The following is an excerpt from the book, Meditations in Bible Lands by D. A. Sommer. After visiting Joppa, the author reflected upon the example of Dorcas and what can be done by individual Christians without needing to depend upon man-made organizations.
Christianity was early introduced into this place. It was here that Peter was on the housetop when he had the vision which showed him that the wall of partition between Jew and Gentile was broken down (Acts 10). Here, too, is where Dorcas lived and performed her good works, and where she was restored to life by Peter when she died (Acts 9). God did not put this little incident into His Book merely to fill it up, but to leave an example of good works for future generations, and to show to the readers that the apostle was heaven-sent because of the miracle he performed. What a contrast between Dorcas’ simple way of helping the poor, and the complex way of our modern women! These are the days of organization and all of our work must be done through institutions of our own devising. To carry the gospel to the people, we must have several different kinds of missionary organizations. To make people temperate, we must have temperance societies attached to the church. To help poor preachers, we must have ministerial relief funds. To develop the young people, we must have Endeavor societies. To aid poor people, we must have aid and Dorcas societies. Little religious work is done any more except through institutions attached to the church. The simple truth is that the church is organized to death. The Church as established by Christ and the apostles did all the good work that it is necessary for man to do, and they had no organization except the local church. We must not delegate to a few the work which belongs to all Christians. Every Christian should be a missionary society, an aid society, a Dorcas society, an Endeavor society, a temperance society, and a fund, so far as he is able, to relieve poor ministers and all others who are needy. It is not more organizations that we want, but more work as individual Christians like Paul and Dorcas. This is God’s way, and it is the best.