 
It is quite evident that. both contend-
ing factions recognized that Adventists 
do not take active part in politics, 
and therefore we were allowed more 
liberty than the average person. 
When the revolution began, Elder 
Baxter and Brother Christiansen, who 
had been visiting some churches in 
the state of Tolima, were returning to 
Bogota by train. Upon arriving at a 
little mountain town called Cachipay, 
they found that they could go no far-
ther, and here they remained five days, 
lodged in a hotel with a number of the 
foremost Liberal leaders of the place 
who had just finished putting all the 
priests of the town under lock and key. 
On several occasions these leaders of 
the revolutionary movement made 
pointed inquiries of Brethren Baxter 
and Christiansen concerning our beliefs 
and teachings, and more than once ex-
pressed their conviction that ours is the 
religion that Colombia needs. 
On Wednesday word came that sol-
diers were arriving in the town, and as 
this place was already occupied by the 
revolutionists, it was expedient that 
their leaders, at least, leave town as 
quickly as possible. So they secured a 
truck and departed for Bogota, taking 
with them these two brethren. 
Upon arrival home Brethren Baxter 
and Christiansen were glad to find that 
all was well with their families and the 
mission workers, and that there was 
still a fair supply of food on hand. 
Fighting was still going on in the 
streets, however, and considerable 
sniping was being carried on from 
such vantage points as church towers 
and other tall buildings, so it was 
definitely unsafe to be out in the 
streets. If one was compelled to ven-
ture out, he was required to walk 
with his hands above his head to sig-
nify his neutrality. This was the pre-
dicament of Brethren Baxter and 
Christiansen on the very night of their 
arrival home, as they walked the 
streets for hours in the rain with 
their hands stretched toward the heav-
ens, in search of an ambulance in 
which to take Sister Christiansen, an 
expectant mother, to the hospial, or 
find a doctor who would go to their 
home. Failing on both of these noble 
projects they finally returned home, 
and were greatly relieved to find that 
the baby had already arrived in this 
world, and that all was well. We are so 
thankful that the Christiansens, young 
missionaries who had arrived in Bo-
gota only four months before, did not 
even get nervous about the situation. 
They came to the mission field ready 
to accept what comes, and to them this 
was just a routine mission incident. 
We are all well and of good courage 
here, and trust that things will settle 
down so that our work may not be 
delayed. Remember us in your prayers. 
"Christians are set as light bearers 
on the way to heaven. They are to 
reflect to the world the light shining 
upon them from Christ . . In every 
one of His children, Jesus sends a let-
ter to the world." S. C. p. 119. 
August �
INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION MESSENGER �
3 
NOTE:—This experience is really the contin-
uation of the excellent article by Douglas C. 
Prenier, the first part of which appeared in the 
July issue of the Messenger. We regret that limit-
ed space made it necessary to divide this ecxel-
lent presentation of the subject of Christian Ed-
ucation. Ed. 
I should like to relate an experience 
which occurred only a short time ago, 
and which I consider to be most ex-
ceptionally in favor of our plan for 
the education of our youth. 
During the opening week of our 
institute here in Colombia, when we 
were very busy registering new stu-
dents and getting arrangements made 
for the school year, I was seated at 
my desk, and well-nigh overwhelmed 
with details, when rather unexpect-
edly there appeared in the doorway a 
weary, emaciated-looking woman, who 
paused at the threshold, awaiting my 
permission to enter and be seated. 
As I looked up and welcomed her, 
she entered with a rather shy smile 
of wistfulness upon her face, which 
seemed. to me to be mingled with an 
attitude of hopefulness; and her tired 
eyes lighted up eagerly as she sat down 
in the far corner of the room and be-
gan to explain the purpose of her call. 
In silence I listened to the words of 
this mother who longed to send her 
two grown-up boys away to school. 
And as I began to realize the import 
of her visit, I reflected that many 
other mothers also had come to me 
at the last minute in the hope that I 
would help them to arrive at some 
miraculous solution of their problems! 
And yet there was something partic-
ularly appealing in this case. 
DIVISION DIRECTORY 
E. F. HACKMAN �
President 
W. E. MURRAY �
Secretary 
L. F. BOHNER . �Treasurer 6. Auditor 
R. B. CALDWELL �
Asst. Treas. & Auditor 
DEPARTMENTAL SECRETARIES 
J. C. CULPEPPER �
Publishing 
A. H. ROTH Educational, Missionary Volunteer 
and Home Commission 
WESLEY AMUNDSEN �Home Missionary, 
Sabbath School and Temperance 
L. H. LINDBECK �
Radio & Press Relations 
W. E. MURRAY �
. 
Ministerial Association 
INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION 
MESSENGER 
W. E. MURRAY, Editor 
E. F. HACKMAN . . �
. . Associate Editor 
EFFIE A. JAMES �
. �
Associate Editor 
C. R. TAYLOR . . �
. �
Assistant Editor 
Published monthly as the Official Organ of the 
Inter-American Division Conference of Seventh 
dayAdventists, Box 228, Coconut Grove, 
Miami, Florida, U.S.A. 
Price: 50 cents a year 
Printed at Colegio de las Antillas, 
Santa Clara, Cuba. 
VOI. XXV �
August, 1948 �
No. 6 
As this mother's experience was 
unfolded to me, I sensed something 
in her tone of earnest sincerity that 
compelled and held my attention until 
I was literally gripping the sides of 
my chair with perspiring hands. Let 
me try to give you just a glimpse of 
her story, as she gave it to me. 
She had seven smaller children. The 
two babies she carried to work with 
her every morning at five o'clock, and 
left them in a nursery in the public 
market place,—a very undesirable 
arrangement, to say the least. Then, in 
a little stall, away off in the vilest-
smelling corner of all, she labored ar-
duously day after day, buying and sell-
ing some very unpoetic by-products 
of the slaughter house. She told me 
that the overhead expense of her little 
business consisted largely of the rent 
of this small space, ice to preserve 
these beef entrails, and nursery service 
for her little ones.. She also told me 
that many times these expenses con-
sumed what little gross profit the day's 
labor brought in, so that it was not 
unusual that her day's work was ap-
parently for naught. Such was her 
world of monotonous drudgery. 
At this point in the story, my vis-
itor arose to her tired feet and came 
closer to me. She placed a wilted shop-
ping bag on top of the desk, reached 
down into this carefully-guarded bun-
dle, and lifted out a crumpled wad of 
old newspaper, and opened it. In sheer 
astonishment I literally leaped to my 
feet when I saw what this unpreten-
tious parcel contained. There before 
me lay a bundle of paper money about 
the size of a head of cabbage, all of 
which had been slowly, and carefully, 
and painstakingly accumulated by the 
daily labors of those dear hands! Week 
after week and month after month 
this little mother had saved and sac-
rificed for the happy day when her 
two sons could go away to our mission 
school. 
There was a total of six hundred 
and fifty pesos! It seemed incredible 
to me that this large amount had been 
the result of her small business as she 
described it to me. Yet here was the 
evidence. And yet, alas, six hundred 
and fifty pesos was still insufficient 
for the expenses of both of her boys 
in our school. One of them must re-
main at home until fifty more pesos 
could be added to the precious store. 
This devoted mother sorrowfully 
apologized saying that she would have 
had the entire seven hundred pesos, 
and a little more, perhaps, save for the 
fact that all of the other five children 
were in the church school. Yes, it was 
the tuition of these other five that had 
caused such a sad lack of funds which 
she had labored so hard to scrape 
together and carefully save for the 
education of her elder sons. Five more 
in church school! 
What more could any mother do 
under any circumstances? I was over-
whelmed with this revelation of devo-
tion, and my heart yearned to do some-
thing very special for this worthy 
mother in Israel. Who, indeed, could 
be more deserving of assistance than 
she? I am pleased to be able to assure 
my readers that sufficient help was 
found from another source, to remove 
this final obstacle, and that the two 
young men are now studying in our 
training institute. 
All credit is due this consecrated 
and energetic mother who counted 
not the cost of a Christian education 
in terms of money only, but rather 
in the precious coin of daily sacrifice 
and unrelenting perseverance. For 
this good woman, no cost was too 
great that was within her power to 
pay, that her children might be trained 
for places of usefulness in the cause 
of God. May He richly reward her, 
and all other faithful parents who are 
doing their utmost in this noble work 
for the children and youth of the 
remnant church. 
Is The Cost Too Great? 
By D. C. PRENIER, Superintendent Pacific Colombia Mission 
+1.11111000001EM.000•.041111100•111.041111111.0.0.11M04121111.411•1.000.1111MMIMIWOO!0.11•1•0•.0 
Miss Julieta Melgarejo is the first "Star" saleslady 
of the missionary magazine El Centinela. Her home is 
in Guatemala, and we are told by Elder J. C. Cul-
pepper, the Division Publishing Department Secret-
ary, that she has sold $446.00 worth of our message-
filled magazine, and has thus won her scholarship and 
plans to enter our training school in San Jose, Costa 
Rica. Yes, we need more Stars of this lovely type! 
4 �
INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION MESSENGER �
August 
People, 
Places, and 
Projects 
In the town of El Ocote, Honduras, 
Brother Miguel Cerna planned to hold 
an evangelistic effort during the 
month of May, 1948. But the circus 
arrived in town with talented artists 
at about the same time, and it seemed 
most inopportune to launch a gospel 
effort just then. However, trusting 
in the Lord, Brother Cerna went for-
ward with his plans, and the first 
night the place was crowded to capac-
ity, while the circus people had no 
audience. The second night it was 
the same; and finally the owner of 
the circus declared that it was useless 
for him and his troupe to operate 
the circus; for, said he, "the people 
of this town are more interested in 
hearing the word of God preached 
to them." Then he added, "We will 
go also, and listen to these lectures." 
So the third night the owner of 
the circus and his wife were at our 
meeting, hearing with joy the gospel 
message for the first time. Brother 
Cerna has been greatly encouraged 
by this experience, and reports that 
he expects a good harvest of souls 
from the effort in El Ocote. 
J. L. Brown 
The Inter-American Division is 
fortunate in having the advisory as-
sistance of several cif our denomina-
tional leaders who are spending some 
weeks visiting the various parts of 
our Division territory during the sum-
mer months. 
Elder Norman W. Dunn, Associate 
Secretary of the General Conference, 
spent the month of June in the Antil-
lian Union, part of this time in com-
pany with Elder W. E. Murray, Secre-
tary of the Inter-American Division. 
During this trip the brethren were 
engaged in a first-hand study of many 
of the problems of our rapidly-advanc-
ing work in varous parts of the union. 
Elder Dunn's assistance is especially 
appreciated at this time when plans 
are being laid for the development 
of several new projects within the 
Antillian Union Mission. 
Dr. Percy Christian, President of 
Pacific Union College, Angwin, Cali-
fornia, is spending several weeks in 
Mexico and the Central American 
Union Mission during the summer 
months in the interests of the educa-
tional work in those fields. He is 
accaccompanied by T. E. Lucas of the 
General Conference, and A. H. Roth 
of the Division headquarters staff. 
With unusual pleasure we announce 
the official arrival in Miami of Elder 
and Mrs. E. F. Hackman and their 
daugther, Miss Carolyn Ann Hackman, 
on June 14. Elder Hackman has of 
course spent a number of months in 
the field already, attending various 
union meetings and special sessions. 
It is needless to say that the Hackman 
family have received a warm welcome 
on the part of the Division workers 
as these new recruits make their home 
among us. We believe that God has 
called this devoted family to the lead-
ership of the work in Inter-America, 
and pledge to them on behalf of the 
field, our hearty co-operation in the 
work of this promising mission terri-
tory. 
COMING EVENTS 
Sept. 4 �Home Missionary Day 
Sept. 25 � Temperance Day 
Sept. 25 . . Thirteenth Sabbath Offering 
(Overflow to Provisional Northern 
European Division) 
Oct. 2 � Colporteur Rally Day 
Oct. 9 �
 Voice of Prophecy Day 
�
e• �
• 
Elder T. E. Lucas, Associate Secre-
tary of the General Conference Mis-
sionary Volunteer Department, in 
company with A. H. Roth, Education-
al and M. V. Secretary of the Inter-
American Division, is making quite 
an extensive tour of the field during 
the months of June, July, and August. 
This itinerary includes a number of 
M. V. Congresses and Rallies, and 
also an educational survey of our 
schools in Costa Rica, Honduras, Pan-
ama, and elsewhere. The itinerary ex-
tends from Mexico, through Central 
America, Colombia-Venezuela, the 
Caribbean Union, and the Antillian 
Union Mission. We believe that the 
work of our educational and M. V. 
leaders during this tour will mean 
much to the future of the work in 
Inter-America. 
During the month of June, quite a 
delegation of physicians from South-
ern California, including Drs. C. E. 
Nelson and Iner S. Ritchie, visited 
Mexico City in the interests of the 
development of a larger medical pro-
gram for the Republic of Mexico 
Elder E. F. Hackman's itinerary for 
the summer includes appointments 
in Jamaica, El Salvador, Honduras, 
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and 
Colombia-Venezuela Union. He will 
meet Elders Roth and Lucas in Central 
America, and will be joined for a por-
tion of the educational survey by 
L. F. Bohner, the Division Treasurer. 
Elder Wesley Amudsen's summer 
program includes a number of Lay-
men's institutes and temperance ral-
lies in British, Dutch, and French 
Guiana; in Trinidad, Grenada, and 
elsewhere. Some excellent reports have 
come to the Division office concern-
ing the reception accorded the pres-
entation of our temperance work in 
the Caribbean area especially. Elder 
Amundsen left Miami about the mid-
dle of June and will continue the pro-
gram of training laymen for evange-
listic work until early in August, when 
he expects to return to the Division 
office. 
• 
Elder J. C. Culpepper of the, Divi-
sion Publishing Department, is spend-
ing some time with the Field Secre-
taries and colporteurs of the Mexican 
Union. He also expects to spend about 
two weeks at the Pacific Press Publish-
ing Association headquarters in Moun-
tain View, California, in the interests 
of the preparation of additional liter-
ature for the Inter-American Division 
territory. 
.111../11....111...00•••••1••••/../..../11. 
Elder L. H. Lindbeck, Secretary of 
the Inter-American Division Radio 
Commission, and the leader of our 
Religious Liberty and Press Relations 
activities, is spending a month in Mex-
ico during the summer in the interests 
of the work of his departments. 
Elder R. L. Klingbeil, of the 
Curacao Mission, sends the following 
news item: "Aruba marches on! We 
are approaching the 500 mark in our 
Voice of Prophecy campaign. Our 
active young people are studying each 
lesson with each student up to lesson 
13 or 14. Then the pastor visits each 
student and briefly reviews all the 
lessons with them in several sittings. 
From that time onward, the students 
continue to study by themselves, and 
the young people continue the pro-
gram with the newly-enrolled."